Powered by Interreg
The QRM4.0 project is sponsored by Interreg, because it is a great example of a cross-border collaboration that stimulates regional development. But what is Interreg and why does it care? And which region are we talking about? This article explains everything.
Interreg
Interreg is one of the key instruments of the European Union supporting cooperation across borders through project funding. Its aim is to jointly tackle common challenges and find shared solutions in fields such as health, environment, research, education, transport, sustainable energy and more. In 2020, Interreg has invested in cross-border cooperation and regional development for thirty years.
Interreg funds collaborative projects that invest in shared solutions for common challenges, because collaboration across borders makes regional companies so much more successful than when they all try to accomplish the same things separately.
Interreg is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and has a budget of EUR 351.8 billion invested in 107 cooperation programs, such as that of Euregio Meuse-Rhine.
Euregio Meuse-Rhine
Euregio Meuse-Rhine is the name for a specific border region. It comprises 13 governmental regions from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Region of Aachen, region of Eupen, the province of Liège, the Belgian province of Limburg, and the southern part of Dutch Limburg up until Roermond. This surface area of 18.000 km2 houses 5.4 million inhabitants and 265,000 students at knowledge institutes. It’s a very connected region, as within a one-hour drive, there are 8 airports.
Funding QRM4.0
In the Euregio Meuse-Rhine, Interreg has approved 43 projects on innovation, economy, social inclusion, territorial development and technical assistance. The collaborative project QRM4.0 is one of them, intended to make manufacturing SMEs in this specific Euregio more competitive. 9 IT partners collaborate to help many small and medium-sized manufacturing companies with a total budget of € 3.364.308 – € 1.682.154 from Interreg. Interreg wishes the project partners good luck in helping those regional companies.
Funding new projects
Do you have another great idea for an international collaborative project such as this? Due to the pandemic, there is an extended deadline to submit your draft application (14 September 2020) and final application (2 November 2020). The current call for projects is the 6th and last call for this period (2014-2020).
For more details on the allocation of budgets or the priorities in new projects, watch the video: