Interreg Europe is a European program to support interregional cooperation, which aims to improve regional development policies and practices by drawing on the best practices of European regions.

In 2024, the Interreg Europe program expanded to seven new countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine. The expansion has created new opportunities for cooperation for the Interreg community, and new regions have been able to join projects already underway. Accelerate GDT “Realign Cluster Policies to Accelerate the Twin Green and Digital Transitions” is one of 72 approved projects out of 134 in the first Interreg Europe call for proposals. It is being implemented in one of the 6 priority areas of the Smart Europe program – research and innovation development, digitalization, development of innovative entrepreneurship, incubators and startups, and development of digital Internet coverage.

At the invitation of the John Hobbs project coordinator, the Ukrainian Cluster Alliance and the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine (as an associated authority) were included in the consortium and the implementation of the goals and objectives of the ACCELERATE GDT project in March 2024.

The project’s main objective is to share experiences, rethink and improve national and regional cluster policies, and integrate support for clusters’ dual green and digital transitions. The ultimate goal is to help companies increase their competitiveness and sustainability.

By implementing the project, Accelerate GDT recognizes that European clusters are a key economic and regional development tool. They provide a reliable bridge connecting industry, academia, and government.

By joining the project, the UCA and the Ministry of Economy will contribute to creating a regulatory framework in Ukraine to institutionalize cluster organizations, their growth, and better integration into regional and sectoral economic development programs. A separate focus of the UCA and the Ministry of Economy is to adopt and disseminate in Ukraine the best practices of foreign organizations on the double transition of digital and green SMEs. With the help of clusters, with the initiation of similar projects in Ukraine. Project activities include study tours and exchanges of best practices among the 8 partners, studying and disseminating best practices on double transition, improving the legal framework, and developing cluster tools.

• Total project budget: €1 645 883.
• Duration of the project for Ukraine:  01.03.2024-31.05.2027
• Implementing entities from Ukraine: The Ukrainian Cluster Alliance (project partner) and the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine (associated authority).
• Project partners: Ireland (project coordinator), Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain, and Ukraine.