'Interreg creates space for innovation and policy experimentation': Marilena Ayiomamitou

What are the key priorities of the Cyprus Presidency in relation to cohesion policy and territorial cooperation, and why are they particularly important at this stage?

Under our core priority An Autonomous Europe, Open to the World, the Cyprus Presidency is focused on 5 main pillars: strengthening security and preparedness, boosting Europe’s competitiveness, keeping the Union open and outward‑looking while reinforcing its autonomy, upholding European values so no one is left behind, and shaping a long‑term EU budget that supports all of these priorities.

What links these priorities together is a simple idea: policies need to work in alignment. Competitiveness, resilience, and growth only make sense if they reflect real conditions across Europe. That’s why recognizing the specific needs of islands, border regions, and areas facing structural or geopolitical pressures is essential for making EU policies more effective, balanced, and relevant.

As we look ahead to the post‑2027 period, this way of working will be essential to ensure policies remain flexible, predictable, and focused on delivering real results for people and regions.

How does Interreg contribute to advancing these priorities?

Even though Interreg priorities were set some time ago and most programmes are already well underway, Interreg still has an important role to play during the Presidency, not by redefining priorities, but by focusing on delivery, building on what projects are already achieving, and giving political visibility to results that align with Presidency objectives.

This fits entirely with the role of Cohesion Policy, which is to ensure that competitiveness, innovation, and growth reach all regions, not just a few. Within that framework, Interreg brings a unique added value by turning these objectives into concrete cooperation of the regions on the ground. With its strong thematic focus and its cooperation philosophy, Interreg allows regions to work together to strengthen their economic base, from innovation, skills, and SMEs to sustainable tourism and digital solutions, while also building resilience and preparedness through joint action on climate adaptation, water management, coastal risks, and crisis response.

At the same time, Interreg supports an open and well‑connected Europe by improving cross‑border links, strengthening functional cooperation, and fostering collaboration with neighboring countries. And by working through pilot projects, real‑world testing, and the exchange of know‑how, it allows practical solutions to be tested, demonstrated, and scaled up where they prove effective thus turning policy priorities into tangible, results‑oriented action.

What makes Interreg particularly effective?

Interreg is particularly effective because it works very close to the ground bringing European regions and territories together. It helps translate European priorities into action that makes sense for regions and local communities, using a bottom‑up, place‑based approach rather than one‑size‑fits‑all solutions. It also creates space for innovation and policy experimentation, allowing new ideas to be tested in practice. But perhaps most importantly, it builds long-term institutional cooperation relationships that continue well beyond individual projects. In that sense, Interreg does more than funding activities; it strengthens European integration and solidarity. At the same time it plays an important role in preparing candidate countries for EU membership through practical alignment and integration with the acquis Communautaire.

What are the main benefits for Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean?

For Cyprus and the wider Eastern Mediterranean, Interreg delivers real, practical benefits. Through Interreg, Cyprus, as an island, stays connected on the ground with other EU Member States and neighboring countries in the Easter Mediterranean through everyday cooperation that fits into policy improvements. Interreg gives us the opportunity to work both with nearby cross‑border regions and with partners further away beyond our borders, gaining access to ideas and solutions that have already been tested elsewhere and can be adapted locally. At the same time, Interreg creates space to experiment together, working with partners from other regions and countries to develop shared solutions to common challenges. It’s a two‑way exchange, where Cypriot partners also share their own experience, especially within the Eastern Mediterranean, helping turn shared challenges into practical outcomes. Interreg helps ensure that, although it is an island state, Cyprus remains closely connected to Europe and its wider neighborhood. Overall, Interreg strengthens dialogue, partnerships, and resilience, contributing tangibly to regional stability and development.

Can you share an example of an Interreg project that stands out to you personally because of its impact?

A good example of an Interreg project is GEOSTARS, under the Interreg Greece–Cyprus Programme 2014–2020, which continues in the 2021–2027 programming period. It brought together the Agridia Community in Cyprus and the Municipality of Sitia in Crete, focusing on geoparks, astronomy, and night‑sky observation. One of the main outcomes was the creation of observatory and related activities for both communities, which became a focal point for education, tourism, and community engagement. This is a good illustration of the economic diversification I mentioned earlier: local communities moved beyond traditional activities and developed astro‑tourism and geotourism, creating new jobs, attracting visitors, and giving people, especially young people, real reasons to stay in their communities. 

A different but equally successful project, that was officially recognised by the European Commission as a flagship / good‑practice Interreg Europe project (Cypriot Lead Partner), is the HoCare project. HoCare focused on innovative home‑care and e‑health solutions for ageing populations, helping regions improve their policies by sharing good practices and adapting them to their own systems.

Together, these examples show how Interreg works at different levels, supporting concrete local development on the ground, while also strengthening regional and national policies with long‑term benefits well beyond individual projects.

From your perspective as a National Authority, what are the main challenges and rewards of implementing Interreg programmes?

From the perspective of a National Authority, implementing Interreg programmes is both demanding and very rewarding. There are common challenges, such as administrative complexity, regulatory requirements, and the need to work across different national systems, legal frameworks, and ways of doing things. Addressing these challenges and ensuring the smooth joint implementation of activities across borders requires real effort. But the rewards are equally evident. You can actually see and feel cooperation and mutual learning starting at national authority level and then translating into strong partnerships across borders. You see tangible results for citizens and regions, and innovative solutions that would rarely emerge within purely national programmes. In the end, Interreg is about turning European priorities into practical, visible impact, and being part of that process is what makes the effort worthwhile.

Looking beyond 2027, what role should Interreg play in supporting future EU priorities?

Looking ahead, Interreg’s role beyond 2027 should be to build on what is already working well and to further strengthen those elements that have proven their value over time. Over the past 35 years, Interreg has shown how European cooperation can deliver lasting results, connecting regions, supporting practical solutions, and shaping the way territories work together across borders. Building on this experience, the programme should continue to deepen people‑to‑people connections and make European cooperation more visible and meaningful through clearer storytelling and concrete examples. By highlighting real experiences and shared learning, Interreg can help citizens better understand how cooperation improves everyday life, not as an abstract concept, but through outcomes they can see and recognise. To make this work, greater flexibility and simplification will be essential as mentioned at the beginning, so programmes remain agile and continue to deliver meaningful impact.

In one sentence: what does Interreg achieve that no other EU fund can?

Interreg is a unique EU programme that turns cooperation between regions and people into concrete, shared solutions, building trust, resilience, and a true form of practical on the ground of diplomacy across Europe.