From barriers to bridges: engaging SMEs and the private sector in Interreg

The European private sector, made up mainly of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) is an engine of innovation, economic resilience, and a key actor of the green and digital transitions across European regions. The active participation of the private sector in Interreg projects strengthens the relevance, sustainability, and real-world impact of cooperation results. Many programmes have already demonstrated this successfully. 
  
At the same time, even though many challenges have been removed over the years, many obstacles persist.  Administrative complexity, co-financing barriers, public procurement and State aid rules, difficulties in finding suitable cross-border or transnational partners are repeatedly highlighted by programmes and stakeholders. Strengthening private sector and SME involvement is therefore both a strategic opportunity and a shared need across the Interreg community.  

This webinar aims at enhancing the debate on the topic as the need to engage with the private sector grows now and particularly beyond 2027.