During the upcoming programming period, we will continue to support interregional cooperation in the so-called Meuse-Rhine region, which is the border region of the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium.

In this upcoming programme period, we will offer more than 176 million euros to cross-border projects on smarter innovations, greener, low-carbon initiatives, social inclusion concepts, and better cooperation in the Meuse-Rhine area. 

In the next programme period, we will fund projects in the following fields, the so-called priority axes: 

A smarter Meuse-Rhine area

Our intention is to make better use of the strong technological knowledge position on key technologies within the clusters of the manufacturing industry as well as life sciences and health. 

Projects can work on the following topics: 

• Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies
• Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs. 

A greener, low-carbon Meuse-Rhine area

In the next programme period, we will support projects that foster greener growth in the border region of the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. Following the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal, we want to play our part and help projects that facilitate a transition to a green society and economy. 

We are looking for project ideas on these themes: 

• Promoting renewable energy
• Enhancing climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention and resilience, taking into account ecosystem-based approaches 
• Advancing the transition to a circular and resource-efficient economy

A more social Meuse-Rhine area

The programme offers a wide array of topics in this field: 

• Encouraging the effectiveness and inclusiveness of labour markets and access to quality employment through developing social infrastructure and promoting a social economy
• Improving equal access to inclusive and quality services in education, training, and lifelong learning through developing accessible infrastructure
• Fostering resilience for distance and online education and training
• Ensuring equal access to health care and fostering resilience of health systems, and promoting the transition to family-based and community-based care
• Enhancing sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion, and social innovation

Better cooperation governance in the Meuse-Rhine area

This theme is made for project ideas that will improve the quality of life for the residents in our region in the broadest sense of the word, by reducing or removing border barriers, and therefore improving cross-border cooperation. 

• Supporting efficient public administration by promoting legal and administrative cooperation and cooperation between citizens, civil society actors, and institutions, in particular, with a view to resolving legal and other obstacles in border regions
• Building up mutual trust, in particular by encouraging people-to-people action 

All project applications must be submitted via the digital system JEMS.In order to prepare and submit your project outline, please use the following link to the JEMS system: www.jems.interregmeuserhine.eu