Interreg Central Baltic Programme 2021-2027

Enriched EU · Found: 2026-03-11 10:42

Cross-border cooperation programme with Objective 3: Joint circular economy solutions. Fifth call for proposals ran Aug-Sep 2025. Supports projects like TransFarm (integrated fish-vegetable growing systems). Future 2026-2027 calls expected to continue circular economy objective.

Source: https://centralbaltic.eu/news/get-ready-fifth-call-for-project-proposals-opens-in-2025

Funding Details

Funder

Interreg Central Baltic Programme 2021-2027

Funding Goal

Cross-border cooperation in the Central Baltic region (Finland incl. Åland, Estonia, Latvia, Sweden) across seven programme objectives including circular economy, coastal/marine environment, SME exports, CO2 reduction, and employment.

Funding Amount

Approximately €30 million ERDF total reserved for the Fifth Call (2025); individual project grant sizes not specified on this page. (up to 30.000.000 €)

Deadline

2025-09-30 (Rolling)

How to Apply

1. Review Programme Manual 6.0 and the relevant Application Guide (regular or small projects). 2. Optionally submit a project idea form and book a consultation with the Joint Secretariat. 3. Attend applicant support events (Feb–Aug 2025 series). 4. Prepare application in Jems (open from 10 March 2025). 5. Submit via Jems between 1 August and 30 September 2025 (noon local time). 6. Monitoring Committee decisions in January 2026. Future calls expected 2026–2027.

Target Region

Central Baltic: Finland (incl. Åland), Estonia, Latvia, Sweden

Contact

Joint Secretariat / Managing Authority: c/o Regional Council of Southwest Finland, Linnankatu 52 B, Turku, Finland (visiting); P.O. Box 273, 20101 Turku, Finland (mailing). Email: info@centralbaltic.eu | Phone: +358 40 550 8408

Last Checked

2026-03-11 16:06

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Lead partner must be an organisation legally registered in the programme area (Finland incl. Åland, Estonia, Latvia, or Sweden)
• Project must involve partners from at least two different programme countries (cross-border partnership mandatory)

Project Scope

• Project must clearly align with one of the 7 Programme Objectives and demonstrate cross-border added value
• For PO3 (circular economy) or PO4 (coastal/marine environment), project must address the specific result indicators defined in the Programme Manual

Required Documents

• Complete and submit application form via Jems portal within the open submission window
• Review Programme Manual 6.0 (Annex III for changes) and the relevant Application Guide for your project type (regular or small)

Constraints

• Programme Objective 7 (Improved public services) is restricted to small projects only in this call
• When funding is limited, priority given to high-scoring projects or those matching specific focus areas (PO1 prioritised over PO2)

Summary

The Interreg Central Baltic Programme 2021-2027 is an EU co-funded cross-border cooperation programme financed through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). It supports joint projects across Finland (incl. Åland), Estonia, Latvia, and Sweden in seven thematic areas ranging from business development and circular economy to coastal/marine environment and public services. The programme runs through 2027 with multiple call rounds; the Fifth Call ran August–September 2025 with approximately €30 million ERDF reserved, and further calls are expected in 2026–2027. Applications must demonstrate genuine cross-border value and involve partners from at least two participating countries. The programme uses a one-step application process submitted via the Jems electronic monitoring system. Two project types are available: regular projects (larger scope) and small projects (lighter requirements). Project idea consultations with the Joint Secretariat are strongly encouraged before applying. Relevant to this analysis are Programme Objective 3 (Joint circular economy solutions) and Programme Objective 4 (Improved coastal and marine environment). PO4 explicitly targets improved coastal and marine ecosystems, making it directly applicable to NGOs working on Baltic Sea marine conservation, seaweed farming, mussel cultivation, and coastal protection. PO3 supports circular economy value chains, which aligns with plastic waste recycling and resource recovery initiatives. Final funding decisions for the Fifth Call are made by the Monitoring Committee in January 2026. The programme has a strong track record with multiple previous calls under the 2021–2027 framework and a predecessor programme (CB 2014–2020). It targets organisations within the Central Baltic region, meaning lead partners must be located in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, or Sweden — organisations based outside this area (e.g., Denmark) face significant eligibility constraints and may only participate as associated partners.

Historical Context

The programme is a continuation of CB 2014–2020. The 2021–2027 programme has run at least five calls; the Fifth Call in 2025 is described here. The programme supports example projects such as TransFarm (integrated fish-vegetable growing) and BalticReed. Monitoring Committee meetings are held to approve projects after each call.

Why it was added

Interreg circular economy / plastic waste program relevant for OPF value chain work

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