The Interreg IPA ADRION Programme has officially launched its 2nd Call for Proposals, now open until 30 June 2025 at 13:00 CEST (Rome time). The call invites eligible applicants from across the Adriatic-Ionian region to submit transnational cooperation proposals that address shared territorial challenges and deliver sustainable and innovative solutions.
This call aims at fostering a smarter region, enhancing environmental resilience, and promoting carbon neutrality and better connectivity. The total budget available through Interreg funds for this call amounts to approximately EUR 21.87 million.
The 2nd Call addresses three Priority Axes. The first, “Supporting a Smarter Adriatic and Ionian Region,” aims to strengthen innovation capacities across the region by supporting the development of transnational Smart Specialization Strategies, particularly in sectors such as health, agri-food, sustainable tourism, and the creative economy. It also promotes multi-level governance models, advanced technologies, digital services, cluster cooperation, and innovation tailored to social challenges.
The second Priority Axis, “Supporting a Greener and Climate Resilient Adriatic-Ionian Region,” focuses on strengthening regional resilience to climate change, natural, and human-induced disasters. This includes the creation of adaptation strategies and pilot initiatives related to health, heritage, and urban planning, as well as the protection of marine ecosystems and water resources. It also supports environmental protection by promoting sustainable tourism, food systems, pollution reduction, and joint actions for soil and water conservation.
The third Priority Axis, “Supporting a Carbon Neutral and Better Connected Adriatic-Ionian Region,” supports the development of a smart, carbon-neutral mobility system. Activities may include the implementation of planning tools to anticipate public transport needs, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic and in response to demographic shifts. It also supports integrated rail-sea transport, the elimination of legislative and infrastructural obstacles to freight movement, and the improvement of regional accessibility, particularly in remote areas, to the broader TEN-T network.
To be eligible, each project must include at least four financing partners from four different countries of the programme’s area of cooperation. This must involve at least two ERDF and two IPA countries. Budget should be up to a maximum of EUR 1.2 million of Interreg funds with a duration of maximum 36 months.
Applications must be submitted through the Programme’s monitoring system, JEMS. All relevant information regarding the objectives and scope of the call, types of activities, partnership composition, and budget details can be found in the official application package available on the Call’s dedicated web page.
To support applicants, the Programme is organizing two information events. The first will take place on 29 April 2025 in Bologna, Italy, and will provide practical guidance on how to prepare and submit a proposal. For more information and registration, click here. The second event will be held on 6 May 2025 in Georgioupolis, Crete, Greece, as part of the 10th EUSAIR Forum. It will focus on how the 2nd Call contributes to the objectives of the EUSAIR macro-regional strategy. Details and registration are available here.