INTERREG Caribbean 2021-2027

Fond Européen de Développement Régional

What is INTERREG Caribbean?

The European Territorial Cooperation (ETC), better known as INTERREG, is part of the “Europe 2020” strategy, which aims at boosting an intelligent, sustainable and inclusive growth and allowing Member States to secure high levels of jobs, productivity and social cohesion.

The Saint-Martin area is registered for two ETC programmes:

European Territorial Cooperation ETC INTERREG V-A Saint Martin/Sint Maarten for the 2014/2020 period (the INTERREG Saint-Martin / Sint Maarten programme)

and

European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) INTERREG Caribbean for the 2014/2020 period.

The latter, the INTERREG CARIBBEAN programme for the 2014/2020 period, was approved by the European Commission on 1^st December 2015. Its goal is to allow operators in Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique and Saint-Martin to meet the issues and obligations of the cooperation area through the funding of projects organised on the basis of a strong partnership and with positive consequences for the States and regions involved.

INTERREG Caribbean works based on a partnership having to meet at least two of the following four requirements:

joint development,
joint implementation,
joint staffing,
joint funding.

The cross-border dimension of the programme, which includes Saint-Martin, concerns project promoters based in Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique and Saint- Martin with a partner from the Greater Caribbean.

INTERREG Caribbean in numbers

Various European funds are dedicated to cooperation in that region: the ERDF (used as part of INTERREG and aiming at EU project promoters) and the EDF (European Development Fund, aiming at non-EU project promoters).

INTERREG Caribbean received an 85.7 million or so euros budget, 64.2 million of which come from the ERDF, and of a further 2.94 million from the EDF; this aims at strengthening the structure between these funds and providing the programme with a fair involvement for project promoters in the region concerned. This will allow the programme to help both EU and non-EU project promoters (through the ERDF and the EDF).

INTERREG Caribbean governance

The Guadeloupe region is the managing authority for the INTERREG Caribbean operational programme (OP) for the 2014-2020 period.

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INTERREG Caribbean lines

Among the main issues of the 2014-2020 programme, partner States have to strengthen competitiveness between companies by implementing joint projects, increasing the capacity to address natural risks through enhancing knowledge and the implementation of shared management systems, improving the management of spaces at risk or protected by jointly developing sustainable tourism, and address shared health issues at Caribbean scale.

This programme is based on 10 operational lines.

Lines 1 (TF) and 2 (TN) : strengthen competitiveness between Caribbean companies, which generate wealth and jobs, in a sustainable and inclusive fashion.

Specific goal of 2 (TF) and 4 (TN) : create an environment favouring the development of a business wave between the various areas of the region.

Lines 3 (TF) and 4 (TN) : strengthen the capacity to address natural risks.

Lines 5 (TF) and 6 (TN) : protect and value the natural and cultural environment in the Caribbean.

Specific goals of 7 (TF) and 9 (TN) : better protect and value the Caribbean natural heritage by implementing shared strategies and tools.

Specific goal of 5 (TF) and 6 (TN) : increase the local capacity to address natural risks.

Lines 7 (TF) and 8 (TN) : develop a joint response to shared public health issues at Caribbean level.

Specific goal of 11 (TF) and 12 (TN) : increase the local capacity to address natural risks relating to emerging diseases and health hazards.

Line 9 (TF) : support the development of renewable energies in Eastern Caribbean.

Specific goal of 13 (TF) : increase the proportion of renewable energies in the power mix for greater local energy self-sufficiency in Eastern Caribbean.

Specific goal of 14 (TF) : reduce energy consumption in Eastern Caribbean public buildings.

Line 10 (TN) : strengthen human capital

Specific goal of 15 (TN) : strengthen mutual linguistic control and practice in the Caribbean.

Specific goal of 16 (TN) : increase student and professional mobility within the Caribbean area.

Life cycle of an INTERREG Caribbean project

Apply for subsidies

What supporting documents are required?

The list of supporting documents in order to apply is available in the documents to be consulted here (link to Interreg Caribbean).

How can you send your application via the Synergie platform?

Now, project promoters can directly submit their projects on line via the Synergie platform.

Prior to this, you must register on the INTERREG Caribbean website in order to get your access codes.

CLICK HERE

Link to Synergie?

Information for project promoters

INTERREG Caribbean projects are based on two crucial steps:

Phase 1 Develop your project

The joint Secretariat of the INTERREG Caribbean programme provides personalised support to leaders whose ideas received a favourable opinion to be formalised and to develop their project in the application form.

Phase 2 : Implement your project

The leader must explain all aspects of the implementation, initialisation and closure of the project. The implementation and performances of the programme depend on those of each approved project. This is why the programme will closely follow the way in which the quality and quantity of projects are successful and that’s why various instruments have been elaborated to measure project performances on a regular basis.

Who can submit a project?

The leader or project promoter must meet the following requirements to be able to apply for subsidies:

belong to one of the following categories: associations, NGOs, local authorities, media, universities, higher education colleges, research centres, public or private companies, consultancy firms etc.;
reside in Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique or Saint-Martin and be directly involved in the project preparation and implementation.

The leader is the preferred interlocutor of the joint secretariat and regional points of contact. He/she leads the project partnership and is in charge of its sound execution.

The partnership must meet at least two of the following four requirements:

joint development,
joint implementation,
joint staffing,
joint funding.

Which types of non-EU partners?

The INTERREG Caribbean programme must include at least one partner as part of the project presented. Two types of partnership are taken into consideration:

A cross-border dimension only concerns project promoters located in Guadeloupe or Martinique together with a partner from the OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States);

A cross-border dimension only concerns project promoters located in Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique or Saint- Martin together with a partner from the Greater Caribbean.

Which types of projects qualify?

INTERREG Caribbean supports structuring projects, i.e. adequately addressing one or several issues concerning the cooperation area and involving a rich and relevant partnership.

INTERREG Caribbean projects are cooperation projects whose beneficiaries are evenly divided between partners thus distinct from export aid projects managed by a community leader, who must be financially and administratively sound and stable.

Project promoters (leaders and partners) can be quite diversified: governmental corporations, communities, associations, companies, universities, actors of research and innovation, civil society players etc.

After a project has been submitted, how long before I get an answer?

The duration for assessment is 3 months from the date submission is registered. It is available from regional points of contact (RPC) in Saint-Martin too. The joint secretariat representative within the cooperation is:

Collectivité d’Outre-Mer de Saint-Martin

Hôtel de la Collectivité

BP 374

97054 Saint-Martin

All projects submitted by people are assessed in compliance with specific criteria.