Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021-2027 - Circular Ocean-bound Plastic

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Enriched EU · Found: 2026-03-11 10:42

Programme Measure 2.3 supports circular and resource-efficient development. Features COP (Circular Ocean-bound Plastic) project for collection, reuse and recycling of ocean-bound waste. Directly targets plastic waste value chains in the South Baltic region.

Source: https://southbaltic.eu/projects-and-success-stories/circular-ocean-bound-plastic

Funding Details

Funder: Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021-2027 (EU ERDF)
Funding Goal: Support circular economy transitions by addressing ocean-bound plastic waste in the South Baltic Sea region through collection, reuse, and recycling solutions
Funding Amount: EUR 2,021,978.40 ERDF co-financing (80% of total project budget EUR 2,527,473) (up to 2.021.978 €)
Deadline: 2026-08-31 (Fixed)
How to Apply: Applications submitted through future Interreg South Baltic calls for proposals. The COP project was selected in the 1st call for proposals under Priority RSO2.6. Future calls are announced on southbaltic.eu. Partnership development and concept note submission required.
Target Region: South Baltic Sea region: Poland, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Sweden
Contact: Interreg South Baltic Programme Joint Secretariat, southbaltic.eu. COP project lead: CLEAN Cluster, Denmark.
Last Checked: 2026-03-15 13:23

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Lead partner or consortium member must be based in eligible South Baltic region (Poland, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Sweden)
Minimum 3 partners from at least 2 eligible countries required

Project Scope

Project must address circular economy / resource efficiency objectives (RSO2.6)

Required Documents

Partnership agreement and co-financing plan required

Constraints

Project duration typically 3 years; ERDF funding up to 80% of eligible costs
Applications only accepted during open calls for proposals — monitor southbaltic.eu

Summary

The Circular Ocean-bound Plastic (COP) project is a transnational initiative funded under the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021-2027, the European territorial cooperation programme covering the southern Baltic Sea region including parts of Poland, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, and Sweden. The programme allocates European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) resources to support cross-border cooperation on shared challenges, including the transition to a circular economy. The COP project specifically addresses the challenge of ocean-bound plastic waste entering the South Baltic Sea, with research indicating that approximately 80% of such plastic originates from land-based sources in urban maritime environments. The project runs from September 2023 through August 2026, with a total budget of EUR 2,527,473, of which EUR 2,021,978.40 (80%) is financed by the ERDF. The project is implemented by a consortium of nine partners from across the South Baltic Sea region. The lead partner is CLEAN Cluster from Denmark, with co-partners including the Foundation Plast Center Denmark, Ocean Plastic Forum (Denmark), Sustainable Business Hub Scandinavia AB (Sweden), University of Rostock (Germany), Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (Germany), the City of Gdansk Sports Center (Poland), the Gdansk Water Foundation (Poland), and the University of Gdansk (Poland). Key activities include identifying collection opportunities for ocean-bound plastic, supporting blue and green SMEs in developing innovative recycling methodologies, and jointly developing scalable solutions for plastic value chains in the coastal Baltic region. The project targets deliverables including one jointly developed recycling or collection solution, non-financial support to at least 20 enterprises, and at least one solution taken up or scaled by partner organizations. The Interreg South Baltic Programme operates through periodic calls for proposals targeting cross-border partnerships. Eligible applicants include public authorities, research and educational institutions, NGOs, and businesses registered in the eligible South Baltic Sea countries. Projects must align with the programme priorities, particularly Specific Objective RSO2.6 on promoting the transition to a circular and resource-efficient economy.

Historical Context

The Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021-2027 follows the 2014-2020 programme. The COP project was selected in the 1st call for proposals. A 2nd and potentially 3rd call for the 2021-2027 period are anticipated before programme closure in 2027.

Why it was added

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

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