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?

N

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.

N

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.

N

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.

N

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.

N

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.

N

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.

N

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.

N

Strengthen cohesion and regional identity

Pilot actions that strengthen cohesion and regional identity by using culture as means for social inclusion and social innovation.

N

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 

BSR Cultural Pearls

Baltic Sea Region Cultural Pearls for more resilient Cities and Regions
The project BSR Cultural Pearls helps smaller cities and regions be more attractive to live in and improve their quality of life by engaging people in cultural activities and developing a stronger sense of commonship.
Read more about the project

BSR DeepTech Launch

Deep Tech Entrepreneurship Launchpad - developing efficient model for fostering STEM entrepreneurship among students and young researchers, to increase deep tech innovation in economy
In the project BSR DeepTech Launch, business, research and education institutions empower talented students and young researchers to start up their deep tech businesses and speed up green and digital transition.
Read more about the project

MentalHealthMatters

Mental Health Matters – Making Enterprises in the BSR more Resilient by Tackling Psychosocial Risks in the Workplace
The project MentalHealthMatters connects public health experts and employers to prevent psychosocial risks at the workplace and thus improve the well-being of employees.
Read more about the project

InnoFruit

Advancement of non-technological innovation performance and innovation capacity in fruit growing and processing sector in selected Baltic Sea Region countries
The project InnoFruit created a sustainable network of fruit-growing companies to make them more successful and competitive across the Baltic Sea region markets thanks to the exchange of innovative solutions.
Read more about the project
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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

innovative-societies-resilient-economies-and-responsive-public-services
 
Priority 2

Water-smart societies

2.1 Sustainable waters
2.2 Blue economy

interreg-baltic-sea-region-sustainable-waters-blue-economy
Priority 3

Climate-neutral societies

3.1 Circular economy
3.2 Energy transition
3.3 Smart green mobility

interreg-baltic-sea-region-climate-neutral-societies-circular-economy-energy-transition-green-transport
 
Priority 4

Cooperation governance

4.1 Project platform
4.2 Macro-regional governance

interreg-baltic-sea-region-project-platforms-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

Smart green mobility

Objective 3.3
under Priority 3: Climate-neutral societies

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

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