Economic development and social regeneration

Interreg IIIA was a European Community initiative which contributed to cross-border co-operation between countries of the European Union (EU). The over-arching principle of the Interreg programme was that national borders should no longer be an obstacle to the balanced development and integration of the EU.

The Franco-British Interreg IIIA Programme was allocated a budget of €108million (£67million) for the period 2000-2006 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The region eligible for Interreg IIIA funding includes the whole of Kent, Medway, East Sussex and Brighton and Hove on the English side of the Channel and the French Departments of Nord, Pas-de-Calais, Seine-Maritime and Somme.

Through joint working with French partners, projects engaged in a range of activities under the following thematic headings:

• lifelong learning, education and professional training;
• citizenship, partnership and cultural awareness;
• social cohesion and security;
• economic development;
• research and the cross-border transfer of technology;
• sustainable development of cross-border transport and the promotion of port economies;
• tourism and leisure;
• a common approach to culture, which celebrates diversity;
• conservation and a high quality environment.

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