Interreg France – Switzerland

Programme Thematic Objectives

• A greener, low-carbon Europe

  RSO 2.2 Renewable energy

  • Priority I: Carbon neutrality and ecological transition

    - Promote common strategies around renewable energy and
    of the energy transition
    It is a question of encouraging the development of renewable energies and taking into account the energy transition in the cooperation area.
    - Support and accompany cross-border initiatives in favour of the development of the production of renewable and recovered energies.

    The actions should enable the cooperation territory to significantly accelerate its energy transition by acting both on the sources of consumption and on the potential of renewable energies. They will promote the development of energy efficiency and demonstration projects in SMEs and public infrastructure.
    These actions will also encourage the development of renewable energies. These actions may support the development of intelligent low and medium voltage energy and heat distribution systems as well as energy storage devices.
    Finally, the actions should allow progress towards greater efficiency and greater energy sobriety and will have impacts deemed positive on air quality and on the territory's ability to adapt to climate change.

  RSO 2.4 Promoting climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention and resilience, taking into account eco-system based approaches

  • Priority I: Carbon neutrality and ecological transition

    - All actions to better understand, model and monitor the effects of climate change on the territory of cooperation and in particular will be supported in order to improve the consideration of the effects of climate change.
    - Developing and strengthening security cooperation
    - Support all initiatives to lead networks of actors on both sides of the border as well as investments to develop practices that are resilient to climate change.

    The cooperation and awareness-raising measures will make it possible to move towards carbon neutrality and to adapt to changes, to develop prevention and management of cross-border risks, linked to the climate, in particular concerning floods and droughts. The establishment of monitoring and statistics bodies as well as support actions aim to reduce the induced effects and improve the resilience of territories and populations to the effects of climate change on landscapes and economic activities. A particular focus is made on tourist activity in mid-mountain resorts, strongly impacted by climate change and a major asset of the cooperation territory.

  RSO 2.5 Promoting access to water and sustainable water management

  • Priority I: Carbon neutrality and ecological transition

    - Prévenir et réduire la pollution des eaux
    - Améliorer la gestion de la ressource en eau, maîtriser la consommation et sensibiliser à des usages économes de l’eau

    The actions will contribute to better managing the waters of the cooperation territory with a cross-border vision on the qualitative and quantitative levels in coherence with the actions carried out by the Franco-Swiss structures.
    Reducing water pollution through better adapted practices and support for this change in practice will guarantee better quality of the water consumed. Emphasis is placed on water management and conservation of water resources in view of the effects of climate change on the cooperation area.

  RSO 2.7 Biodiversity and green infrastructure

  • Priority I: Carbon neutrality and ecological transition

    - Preserve the natural areas of the cooperation territory
    - Reinforce greenery and nature in the city
    - Develop actions to reduce pollution and waste
    - Promote sustainable consumption patterns

    The various pollution awareness and reduction actions will aim to directly reduce pollution in the cooperation area. Indirectly, these measures will allow the preservation of biodiversity, a major asset of the territory. The strategic environmental assessment highlights the positive impacts of these actions on the environment in all the themes analysed.
    Support for environmentally friendly production processes and the rational use of resources in SMEs is particularly oriented towards agricultural and tourist activities, important activities in the territory, in order to preserve natural areas. This natural heritage is also the subject of significant support through preservation actions, including the creation of a cross-border natural park.
    In urban areas, the support will focus on the objective of reducing the impacts of concreting and the artificialisation of soils in order to "re-green" these spaces.

• A smarter Europe – innovative and smart economic transformation

  RSO 1.1 Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies

  • Priority II: Research and innovation, development of digital uses

    These projects must mainly support the areas of excellence of the territory resulting from the experience of 2014-2020: Micro-technology and precision technology, ICT and cyber-security, Image technology and communication and image sector, Chemistry, aroma, perfume, Health, demographic change and well-being, Food security, sustainable agriculture, agri-food, forestry and bio-economy, Mobility and smart, green and integrated transport, Industry of the future and industrial production, Energy, Sport, mountains and tourism.

    These actions will make it possible to strengthen technology transfers in the cooperation territory by pursuing cooperation strategies in research and development, between SMEs and research centres. In particular, the momentum driven by the research and development activity of the academic sector will serve as a driving force for the many SMEs and will aim to facilitate the marketing of innovative solutions, the use of innovative production systems and the creation of new jobs.

    Funded projects here will encourage more investment in micro-enterprises, SMEs, research centres and public higher education directly linked to research and innovation activities. These actions will support research activities which have a positive cross-border impact or which deal with topics directly relevant to the cooperation area.
    These actions will encourage companies to cooperate in order to work in complementarity, exchange their knowledge and pool their strengths to market their products, including networking.

  RSO 1.2 Reaping the benefits of digitisation for citizens, companies, research organisations and public authorities

  • Priority II: Research and innovation, development of digital uses:

    - Support for the development of digital uses
    - Creation of platforms for sharing data relating to the cooperation area (e-learning)

    The funded projects will make it possible to intervene effectively in all the areas of intervention indicated:
    - digitisation of SMEs (including e-commerce, e-business and networked business processes, digital innovation hubs, living labs, web entrepreneurs and ICT start-ups, B2B);
    - the development of online services and applications for the administration;
    - e-health services and applications.

• A more connected Europe – mobility and regional ICT connectivity

  RSO 3.2 Developing and enhancing sustainable, climate resilient, intelligent and intermodal national, regional and local mobility, including improved access to TEN-T and cross-border mobility

  • Priority III: Sustainable mobility and multimodality:

    - Support for the creation and rehabilitation of strategic cross-border links
    - Development of urban or interurban public transport networks
    - Encourage cross-border multimodality: funding of multimodal exchange points, coordination of multimodal offers
    - Develop the interoperability and digitisation of transport services and systems on both sides of the border
    - Ensure better connection and service to mountain areas.
    - Support for the implementation of cross-border freight transport strategies
    - Develop carpooling in the cooperation area
    - Encourage soft mobility in the territory of cooperation: Support for the implementation of cross-border strategies around soft mobility, financing of soft roads

    The facilitation of the use of public transport and soft mobility and the development of alternative offers to solo driving aim to encourage the transfer of the individual car to public transport and active modes. The development of a less polluting cross-border transport offer contributes to reducing polluting emissions aimed at better adapting the territory to climate change, and making cross-border trade more fluid. In addition, the implementation of cross-border strategies for sustainable mobility limits the impacts on the climate, health and quality of life in accordance with priority I.

• A more social Europe implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights

  RSO 4.6 Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism

  • Priority IV: Culture and sustainable tourism

    The program aims to provide the means to restore a good socio-economic situation in these sectors by strengthening resilience, in particular through strategic support for employment, digitalization and social innovation through the following actions:
    1) Development of a common strategy for enhancing and promoting tourism potential
    2) Development of more sustainable and inclusive tourist offers and practices
    3) Promote inclusive cross-border cultural actions
    4) Development of digital uses in the fields of tourism and culture

    These actions should enable the cooperation territory to support and promote the sustainable and inclusive development of the tourism and cultural economy. These actions will encourage the diversification and consolidation of the tourism offer, particularly in connection with the assets of the Franco-Swiss heritage, while supporting actions aimed at digital and ecological transition and social innovation for the benefit of local communities, vulnerable groups and tourists.

• A better cooperation governance

  RSO 6.6 Other actions to support better cooperation governance

  • Priority V: Reduction of obstacles at the Franco-Swiss border

    Examples of actions:
    1) Identify and remove obstacles in order to improve the effectiveness of cross-border public policies. The following themes are particularly targeted: training and employment, health, ecological and energy transition, regional planning, transport.
    2) Support the implementation of development strategies for regional functional areas
    3) Support the establishment of an instrument dedicated to the financing of low-cost projects

    These actions will have to meet the challenge of helping Franco-Swiss cooperation to cross decisive milestones for its development and move to a higher level.
    The aim is to remove the obstacles to the cross-border implementation of projects in areas whose cross-border potential must be reinforced with better administrative cooperation between the institutions.