Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Has the programme area changed?
A: No, the programme area is geographically the same as it was during the 2014 – 2020 period.
The division of the area into core and additional areas has been abandoned. See the Programme area page for more information.
Q: When can I apply for funding?
A: The deadline for the first call is not decided yet, but it is likely in early spring of 2022. See the Call calendar for more information.
Q: Can one project be co-financed under two different Programme objectives?
Project must clearly fit under one Programme objective and the results of the project must always contribute to fulfilling the indicators of that specific Programme objective. However, a project may still include some elements from other Programme objectives.
Q: Will the 2021 – 2027 programme also use eMS?
A: No. A new system system called Jems has been developed for this purpose. Like the eMS before it, it is a joint web-based monitoring system used by a large number of Interreg programmes throughout Europe.
PARTNERSHIP
Q: How many partners are needed for a project?
A: The minimum requirement is two partners from two member states. More important than the number of partners, or that the whole programme area is covered by the project, is the relevance of the partners in achieving the project results.
Q: What kind of a partnership should I have?
A: A partnership should always consist of partners that are relevant for the project topic and whose input is necessary for achieving the project results. Each partner’s participation on the project has to be justified.
The eligibility of partners has been defined according to their legal status. The programme will accept public authorities as well as bodies governed by public law and bodies governed by private law. These can be local, regional or national public authorities, infrastructure and (public) service providers, other organisation established for general interest needs including NGOs, business support organisations, higher education and research institutions as well as SMEs.
To be eligible for funding, a project must have at least two partners, and they must be from at least two different member states. Bilateral projects between mainland Finland and Åland are not possible. The relevance of the partners’ roles in achieving the project results is more important than the number of partners or coverage of the whole programme area.
Q: Who can be a Lead Partner?
A: The programme will accept public authorities as well as bodies governed by public law and bodies governed by private law to act as a Lead Partner. These can be local, regional or national public authorities, infrastructure and (public) service providers, other organisation established for general interest needs including NGOs, business support organisations, higher education and research institutions. Due to the special nature of being a Lead Partner SMEs will not be allowed as Lead Partners. Organisations from outside of the programme area cannot act as Lead Partners.
FUNDING
Q: What kinds of projects are co-financed under 2021 – 2027?
A: The programme focuses on funding projects under seven Programme Objectives: 1) More exports by SMEs, 2) More new scaled-up growth companies, 3) Joint circular economy solutions, 4) Improved coastal and marine environment, 5) Decreased CO2 emissions, 6) Improved employment opportunities, and 7) Improved public services and solutions.
Each Programme Objective has its own Result indicators as well as Output indicators. When designing the project idea, it is important to keep these in mind because each co-financed project must clearly contribute to the selected Programme Objective and its indicators.
Every co-financed project must also always produce cross-border added value i.e., results which cannot be reached by implementing the project on national level but require international co-operation.
Q: Can an organisation from outside the programme area participate in the project?
A: Partners can also come from outside of the programme area. However, as with other partners, their participation must be justified and relevant for the project implementation.
Q: Is it possible to implement a small project in the Central Baltic Programme 2021-2027?
A: The aim of the small project instrument is to offer opportunity to implement local scale and people-to-people projects with simplified application and reporting process. A small project has limited ERDF budget size and duration which means that the ERDF contribution amount for one project is up to 150.000 € and the project duration is up to 1,5 years.
Q: Can a small project be used as a preparation project for a regular project?
A: Each project co-financed by the programme including the small projects should always contribute to the result indicator(s) and output indicator(s) of the selected Programme objective. In order to be able to fulfill this demand it is not justified and advisable to plan a small project to be used as a preparatory project for a regular project.
Q: Are there limitations for the project duration or the size of the project budget?
A: Apart from the small projects, there are no set limitations for projects on the project duration or project budget. The duration and the budget must reflect the content of the project – how long it takes to implement the project activities to being able to reach the set outputs and results.
You may use the Programme budget proportion per each Programme objective and the targets of output and result indicator(s) as an indicative tool when considering the possible budget sizes of Central Baltic co-financed projects. You can find this information in the Programme Document.
Q: What is the earliest possible date to start the project after it has been selected for funding?
A: In the 2021 – 2027 period, the applicants are no longer asked to indicate the start and end dates of their project in the appliation form. Only the project duration is indicated, and the start date will be decided during the contracting process.
Q: Does the Joint Secretariat make the funding decisions?
A: No, the funding decisions are taken by the Monitoring Committee of the programme. It consists of several representatives from each member state and Åland.
Q: How can the Joint Secretariat support project preparation?
A: You should start by filling in the project idea form that can be found from the project website, and sending it to the relevant project manager at the JS. This way you can receive initial feedback and you can agree on a consultation time for a more detailed discussion.
Q: What things have changed in project implementation?
A: The programme will use a bigger number of simplified cost options (SCOs). Flat rates, unit costs and lump sums will be utilised. For more information on these, check the programme manual.
ABOUT THE CALLS
Q: How can I make sure I get the latest information on call dates, events and other programme developments?
A: It is recommended that you follow our website and subscibe to the programme newsletter. The programme is also active in social media (Facebook, Twitter).
Q: How much much funds available for the projects in the 2021 – 2027 period?
A: The programme budget for funding the projects is roughly 118,5 MEUR. This funding comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). It is divided in the following way:
- Business development projects (Programme Objectives 1 and 2): 35 MEUR
- Environmental projects (Programme Objectives 3, 4 and 5): 52,5 MEUR
- Labour market projects (Programme Objective 6): 20 MEUR
- Public services projects (Programme Objective 7): 11 MEUR
