All along 2020, we have celebrated 30 years of Interreg and cooperation in all its shapes. As the second pillar of the Cohesion policy, European Territorial Cooperation is at the heart of the European spirit because it encourages regions and countries to tackle challenges they can solve only by working together.

The Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2021-2027 will offer funding under four priorities: Innovative Societies, Water-Smart Societies, Climate-Neutral Societies and Cooperation Governance, covering nine Programme objectives altogether. Members of the Joint Programming Committee agreed on the thematic priorities and Programme objectives at the meeting held on 2-3 December 2020.

A project was set into motion in 2017 with the ambitious aim to facilitate and standardize the commercialization process of new biomarkers. Biomarkers are increasingly important in disease risk prediction, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment response. The BIC project concluded in September 2020 and brought about some tools that can help medical companies to bring new biomarkers to the market faster.

Pekka Jounila has just finished his assignment as a contact person for Interreg Baltic Sea Region at the European Commission. How does he reflect on almost three years of working with the Programme? Which project does he remember most? How does he assess the ongoing preparations for the future Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme? Read the interview!