Our story
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1
2003-2006
In 2003, preparing for European Union (EU) membership, Poland, together with Ukraine and Belarus, began work on launching a joint cross-border programme. Its first edition was the Neighbourhood Programme Poland-Belarus-Ukraine INTERREG IIIA / TACIS CBC 2004-2006. With a total budget of 58.4 MEUR, 167 projects were implemented in many fields to improve the quality of life of the borderland’s inhabitants.
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2
2007-2013
The next edition was the Poland-Belarus-Ukraine ENPI Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013 with significantly more EU funding. For a total budget of 203.6 MEUR, 117 projects were implemented, including 9 strategic projects, 102 regular projects and 6 umbrella projects (with 56 micro-projects).
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3
2014-2020
In terms of budget, the Poland-Belarus-Ukraine Cross-Border Cooperation Programme 2014-2020 was the largest such programme of the European Neighbourhood Instrument on the EU land borders. Its total budget of 201.4 MEUR made it possible to finance 158 projects – 10 strategic, 65 regular, 76 micro-projects and 7 special non-competitive.
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4
2021-2027
The 2021-2027 programme was initially prepared in a tripartite format, as a continuation of the previous fruitful and successful cross-border cooperation. However, due to the use of migrants at the EU’s external borders by the Belarusian authorities and Belarus’ subsequent involvement in Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine in 2022, cross-border cooperation with Belarus was suspended. As a result, the 2021-2027 Programme is bilateral.
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5
20th anniversary of cooperation
In 2023, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the cross-border cooperation between Poland and Ukraine. Over this period, partners from both countries have jointly implemented 293 projects in the fields of security, road and rail infrastructure, healthcare and the environment, and sustainable tourism. These projects have promoted entrepreneurship, the development of cross-border relations and long-term partnerships.
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2028-2034
Preparations are underway for the new edition of the Programme, taking into account the guidelines set by the European Commission and the findings of the working groups established, as well as drawing on the results of extensive public consultations.
Interreg NEXT Poland – Ukraine 2021-2027
The Interreg NEXT Programme Poland – Ukraine 2021-2027 was adopted by the European Commission on 30th November 2022. Its overall objective is to support cross-border development processes in the borderland between Poland and Ukraine. The Programme is aimed at Polish and Ukrainian border regions and all non-profit institutions operating in the area. The European Union has allocated 235.9 MEUR for its implementation (of which a minimum of 214.4 MEUR for projects), with a total budget of more than 262 MEUR.
All major strategic infrastructure projects (with a total value of 82.4 MEUR) are already being implemented under the Programme in the following priorities: ENVIRONMENT (2), HEALTH (4), BORDERS (1) and ACCESSIBILITY (4).
Regular projects were selected through a call for proposals under the ENVIRONMENT and HEALTH priorities (2023). The Programme Monitoring Committee ultimately selected 20 health projects and 44 environmental projects for co-funding, with a total value of 121.8 MEUR. Post-tender savings in ongoing projects also made it possible to co-fund a further project from the reserve list under the ENVIRONMENT priority.
The Programme is implementing two Small Projects Funds (SPF) under the COOPERATION and ENVIRONMENT priorities. The 1st call for proposals for small projects under the COOPERATION SPF (2025) received 126 applications. The 1st call for proposals under the ENVIRONMENT SPF is scheduled for the second quarter of 2026.
Together Developing the Borderland
Programme Beneficiaries
- local communities in the border regions of Poland and Ukraine
- non-profit organisations
- local authorities
- health care and environmental protection services
- organisations operating in the tourism and cultural sectors
- businesses, including SMEs
Project characteristics
- cross-border projects within the Polish-Ukrainian partnership
- role of lead partner in the project
- a shared cross-border problem, a shared cross-border solution
- co-funding from the Programme covering up to 90% of the project’s eligible expenditure
- funding via advance payments
- non-profit projects only
Programme in numbers
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EUR 214.4 million
EUR 214.4 million Programme budget for projects’ implementation
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10
10 regions
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79
79 projects
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206
206 project partners
Programme priorities and specific objectives
Priority 1. ENVIRONMENT
1.1 Promoting climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention, resilience taking into account eco-system based approaches
1.2 Promoting access to water and sustainable water management
1.3 Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution
1.4 Promoting the transition to a circular and resource efficient economy
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Number of projects
48EU Funding
99 517 864 €
Priority 2. HEALTH
2.1 Ensuring equal access to health care and fostering resilience of health systems, including primary care and promoting the transition from institutional to family and community based care
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Number of projects
24EU Funding
53 354 433 €
Priority 3. TOURISM
3.1 Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation
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Number of projects
1EU Funding
3 875 625 €
Priority 4. COOPERATION
4.1 Build up mutual trust, in particular by encouraging people-to-people actions
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Number of projects
1EU Funding
5 111 345 €
Priority 5. BORDERS
5.1 Other actions for a safer and secure Europe
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Number of projects
1EU Funding
10 721 644 €
Priority 6. ACCESSIBILITY
6.1 Developing and enhancing sustainable, climate resilient, intelligent and intermodal national, regional and local mobility, including improved access to TEN-T and cross-border mobility
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Number of projects
4EU Funding
41 851 960 €
Priority 1. ENVIRONMENT
1.1 Promoting climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention, resilience taking into account eco-system based approaches
1.2 Promoting access to water and sustainable water management
1.3 Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution
1.4 Promoting the transition to a circular and resource efficient economy
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Number of projects
4EU Funding
41 851 960 €
Priority 2. HEALTH
2.1 Ensuring equal access to health care and fostering resilience of health systems, including primary care and promoting the transition from institutional to family and community based care
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Number of projects
4EU Funding
41 851 960 €
Priority 3. TOURISM
3.1 Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation
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Number of projects
4EU Funding
41 851 960 €
Priority 4. COOPERATION
4.1 Build up mutual trust, in particular by encouraging people-to-people actions
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Number of projects
4EU Funding
41 851 960 €
Priority 5. BORDERS
5.1 Other actions for a safer and secure Europe
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Number of projects
4EU Funding
41 851 960 €
Priority 6. ACCESSIBILITY
6.1 Developing and enhancing sustainable, climate resilient, intelligent and intermodal national, regional and local mobility, including improved access to TEN-T and cross-border mobility
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Number of projects
4EU Funding
41 851 960 €
Programme area
