As many as 31 new projects will receive funding within the framework of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2014-2020. The Monitoring Committee of Interreg Baltic Sea Region met in Tallinn on 19-20 September 2018 to select most promising transnational projects to further stimulate the development of the region in the fields of capacity for innovation, management of natural resources and sustainable transport.

The health sector is facing great challenges in all countries around the Baltic Sea: demographic change, more and more people with chronic diseases and a declining number of doctors, in particular in rural areas. One important solution aiming for better treatment of patients is eHealth. In 2007, a number of partners from Germany, Denmark, Finland, Latvia and Sweden established a network called “eHealth for Regions”. It covered a number of eHealth issues in several cooperation projects to create new knowledge, share experiences and enhance capacities. The latest project launched in 2017 is BaltCityPrevention, which tackles life-style related diseases.

It’s been ten years since the global financial crisis expanded from the United States to the European Union. Among other negative effects, the Baltic Sea region was unpleasantly surprised by an emigration crisis in the east and intensive immigration to the west of the region. Transnational Interreg cooperation was vital not only to help people struggling with the different labour markets, but also to foster European integration for a more competitive Europe on a macro-regional level.

Despite the progressing age of communities in the Baltic Sea region, needs of the elderly are not being sufficiently addressed by producers of furniture and home equipment. In the project BaltSe@nior co-financed by Interreg Baltic Sea Region, by developing prototypes of intelligent furniture and upgrading design trends, companies are offered thriving opportunities to develop more suitable products for the elderly. Transnational cooperation that increases the comfort of life of seniors and at the same time fosters a more competitive Europe drew the attention of EU Commissioner Corina Crețu, who recently paid a visit to the project.