The context of the project

The Interreg V-B Adriatic-Ionian program-ADRION, set up in the framework of the European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) – one of the objectives of the cohesion policy, includes 31 regions from four different ERDF Partner States and four IPA Partner States. The program lasted for 4 years, 2019-2023.

The overall objective of the ADRION Program is to act as a policy driver and governance innovator fostering European integration among Partner States (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia), taking advantage from the rich natural, cultural and human resources surrounding the Adriatic and Ionian seas and enhancing economic, social and territorial cohesion in the Program area.

The Program takes into consideration the experience of the 2007-2013 Operational Programs (OPs), in particular the transnational South-East Europe program (SEE) and the cross-border program IPA CBC Adriatic whose eligible areas overlap with those of ADRION. It also takes into account the results of the SEE in itinere evaluation and the overall program achievements of the previous programming period.

Following the European Commission decision drawing up the list of eligible regions and areas for the transnational strands of the ETC, the ADRION Program covers the following areas:

a) The ERDF Partner States:
o IT Italy: 12 regions and 2 provinces;
o SI Slovenia: 2 regions;
o EL Greece: 13 regions;
o HR Croatia: 2 regions;
b) The IPA Partner States:
o AL Albania;
o BA Bosnia and Herzegovina;
o ME Montenegro;
o RS Serbia.