€2.5 million in ERDF funds from the European Union will be distributed among the selected projects for the preservation of ecosystems, reduction of human pressure, and the promotion of sustainable food systems and mobility across the cross-border coastal territory.
On June 3, the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion launched the second POCTEFA project call for the Eastern Coastal Functional Area (AFLE), which aims to structure territorial cooperation along the Mediterranean coast from Aude to the Ebro. This call, endowed with €2.5 million in ERDF funds from the European INTERREG POCTEFA programme, will remain open until October 3, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.
All the application details for the 2nd project call are available on the POCTEFA website. Projects must contribute to the integrated AFLE territorial strategy, which addresses four priorities:
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Preservation and restoration of ecosystems
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Reduction of the impact of human pressure (economic activities, tourism, etc.)
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Promotion of sustainable food systems along the coast, including diversification of marine and land resources
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Improvement of cross-border mobility, intermodality, and promotion of soft mobility
Projects must be led by a partnership of at least two entities from different countries (Spain and France) and have an impact on the coastal area from Aude to the Ebro. They should involve the local population and include diverse stakeholders such as academic institutions, the private sector, public authorities, and citizens.
The total project budget may range between €500,000 and €1,000,000, with ERDF co-financing of up to 65%.
Last year, the first project call led to the launch of five ambitious projects (totaling €3 million in ERDF funds from the EU) to strengthen cooperation along the Mediterranean coastline. More information on the five selected projects is available on the AFLE website.
About AFLE
The Eastern Coastal Functional Area (AFLE) is part of the INTERREG POCTEFA 2021-2027 cross-border cooperation programme, created to promote sustainable development in the border regions of Spain, France, and Andorra. AFLE, with a total budget of €5.5 million, supports integrated management of the cross-border coastal and maritime territory, addressing shared challenges such as environmental and demographic pressure (from tourism and economic activity) and vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.
The Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion is the managing body of this Functional Area, which contributes to Policy Objective 5 of the INTERREG POCTEFA operational programme: bringing Europe closer to its citizens.
All information about the Eastern Coastal Functional Area is available at: https://afle.euroregio.eu
The AFLE project EFA04/00 is co-financed at 65% by the European Union through the Interreg VI-A Spain-France-Andorra Programme (POCTEFA 2021-2027). The objective of POCTEFA is to strengthen the economic and social integration of the Spain-France-Andorra border area.
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