priority 1: Innovative Societies
Objective 1.1
Resilient economies and communities
In this objective, the Programme supports actions that make both economies and societies more resilient. Innovative and resilient economies and societies are necessary for the long-term prosperity of the Baltic Sea region.
What is resilience?
Resilience is understood as the ability to respond to external disturbances such as severe recessions and financial crises, downturns of particular industries or major health crises.
Resilience also refers to a society characterised by strong social cohesion and a shared system of values. As unexpected shocks can create tremendous and persistent damage to the region, the Programme encourages actions that help to avoid unwanted external impacts, withstand them or recover quickly from them. This also implies being able to monitor potential vulnerabilities. Building Baltic Sea region resilience is understood as part of European efforts to achieve higher level of self-sufficiency in the critical sectors and strengthening identity based on common European values, culture and heritage.
Encouraging experimentation
Since the Baltic Sea region increasingly needs to cope with interlinked challenges, the Programme encourages experimentation, “thinking outside the box” and working across different sectors to find suitable solutions.
The solutions developed within this objective need to contribute to increasing innovativeness of the region. Wherever appropriate, the actions should consider uneven territorial developments, e.g. different effects of a disturbance on the urban and rural areas. Where suitable, the actions should untap the potential of digitalisation to increase adaptability of the region.
Support resilience building
Furthermore, the Programme pays special attention to adjustments of the innovation ecosystems to support resilience building. The ecosystem is understood as ability of multiple and interconnected stakeholders to work together effectively using available resources e.g. financial and human.
Existing policies and regulations as well as culture supportive to innovation are other important elements of the ecosystem. Furthermore, the solutions developed by projects should adapt smart specialisation approaches to reinforcing the region’s resilience at the macro scale. This implies finding the right balance between reducing dependency and connecting to global supply and value chains.
What can I do in my project?
Reduce dependecies
Develop models that reduce the dependency of the Baltic Sea region on global supply chains and increase the ability to produce critical goods in the region.
Redesign smart specialisation approaches
Redesign smart specialisation approaches and redefine connections to global value chains to strengthen resilience of the Baltic Sea as a macro-region.
Manage economic and societal challenges
Develop and test mechanisms that manage economic and societal challenges in the Baltic Sea region macro-region in a coordinated fashion, e.g. piloting smart health solutions.
Encourage sustainable consumption
Explore the potential of sustainable consumption patterns based on local services and goods and strengthen a common identity of the Baltic Sea region as a source of these goods and services.
Respond to sudden demand fluctuations
Explore solutions (e.g. digital) that enable services and production in the Baltic Sea region to scale and shrink in response to sudden demand fluctuations, minimising negative impact on human welfare.
Assist business
Explore solutions to assist business with recovery following unexpected external disturbances, e.g. develop new or adapt existing business support programmes, implement efforts to diversify the industrial base, develop risk management tools for whole sectors (e.g. creative industries) and risk response strategies.
Strengthen societal resilience
Pilot actions that strengthen societal resilience through cultural change, behavioural shifts and mobilising creativity, e.g. promoting smart working solutions, testing mechanisms supporting vulnerable social groups.
Strengthen cohesion and regional identity
Pilot actions that strengthen cohesion and regional identity by using culture as means for social inclusion and social innovation.
Better connect research and regional innovation systems
Pilot actions solving specific challenge in building resilience through better connections between research and regional innovation systems.
Get inspired by the ongoing projects
Sign-up
Newsletter Subscription
Four priorities & nine objectives
Four priorities for cooperation
Interreg Baltic Sea Region 2021-2027 creates opportunities for organisations to connect
as if there were no borders. With experience and EU funding, we help them cooperate and put their ideas into practice.
Jointly, we make the life of people around the Baltic Sea better.
The Programme is structured along with four priorities. They guide partners in achieving the most when cooperating across borders.
Priority 1
Innovative societies
1.1 Resilient economies and communities
1.2 Responsive public services
Priority 2
Water-smart societies
2.1 Sustainable waters
2.2 Blue economy
Priority 3
Climate-neutral societies
3.1 Circular economy
3.2 Energy transition
3.3 Smart green mobility
Priority 4
Cooperation governance
4.1 Project platform
4.2 Macro-regional governance
Overview: all the Programme objectives
Resilient economies and communities
Objective 1.1
under Priority 1: Innovative societies
Sustainable waters
Objective 2.1
under Priority 2: Water-smart societies
Circular economy
Objective 3.1
under Priority 3: Climate-neutral societies
Project platforms
Objective 4.1
under Priority 4: Cooperation governance
Responsive public service
Objective 1.2
under Priority 1: Innovative societies
Blue economy
Objective 2.2
under Priority 2: Water-smart societies
Energy transition
Objective 3.2
under Priority 3: Climate-neutral societies
Macro-regional governance
Objective 4.2
under Priority 4: Cooperation governance
Resilient economies and communities
Objective 1.1
under Priority 1: Innovative societies
Responsive public service
Objective 1.2
under Priority 1: Innovative societies
Sustainable waters
Objective 2.1
under Priority 2: Water-smart societies
Blue economy
Objective 2.2
under Priority 2: Water-smart societies
Climate-neutral societies
Objective 3.1
under Priority 3: Climate-neutral societies
Energy transition
Objective 3.2
under Priority 3: Climate-neutral societies
Smart green mobility
Objective 3.3
under Priority 3: Climate-neutral societies
Project platforms
Objective 4.1
under Priority 4: Cooperation governance
Macro-regional governance
Objective 4.2
under Priority 4: Cooperation governance
News
Flip-EC project officially launched in Lübeck to start a behavioural energy transition across the BSR
The project „Flipped Energy Concept to Flip Climate Change” (Flip-EC) was officially launched in Lübeck, Germany, from 7th to 9th May 2025. The event marked a...
(No title)
CommitClimate Workshop In Jokkmokk: Exploring Local Climate Solutions
How can small changes in our daily lives contribute to a more sustainable future? This was the key question during our recent CommitClimate workshop, where...
CommitClimate Workshop In Jokkmokk – Exploring Local Climate Solutions
How can small changes in our daily lives contribute to a more sustainable future? This was the key question during our recent CommitClimate workshop, where...
The magic of Interreg: this is how we do it transnationally!
Almost 300 guests, the charm of Finnish Tampere and a vibrant colour palette of transnational cooperation: the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme Conference held on 20-22 May 2025, brought to light the benefits of Interreg and the magic behind them.
Project platforms: powering up cooperation across the Baltic Sea region
From climate resilience to mental health, project platforms transform stand-alone solutions into true powerhouses of cooperation. These capitalisation initiatives, labelled Operations of Strategic Importance in Interreg Baltic Sea Region, connect project results, build bridges across programmes, and drive meaningful change throughout the Baltic Sea region.
Set for the Interreg adventure, connected for a bigger impact!
On 19-20 March 2025, we met 21 lead partners of core projects about to start their activities. The seminar was designed to connect, provide information, and prepare partners for their incredible Interreg adventure.
