Interreg Italy-Croatia Shares Public Consultation Insights at Post-2027 Brussels Event
26/11/2024
On 26th November, Silvia Comiati, Head of the JS of the Interreg Programme Italy-Croatia, participated in the plenary session on “Citizen and Stakeholder Engagement” at the Post-2027 Harvesting Event in Brussels.
This event represented an important platform for discussing the future of Interreg and allowed Interreg Programmes to share the results of the public consultations conducted to date.
Ms Comiati explained the results of the consultation process carried out by the Programme from April to September and highlighted the main takeaways. The Programme adopted a mixed approach that included online surveys, as well as in-person events and interviews, to gain qualitative data and collected 500 responses in total, almost equally divided between citizens and stakeholders and also between the two countries.
Regarding the main issues that emerged, Ms Comiati noted that the consultation revealed a clear demand for investments in transport and connectivity in the Adriatic area, aimed at strengthening cohesion between the two countries. This is a theme in which the Interreg Italy-Croatia Programme is playing its part, but which the Programme cannot address alone, of course.
Two other important needs to address are youth engagement and communication, to improve the visibility of EU-funded opportunities and their impact on territories and people.
Ms Comiati concluded by explaining how the Programme can and is working on these issues, particularly by organising events and initiatives aimed at young people, supporting beneficiaries in project communication, and fostering networking and cross-fertilisation among its funded projects.
Finally, when asked what should be reinforced in the next programming period, she stressed the importance of capitalising on results, building synergies among programmes, and improving cooperation and governance through ISO 1.
