Interreg Cooperation Day 2026: Galicia brings together projects that transform territories

The event will bring together representatives from Spain, Portugal and the European Commission alongside projects from the main European territorial cooperation programmes: SUDOE, POCTEP, Atlantic Area and Interreg Europe

Galicia will become a meeting point for European territorial cooperation on 22 September with the celebration of Interreg Cooperation Day 2026, an event that will bring together institutional representatives and projects from the main European territorial cooperation programmes (Interreg SUDOE, POCTEP, Atlantic Area and Interreg Europe) to share experiences and show how collaboration between territories can address common challenges and create new opportunities.

Under the motto “Stronger together: projects that transform territories”, the event will be held at the FEUGA Auditorium and will bring together representatives of the Xunta de Galicia, the Directorate-General for European Funds of the Ministry of Finance, the Portuguese Agência para o Desenvolvimento e Coesão and the European Commission, through DG REGIO.

The event will provide first-hand insight into experiences developed across different areas and cooperation programmes, highlighting how collaboration between regions, public administrations, universities and other stakeholders can address challenges that transcend borders.

FOUR ROUNDTABLES TO ADDRESS SHARED CHALLENGES

The programme is structured around four roundtables addressing different dimensions of territorial cooperation.

The first, “Cooperation for territorial management”, will address challenges related to forest management, wildfire prevention and response, and territorial resilience. Projects such as USE4FOREST, CILUMES INTEROPERA, RAT_EOS PC, ALERT-PFAS, FIREPOCTEP+, FIREPOCTEP AVANZA and ATEMPO will participate, with representatives from the Xunta de Galicia, the Universidade de Vigo and the Axencia Galega de Emerxencias.

The second roundtable, “Innovation and technology for cooperation”, will focus on the role of innovation and technology as tools to connect territories, transfer knowledge and develop solutions to new regional challenges.

The marine environment will be the focus of the third session, “A shared sea, shared challenges”, bringing together initiatives linked to the protection and sustainability of marine ecosystems and resources. The projects MAREST, REVALGAE, DiadSea and MARINNONET will address, from different perspectives, the challenges of a shared Atlantic space.

Finally, the fourth roundtable, “Tourism and heritage: cooperating to grow”, will focus on tourism, culture and heritage as drivers of territorial connection and development. Ultreia SUDOE, POST, EnoGastroDEST and Visit Rio Minho will share their experiences and show how cooperation can contribute to more sustainable tourism models and to the valorisation of cultural and territorial resources.

AN EVENT TO SHARE EXPERIENCES AND GENERATE NEW CONNECTIONS

Interreg Cooperation Day 2026 is built around a dynamic and participatory format, with dialogue-based roundtables where participants will share experiences, results and lessons learned through questions posed by the moderators.

The aim is to demonstrate the added value of cooperation, while also creating a space where participating projects and organisations can establish new connections and explore future opportunities for collaboration.

The event will conclude with a closing session and networking cocktail, providing an opportunity to continue the exchange between participants and foster new relationships among stakeholders from different territories.

With this event, Galicia reinforces its role as a meeting point for European territorial cooperation, bringing to the region experiences from projects that demonstrate that many of today’s major challenges, from wildfires and territorial management to marine sustainability, innovation and tourism, require shared responses and collaboration beyond borders.

Register here.