On 7 May 2026, the Interreg Euro-MED Programme took part in the Interreg Leaders’ Forum under the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU 2026, gathering high-level representatives from Interreg programmes and European institutions for a full day of dialogue on the future of territorial cooperation in Europe.
Throughout the discussions, one message emerged clearly: Interreg remains an essential instrument for European integration, cohesion and resilience. Cooperation is fundamental to addressing shared challenges that go beyond borders, from climate change and demographic pressures to territorial inequalities and environmental transitions.
The Programme contributed to Panel 3 – “Navigating New Territorial Directions: strategic perspectives with regard to the Mediterranean Strategy and the EU Strategy for Islands”, through the intervention of Gina Apostolaki, from the Europe Direct Region of Crete and Associate Project Manager of the Dialogue4Nature project.
The intervention focused on how Interreg Euro-MED contributes, through its governance projects and capitalisation approach, to the design and implementation of European and Mediterranean policies, including the future EU Strategy for Islands and the Pact for the Mediterranean. Particular attention was given to institutional dialogue, multi-level governance and the transfer of tested solutions into public policies.
The Forum also confirmed the strong mobilisation of the Interreg community ahead of the post-2027 programming period, with continued calls for:
- maintaining Interreg as a visible and autonomous instrument,
- reinforcing its territorial and governance dimension,
- simplifying implementation mechanisms,
- and strengthening the transfer and capitalisation of project results to maximise territorial impact.
Interreg continues to demonstrate that cooperation is not only a policy instrument, but also a concrete way to build trust, connect territories and develop shared European solutions.
Photo credit: Interreg
