The search for yet more free money has resumed with the Intermunicipal Community of the Algarve (AMAL) and the Provincial Council of Huelva (pictured) in Spain identifying cross-border cooperation projects so they can access funds from the Community Support Framework 2014-2020, according to AMAL’s Jorge Botelho.
The AMAL president has met the president of the Huelva area, Ignacio Caraballo Romero, in a session at which it was "possible to identify common projects to develop in the areas of mobility and tourism, with the creation of tourist projects linking the two regions.”
The Algarve and the Huelva region have roughly the same population at 500,000 which gives any cooperative funding appeal a degree of equality that should score well with the EC.
"The European Union is keen on projects involving more than one country, so we are not alone in working out the best way to obtain regional funds and cohesion funds from the Operational Programme. AMAL is currently developing work to deepen joint projects with other communities and regions across the border," said Botelho.
AMAL also is keen that the EC funds the Algarve’s councils, if the appeals follow the correct guidelines. Botelho noted that partnerships between countries are especially valued in the Community Support Framework and that Europe can give resources towards the funding of local government itself, if the applications are carefully worded.
The technical teams from both institutions will work on projects “in the economic field, entrepreneurship, to foster business between companies in the two regions and to create jobs."
Botelho said it is important to, "mount joint projects, in this case with the Province of Huelva, but eventually with other entities that want to collaborate with the Algarve.”