Memo: Sweden- Norway Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013

On 15 November 2007, the European Commission approved a Cross-border Cooperation Operational Programme between Sweden and Norway for the period 2007-2013. This is one of four cross-border programmes with Norwegian participation.

The Programme involves providing Community support as part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for specific Italian and Slovenian regions that lie along their common border: the Swedish regions of Jämtlands län, Värmlands län, Dalarnas län and parts of Västra Götalands län and Norwegian regions Nord-Trøndelags fylke, Sør-Trøndelags fylke, Hedmarks fylke, Østfold fylke and Akershus fylke. The areas of Västernorrlands län, Gävleborgs län and Örebro län in Sweden, and Oppland fylke and Oslo kommun in Norway may take part in projects as an adjacent area, i.e. receiving a maximum 20% of the ERDF funding allocated to the Programme. The Programme area is divided into three sub-areas called, starting from the north, "Nordens Gröna Bälte", “Inre Skandinavien" and "Gränslöst samarbete".

The Operational Programme falls within the framework laid out for the European Territorial Cooperation Objective and has a total budget of around €68 million. Community assistance through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) amounts to some €37 million, which represents approximately 0.4% of the total EU investment earmarked for the European Territorial Cooperation Objective under the Cohesion Policy 2007-2013.