The Latvia-Lithuania Programme Monitoring Committee has approved for funding 33 new projects submitted under the 2nd Call for Proposals. At its meeting on 11-12 December 2024, the Monitoring Committee committed up to 13,437 million EUR of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) co-funding for these projects. It is expected that the projects will start their activities between February and March 2025.
The Monitoring Committee also made an important decision to launch the 3rd Call for Proposals for Programme Priority 2 “Green, resilient and sustainable development” in September 2025.
For a full list of decisions from the Monitoring Committee meeting, including list of approved projects, please click here.
A total of 67 project applications were submitted under the 2nd Call for Proposals. Lead partners of all submitted applications will receive formal decision notifications between December 2024 and January 2025.
The approval of these new projects marks a significant milestone, doubling the total number of projects supported by the Programme. To date, 66 projects have been approved for funding under the 1st and 2nd Calls for Proposals, with a total commitment of 28,076 million EUR ERDF co-funding.
Exploring NEW 33 projects
Withing the new 33 projects 109 project partners from Latvia and Lithuania will cooperate within all four priorities of the Programme.
Priority 1. Capacity building and people-to-people cooperation
Eight projects have been approved under this Programme priority. Four of them focus on people-to-people cooperation through cultural and community engagement. The SmART Orchestra project seeks to enrich music education and promote cross-border cultural collaboration in the Akmenė and Dobele regions. The JEWEL focuses on preserving Jewish cultural heritage in the Joniškis, Žagarė, and Tukums regions by developing a virtual platform and organising educational activities for youth and communities. The CultureLINK enhances youth participation in folk and traditional cultural activities in Tytuvėnai (Lithuania) and Dagda (Latvia), fostering cross-border connections through shared cultural heritage. Meanwhile, the BISTEPS project introduces the Latvian-Lithuanian cross-border initiative “A Billion Steps Challenge”, encouraging residents of various regions to engage in daily physical activity through friendly competition.
The other four projects prioritise capacity building across different sectors. The OASIS focuses on improving the efficiency of geospatial data use by Latvian and Lithuanian national paying agencies in processing farmers’ requests. The DigiAll enhances digital literacy and accessibility for vulnerable groups in the Utena, Zarasai, Daugavpils, and Preili regions by developing innovative educational tools that integrate cultural heritage. The NGO Capacity strengthens the resilience, internationalisation, and capacity of NGOs in the Liepāja and Klaipėda regions by establishing an “NGO Growth Incubator”, which provides mentoring, strategies for securing funding, and opportunities for collaborative events. Finally, the Stay Safe builds cross-border civil protection capacities across 21 administrative areas in the Latgale and Panevėžys regions by developing joint strategies, training local leaders, and piloting disaster response, first aid, and cybersecurity initiatives.
Priority 2. Green, resilient and sustainable development
Adaptation to climate change (Specific Objective 2.1)
Four of the newly approved projects will address critical challenges in increasing our resilience to the climate change. The INVAGO project brings together eight partners, including planning region, local municipalities, and protected area administration, to enhance capacities of the project partners and local people for effective management of invasive species. UrbanGreenAdapt aims to analyse knowledge and practices for managing urban green spaces and prepare guidelines for the current and future urban specialists for better adapt to the challenges posed by climate change. Meanwhile, the CAFIGS and FIRELESS projects focus on strengthening the abilities of the Fire and Rescue Services in Latvia and Lithuania, alongside local municipalities, to handle emergencies arising from climate-change-related disasters such as floods and fires in cross-border regions and raise awareness of local communities.
Protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, and reducing pollution (Specific Objective 2.2)
Five projects collectively promoting sustainable ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation, ensuring a healthier and more resilient environment have been approved. Event three of them – Green Guardians, UrbUmbrella-AI and GREEN – /aim at improving ecosystem services. Green Guardians focuses on the protection of old tree alleys along streets, roads, and in historical parks and improving capacities of seven partners and stakeholders from the programme territory. As a practical result, event 12 old tree alleys will be improved or restored in various locations. The UrbUmbrella-AI project focuses on improving the ecological status of two urban wetlands, that are linked with 12-length water course, in the neighbouring Daugavpils City and Zarasai while protecting such vulnerable species under significant environmental pressure, as European Pond Tortoise. The GREEN project, led by Šiauliai City and Liepaja municipalities, addresses urban green area management to mitigate climate change impacts, such as reducing heat waves. During it the municipalities will prepare their greenery plans and will improve some of the green areas.
The LAKES GO DIGITAL project explores advanced technological solutions for monitoring lake water quality, thus aiming to provide municipalities with innovative effective science-based tools for environmental management. Lastly, Geosites aims to protect valuable geomorphological structures in the Kurzeme region and Žemaitija National Park, contributing to the conservation of unique natural landscapes. All of these projects shall also include awareness raising campaigns for the public.
Priority 3. Fair and inclusive society
All together, nine projects focusing on socioeconomic inclusion and enhancing social services for vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities, children from disadvantaged families, and the elderly have been approved. ElderGuardian, Digital Youth Center, and EMERG aim to improve social services for seniors and youth through innovative approaches. These include the implementation of a fall prevention system by ElderGuardian, improving access to social services in remote areas through EMERG, and establishing digital youth centres that offer a wide range of social services under Digital Youth Center.
While six other projects address diverse social inclusion measures. Wind of Change promotes involvement of seniors and people with disabilities in library activities. SkillRiskRobo engages children and youth in positive activities such as robotics. P-AgeHub focuses on creating a hub for positive ageing, enabling seniors to access tailored services. SoCreative encourages participation in creative activities such as music, art, and ceramics, whereas SPEED UP offers digital rehabilitation solutions. Finally, ConnectingGen fosters interaction between generations and vulnerable groups, enhancing community cohesion.
Priority 4. Economic potential of tourism and heritage
A total of seven cross-border projects aiming to promote cultural heritage and boost tourism have been approved under this priority. The projects focus on developing tourism services by creating thematic routes that celebrate history and heritage. The Busy Bee enhances tourism by establishing a Bee Park, hosting a beekeeping exhibition, and creating a cross-border bee-themed tourist route. Similarly, Taste the History preserves and promotes shared culinary traditions through the development of regional dishes, gastronomy maps, festivals, and an e-book, highlighting the rich culinary heritage of the region. Projects also focus on creating innovative cultural and tourism experiences. Heritage Horizons introduces a gamified cultural route connecting Švėkšna and Kuldīga, blending historical preservation with modern tourism techniques. PANORAMA enhances accessibility and tourism diversity by mapping 50 panoramic viewpoints and developing a cross-border route. MATOMI enriches museum services through advanced technology while connecting 13 museums in a joint tourist route. While two projects specifically emphasise fostering economic growth through cultural and tourism development. Cross Tour develops new tourist facilities, organises cultural events, and introduces digital tours and road games on the “From Dobele to Akmenė” route to increase overnight stays and economic activity. Lastly, Trade Route focuses on reviving historical crafts and trade by upgrading exhibitions, hosting fairs, and reconstructing a historical raft, thereby preserving cultural heritage while promoting local economic development.