Interreg - programme Citizen’s Summary 2019 ANNEX TO THE ANNUAL IMPLEMENTATION REPORT 2

GENERAL OVERVIEW FINANCIAL OVERVIEW, million EUR

Interreg Estonia-Latvia programme is one of the 60 cross- PRIORITY

border cooperation programmes operating along EU internal Active and 9.62 Budget borders. By the end of 2019 altogether 51 Estonian-Latvian attractive 9.25 Committed cooperation projects, representing 107 Estonian and 116 business 8.94 Contracted environment 0.36 Not committed Latvian companies and organizations, were granted financial 13.64 *Funds for the second Clean and pre-defined project support from the European Regional Development Fund. 13.53 valued living under the priority As a result, 32.64 million euros were committed out of 36.27 10.88 environment 3 project for small million that were available for financing the cooperation in 0.12 harbours. the framework of the programme. Contracts by the end of 12.00 2019 were concluded with 46 projects for a total amount of Better network 9.19 of harbours 9.19 29.68 million euros. 2.81*

1.01 Integrated 0.67 TERRITORY OF THE PROGRAMME labour market 0.67 0.34 The programme area includes Hiiu, Jõgeva, Lääne, Põlva, Pärnu, Saare, Tartu, Valga, Viljandi and Võru counties in 36.27 Estonia and Kurzeme, Pierīga, Rīga and Vidzeme regions in TOTAL 32.64 Latvia. 29.68 3.63 The programme plays a significant role in bringing together the programme’s area Estonian and Latvian border regions and socio-economic partners which also contributes to addressing and resolving cross-border obstacles. PROJECTS Through its support for a number of projects, the programme has helped to amplify existing national measures PRIORITY with additional cross-border investments to create integrated Active and 28 Contracted attractive solutions that benefit both sides of the border. 1 Not contracted business 29 Total environment Clean and 15 Tallinn valued living 4 Estonia environment 19

Better network 1 of harbours 1 Russia Integrated 2 labour market 2

46 Latvia TOTAL 5 51 Rīga

Lithuania

3 3

ACTIVE AND ATTRACTIVE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Wood and Furniture Social&Creative Partners established cross-border wood and furniture Project partners created an informal network that includes sector network of Võru County and Vidzeme Planning entrepreneurs and municipalities from Estonia and Region to innovate industry. 329 participants took part Latvia. 206 participants benefited from 9 joint project in 11 joint project events and 30 SMEs benefited from events like matchmaking seminars, contact-making trips, the project activities. Design and export guidelines trade fair and the joint training program “To be the cross- help to understand product development processes and border starter”. 6 new business ideas formed during the videos promote the regions and sectoral companies in the project lifetime. Lead partner - Riga planning region. area. Lead partner – Vidzeme planning region.

EstLat Accelerate COOP Local Project partners carried out the pre-acceleration Project partners established 4 networks in berry and fruit, programme in three rounds. The first time entrepreneurs meat and milk, vegetables, herbs and plant, and handicraft in each round went through 4 phases - involvement, sectors. In addition, they created a joint cross-border hackathons, mentoring and graduation. 434 participants network that consists of sectoral network leaders with 20 attended 28 joint pre-acceleration events and 38 teams members. 232 SME-s and 521 participants took part in pre-accelerated through mentoring programmes. Partners 43 project events. Web-based application also published a brochure COOP Local catalogue contains information Quick guide to acceleration. about 66 businesses. Lead partner – Lead partner – the Baltic the Union of Setomaa. Innovation Agency. 4

ACTIVE AND ATTRACTIVE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

PET Diagnostics Baltic Geodata Marketplace Companies TBD-Biodiscovery (Estonia) and PharmIdea Companies Jāņa sēta Map Publishers (Latvia) and Reach-U (Latvia) created a final dosage form of the PET-product (Estonia), leaders in the Baltic geospatial services, have used in Positron emission tomography-computer created a unique set of solutions GeoDataHub. This self- tomography (PET-CT) for cancer, Alzheimer or Parkinson service portal and geospatial API service usage platform diagnostics. Partners also developed a full package of allows companies and their technology consultants to documentation, necessary for its implementation in create tailor-made geospatial digital tools to enhance nuclear medicine centres and hospitals. company competitiveness.

Capsules Whey valorisation Companies Mayeri Industries (Estonia) and Field and Companies Center of Food and Fermentation Technologies Forest (Latvia) developed a laundry washing capsule (Estonia) and Smiltenes piens (Latvia) developed containing organic essential oils as natural fragrances in a production technology of syrup from lactose solution water-soluble film. The new capsule is an innovative and separated from the whey. Partners used a hydrolyzation environmentally friendly product for households. The use of lactose into galactose and glucose syrup (GGS). GGS of organically grown local plants reduces the consumption offers a possible alternative to sucrose and glucose- of synthetic chemicals while encapsulating them fructose syrup in confectionery and bakery in water-soluble film decreases the products or preparing ice cream. amount of waste produced. 5

CLEAN AND VALUED LIVING ENVIRONMENT

Green Railways Coastal Hiking Green Railways is a new non-motorized tourism route Baltic Coastal Hiking is a long distance hiking route, that is located on the old narrow-gauge railway causeways part of E9, along the coast and around the Gulf in South-Estonia and North-Latvia. Altogether, the route of Riga. The hiking route starts at the Lithuanian-Latvian is ca 700 km long and includes original parts of narrow border in the village of Nida in Latvia and finishes at the gauge railway lines, re-routing parts, Alūksne-Gulbene Port of Tallinn in Estonia. The length of the route is ca 1200 narrow-gauge railway and segments of bicycle route “Tour km, in Latvia 580 km and in Estonia 620 km. Lead partner – de LatEst”. Lead partner – Vidzeme Tourism Association. The Latvian Country Tourism Association „Lauku Ceļotājs“.

Livonian Culinary Route UNESCO tourism Centuries back parts of Estonia and Latvia made up a ‘Living Cultures – United by the Unique’ is a uniting historical region Livonia. Flavours of Livonia is a culinary slogan for 4 ethnic regions in Estonia and Latvia – route based on historical background and culinary Setomaa, Kihnu, Suiti and Livi coast, where local people traditions of Livonia and focuses on the promotion still use cultural heritage in daily life. Setomaa, Kihnu of locally grown and produced food. Project partners and Suiti regions are already on the Intangible Cultural established strong regional co-operation networks Heritage List of UNESCO, but Livi coast applied. Project between tourism and catering businesses and partners created a joint tourism offer that local food producers and farmers. features the uniqueness of each region. Lead partner – The Estonian Lead partner – NGO Setomaa Chamber of Agriculture Tourism. and Commerce. 6

CLEAN AND VALUED LIVING ENVIRONMENT

SAFE SEA GURINIMAS Standard Operational Procedure and training Integrated nitrogen management system for Estonian materials, developed by the Estonian Rescue Board and and Latvian authorities, includes an integrated approach the State Fire and Rescue Service of Latvia, will improve to reducing nitrogen pollution across sectors. Creation of environmental security in marine and coastal waters in the the system involved an inventory and identified sectors and Irbe Strait. Rescue services participated in that have the greatest impact of the nitrogen flows to joint trainings and acquired equipment for localisation of the Gulf of Riga. But virtual tool GURINIMAS will help oil spill. 4 driwevays to the beaches are built on the Latvian farmers understand the nitrogen cycle and nitrogen that is coasts. Lead partner – Kurzeme planning region. generated in their farm. Lead partner – Estonian Ministry of Environment.

Smart Energy Community Energy Advice More than 24000 people were reached in Estonia and More than 46000 people, among them at least 4400 Latvia because of school and community campaigning on pupils of 6-9 grade, were reached in Estonia and energy saving. The two campaigns included promotion Latvia because of campaigning on energy saving and activities, like energy days in Rõuge (Estonia) and energy efficiency. Campaign “Energy Advice” included a Alūksne (Latvia), 8 seminars and 4 study visits. A range of competition between teams, during which project partners educational real-life trials on demo-units helped to test carried out 172 technically creative workshops and different ways on how one can behave in energy efficient 8 public events in schools and partner organizations way. Partners created and published in Estonia and Latvia. Lead partner – Energy workbooks and Household Foundation “Ventspils high manual. Lead partner – Tartu technology park” Regional Energy Agency. 7

BETTER NETWORK OF HARBOURS – ESTLAT HARBOURS Investments in the 20 The depth of the small harbours in Estonia fairway at the ports and Latvia are directed is at least 2.5m. For towards the development of more effective marketing standardized and harmonized of the new destination and services to ensure that the whole better connection of Latvia and sailing network is equally safe, equipped Estonia to the international maritime and offers basic services for sailors – safe navigation routes, project partners established the East Baltic conditions and increased amount of mooring places, Coast network of harbours. They also carried out joint drinking water and electricity on the pier, available toilet, marketing activities to introduce the East Baltic Coast as a and shower, ensured Wi-Fi and safety equipment. safe and attractive region for travelling by yacht.

BUDGET, million EUR 10.81 ERDF

Public 9.19 Private Total 5.92 5.03 4.89 4.16

Lõunaranna Varbla 0.85 0.77 0.64 0.60 0.25 0.13 Kõiguste Värati Munalaid EE LV Total Kihnu

Mõntu Ruhnu PARTNERS 22

Public Private NGO 13 Total 12

9 8 7

4 3 3 3 2 1

EE LV Total 8

INTEGRATED LABOUR MARKET

Valka-Valga mobility ESTLAT WBL Project partners created and Project partners created a improved services for job seekers work-based learning cross-border and employers in the Valka-Valga cross- support service for vocational students border area. Services include the newsletter for job and SME-s to support cross-border mobilities in seekers and employers (8 editions), Liivimaa job fair with South-Estonia and North-Latvia. As a result of cooperation altogether 1100 participants, and networking events between vocational education and training schools for entrepreneurs, such as study trips (40 participants), and employers from Latvia and Estonia, already 75 joint breakfast (160 entrepreneurs), and sports days students (38 LV, 37 EE), 21 teachers (9 LV, 12 EE), as well (159 participants). 12 workshops and information days as 6 managers of traineeships in companies (3 LV, 3 EE) gathered 288 participants. Lead partner – The State took part in mobility activities. 76 people (29 EE, 47 LV) Employment Agency of Latvia. benefited from the language support programme. Lead partner – Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

PARTNERS FROM ESTONIA AND LATVIA In all selected projects there should be at least one partner from Latvia and one partner from Estonia. 233 unique partners participate in project implementation.

Partners Lead partners

116 107 24 27

233 51 9

EUROPEAN COOPERATION DAY

European Cooperation art objects made of waste. Day is an initiative of The second part of the day the European Commission at the Tartu Observatory was to celebrate and honour the also dedicated to environmental achievements of the cross-border awareness through activities and cooperation. In 2019 we celebrated the exhibitions by the projects Energy day on 21 September under the green label as the Green Advice and the Green Public Events. On the interactive Space Tour. Ca 220 fans of the programme visited 4 sites panels’ participants in one positive word revealed their and enjoyed participation in educational workshops of the associations with the European Union and demonstrated environmental awareness project WasteArt in Estonia personal connections around Europe. In Tõravere the and Latvia. Through hands-on activities, they learned programme communicated a meaningful environmental about waste sorting audits in Tipu (EE), reduction of waste message by installing an iconic rocket made by a Latvian and life of the landfill in Daibe (LV), the concept of reuse artist out of items and material that no one uses anymore. in Mooste (EE), and waste sorting in Tartu (EE). In Tartu The Green Space Tour was organized in cooperation with participants also had an opportunity to visit an exhibition the Estonia-Russia cross-border cooperation programme. “NOT out of sight, NOT out of mind” that PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTING AUTHORITIES IN ESTONIA AND LATVIA

On a strategic, Member State level in Estonia the body responsible for the programme is the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Estonia, where also the programme’s Audit Authority is located. In Latvia, the responsible authority is the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia. The highest decision-making body of the programme is the Monitoring Committee consisting of the national and regional representatives and experts of supported areas. The programme implementing bodies, Managing Authority (MA) and Joint Secretariat (JS) are located in the State Shared Service Centre in Tallinn and Tartu (EE). The JS has an Information and consultation point in Riga hosted by the Latvian State Regional Development Agency. The MA bears the overall responsibility for fair and purposeful implementation of the programme. The MA is supported by the JS, which is the first contact point for the applicants, beneficiaries and public.

NEWS & FURTHER INFORMATION