Europe supports the development of smart and sustainable islands

The European Commission approved Croatia’s programs for the new period, while the Integrated Territorial Program 2021-2027. with more than one and a half billion euros will enable further investments in development, green transition and a better standard of citizens, said Minister Tramišak on Saturday.

– The Republic of Croatia is among the first countries of the European Union to have all programs approved for the new programming period, and the Integrated Territorial Program with more than one and a half billion euros will enable further investments in development, green transition and improvement of living standards for all our citizens – she pointed out in a statement by the Minister of Regional Development and European Union Funds, Nataša Tramišak.

Balanced territorial development
After the acceptance of the Partnership Agreement in August 2022 and the approval of the largest development program within the Cohesion Policy – the Competitiveness and Cohesion Program, the European Commission approved on December 2, 2022 the last program within the Cohesion Policy that Croatia sent for adoption – the Integrated Territorial Program 2021 – 2027.

The guiding thought in the programming of the new program period was that no part of our Homeland should be left out, and with the approval of this program, each part of the Homeland will have special funds for its further development – emphasized Minister Tramišak.

Within the framework of the Integrated Territorial Program, 1.569 billion euros are available from the European Fund for Regional Development and the Fund for Just Transition.

Industrial transition of regions; clean city traffic
– The aforementioned funds will be directed towards strengthening the regional economy through the process of industrial transition of the regions, investments in the development of smart and sustainable islands, the development of smart and sustainable cities, and mitigating the effects of the transition towards a climate-neutral economy in the counties of Sisak-Moslavina and Istria, and the planned investments will be carried out through four priorities – pointed out Minister Tramišak.

Development of urban areas
A large part of the allocated funds from the European Fund for Regional Development within the Program will be focused on integrated investments in cities on islands within the framework of the development of urban areas as drivers of regional growth and development of their functional areas and the development of sustainable and green islands, for which funds of 682 .76 million euros.

Restoration of cultural heritage buildings
In order to support the development of smart and sustainable islands, investments will be directed towards integrated investments in public social and business infrastructure, development of green and blue infrastructure, investments in physical renovation and revitalization of cultural heritage buildings, in addition to investments in energy efficiency, the press release points out.

source: morski.hr