The EGTC Galicia-Norte de Portugal results from a partnership between CCDR-N in the North region of Portugal and Xunta de Galicia in Spain, involving around 6.4 million inhabitants in a 51.000 km²'s area.
This EGTC has the objective to increase social and institutional cohesion in the territory. It is a meeting point for institutions, businesses and citizens on both sides of the border to develop joint projects and programs, to overcome common challenges through joint solutions and to take advantages of the potential and complementarities of both regions.
Tasks
The Galicia Norte Portugal EGTC is focused in cross-border cooperation, with experience in collaboration with diverse Institutions and CB players and in the development of European projects. During its 10 years of history, the EGTC has developed and is developing innovative projects and initiatives in areas such as R&D and education; economy and business; environment; employment; tourism; culture or local administration cooperation.
In R&D and education, the IACOBUS mobility program promotes the CB exchange of lecturers and researchers between Universities and Technological Centres in the territory, to develop innovative and R&D common projects. Iacobus aims to create a common Higher Education Space for Universities and Technological Centres in Galicia Norte Portugal Euroregion. The 7th edition is taking place, with an overall of 800 participants doing a CB stay since the first edition in 2014 and more than 150 CB papers published in scientific journals and publications.
Employment and the Professional Training, with the annual celebration of the CB Job Days of the GNP Euroregion. Economy by supporting and fostering diverse entrepreneurial and institutional initiatives, like Summits and sectorial Meetings.
Tourism, through a Cooperation Protocol with both regional Tourism Agencies (Turismo Porto e Norte and the Agencia de Turismo de Galicia) and projects like “Facendo Caminho" for the promotion and valorisation of the Way of St. James.
Culture and the Heritage, with the Nortear project that promotes diverse cultural CB activities such as an annual CB literary award for youth, joint exhibitions, dialogues with CB authors… in the two territories, being already a reference at European level (AEBR's Award “Sail of Papenburg" in 2019).
Some other activities must also be highlighted. The GNP EGTC organised the 1st meeting of EGTCs from the Iberian Peninsula, that had the objective to facilitate and promote the cooperation and the exchange of experiences among Iberian EGTCs, The cooperation with local administration, through projects with municipalities of the two sides of the border or CB environmental activities are also part of the tasks of the Galicia Norte Portugal EGTC. All these activities characterize the cooperation in this Eurorregion. The GNP EGTC is also the coordinating institution of the Cross Border EURES Service in Galicia Norte Portugal.
This EGTC is designing the new Joint Investments Plan (2021-2027). It will be used as a guide for maximising the European Funds of the coming period in the Galicia North Portugal area.
The Galicia Norte Portugal EGTC is actively seeking to participate as project partner mainly in the Interreg POCTEP programme, but also in other relevant programmes such as Atlantic Area, Europe for Citizens and Erasmus+, ESPON or SUDOE. Main topics of interest are higher education and VET cooperation, employment, innovation, business development, culture, local administration cooperation, environment, tourism, and social issues.
Budget
Approximately €600.000 (including CB EURES services) made available by the members' own resources and some EU funds from ETC programmes.
EU-funded projects and programmes in phase of implementation in 2020
Three Interreg VA (POCTEP) projects, being the lead partner in two of them. Partner in one Interreg Atlantic Area project.
Staff (in FTED)
6,5 employees (3,5 Spanish and 3 Portuguese) from which 4,5 are directly employed. The other two, the Director and the Deputy Director are delegated.
