The European Commission decided to transfer EUR 135 million from the Instrument for Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation, which was planned for Interreg NEXT programs for the Russian Federation and Belarus in 2021-2027, to other Interreg programs for Ukraine and Moldova.
The European Commission reported that these funds are planned to be used to strengthen cooperation with Ukraine and Moldova.
As European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Eliza Ferreira notes, such a decision is “the result of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine.”
“I am glad that the funds we originally planned to allocate for this cooperation will now benefit EU programs with Ukraine and Moldova. This will help strengthen cooperation between EU regions and local stakeholders with Ukrainian and Moldovan partners,” she added.
The press release reports that this funding can support the “Strand of Solidarity” and the development of cross-border transportation, health care services, educational and research projects, social integration schemes, and strengthen the institutional capacity of Ukrainian and Moldovan state authorities.
Equally important, participation in Interreg programs also brings both countries advantages in administrative capacity and experience in managing and implementing EU funds.
