Monitoring Committee meeting

The 5th Monitoring Committee of the Interreg NPA programme took place at Greenland’s Representation in Copenhagen. All partner countries were represented.
The meeting was Chaired by Mr Petri Haapalainen (Finland).

Post-2027 consultations

An overview was provided of the post-2027 consultation activities that took place since the previous meeting. The outcomes are summarised in a Harvesting Report, which is to be submitted to the European Commission by the end of the year. A draft version was available, but RCP input from Finland and Iceland still needed to be included. The report is expected to conclude with recommendations about the topics to be covered by future Interreg programmes, their geography, as well as recommendations for programme and project implementation. The draft recommendations were presented to the MC, and after some clarifications, they were accepted. MC members still had a few days to provide additional comments.

Fifth Call projects approval

The Monitoring Committee approved 16 projects out of the 23 submitted to the 5th Call of the Interreg NPA 2021-2027 programme. More than 14 million Euro we allocated, bringing the total funding commitment to all types of projects to 77% of the total programme budget for projects.
Ten projects were approved under Priority 1- Innovation capacity, five under Priority 2 - Climate change and resource sufficiency, and one under Priority 3 Cooperation opportunities.
The following projects were approved: NPA0800200 MINDSET, NPA0800216 Nordic Bridge, NPA0800223       CyberGrass 2.0, NPA0800227 BATTSi, NPA0800242 AMPLE, NPA0800202InnoGS, NPA0800206 RemoTED, NPA0800212 BOCOD, NPA0800203 GIFT, NPA0800241 Sustainable SMEs, NPA0800211 RIAQ, NPA0800224 RETURN, NPA0800244 NACEMAP, NPA0800248 FORESTCARBOVISION, NPA0800237 BIO-2-PRINT, NPA0800213 REGENERATE.

Calls Schedule

he Monitoring Committee agreed that in addition to the Clustering Call for Projects to be announced in early 2025, the programme will launch a Sixth Call for proposals in autumn 2025. 
 
The Terms of Reference for this call will be published in June 2025. The call will officially open during the Interreg NPA 25th Anniversary Conference in Bodø on 1 October 2025, and will close on 2 February 2026, with decisions expected in May 2026. 
 To enable wider transnational partnerships in future projects, the EU Member States participating in the Interreg NPA Programme have agreed to allocate a portion of ERDF funding to project partners from Non-Member States, including the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Iceland, if required.

Joint actions with Interreg Aurora in the framework of the Interreg Arctic Cooperation

The Monitoring Committee agreed to postpone the Clustering call deadline to 6th October 2025.

Involvement of underrepresented groups - youth

Efforts to enhance youth involvement in the Interreg NPA Programme were reported, highlighting consultations with four key youth organisations and Lead Partners to assess participation levels and barriers.
Youth engagement in the Interreg NPA targets individuals aged 18–35 and organisations working with this demographic, with eligibility extended to organisations outside the NPA area holding national mandates.
Four recommendations were presented: increasing awareness through targeted communication and events; improving accessibility by connecting youth organisations with project partners; launching a small-scale capacity-building Call in 2026 to address funding and administrative barriers; and co-creating the Call’s Terms of Reference with youth organisations in 2025 to ensure relevance.

Involvement of underrepresented groups – Indigenous peoples

The approach to involving indigenous peoples in the Interreg NPA Programme was outlined, emphasising the need for more direct participation. While the programme already integrates inclusivity across its objectives, indigenous communities are prioritised due to their heightened vulnerability to climate change impacts and alignment with the EU Arctic policy.
A three-step roadmap was proposed: engaging with indigenous representatives, creating appropriate engagement structures, and strengthening participation capacity. Specific actions include dialogue with Sami representatives in Interreg Aurora, engaging Inuit organisations recommended by Greenland, attending the EU Arctic Forum, and offering internships or thesis opportunities on the subject.
Concerns were raised regarding the limited resources among Sami communities, with an internship being proposed to address capacity gaps. 

Next meeting

The next Monitoring Committee meeting is scheduled on 3rd June 2025 in Harstad, Norway.
 

About the Monitoring Committee

The Monitoring Committee (MC) oversees the programme implementation and selects project applications. It includes representatives from partner countries, permanent observers from neighbouring regions (Scotland, Northern Ireland, Canada, and Saint-Pierre-and-Miquelon) and receives advisory input from the European Commission as well as representatives from youth and indigenous people organisations.

Participation to the MC meeting is restricted to MC members, observers and invited guests.