Interreg POCTEP Programme

INTERREG POCTEP Programme: funding for cross-Border projects between Portugal and Spain

Funding support for innovative cooperation projects between Portugal and Spain to promote sustainability, digitalization, social cohesion, and sustainable regional development.

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Interreg POCTEP is designed to strengthen cross-border cooperation and innovation between Spain and Portugal.

 Whether you’re fostering regional development, advancing sustainability, or driving innovation in border areas, the Interreg POCTEP programme funds collaborative projects that boost competitiveness, cohesion, and territorial integration. Projects typically range from applied research and pilot actions (TRL 4–7) to the validation of cross-border solutions with real regional impact.

Substantial Funding

Receive up to 75% co-financing through ERDF support to implement impactful cross-border projects that strengthen regional development.

Wide Thematic Scope

Projects may address green innovation, climate action, digital transformation, and social inclusion, fostering a more sustainable regional economy.

Local & Strategic Projects

Funding supports both community initiatives and strategic actions that enhance cooperation and advance regional & global development goals.

Cross-Border Cooperation

INTERREG POCTEP unites Spanish and Portuguese regions to face shared challenges and promote integration and sustainable growth.

75%

Funding rate

€200k

min. project budget

€427M

Total budget (2021– 27)

6

cooperation areas across Spain & Portugal

What you need
to know before
applying

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💡Tip: It is highly recommended to begin preparation at least 3-4 months before the call deadline. Contact us now for support—early preparation increases your odds of funding.

About the Interreg POCTEP programme

Interreg POCTEP (España–Portugal) is the largest cross-border cooperation programme in the EU, promoting joint projects between Spain and Portugal to foster innovation, sustainability, and regional development along their 1,234 km border. It is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) with up to 75 % funding, supporting initiatives that strengthen territorial cohesion and competitiveness.

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants for Interreg POCTEP funding include:

  • Public authorities (local, regional, or national).
  • Public or private non-profit organisations, such as universities, research centres, chambers of commerce, and associations.
  • Private entities, including SMEs, when their participation contributes to the programme’s cross-border objectives.
  • Cross-border cooperation bodies and public–private partnerships.

All participants must be legally established in the eligible cooperation area of Spain or Portugal and form a cross-border partnership with at least one partner from each country.

Eligible geographic areas

The eligible areas of Interreg POCTEP 2021–2027 cover the cross-border regions between Spain and Portugal, organised into six Cooperation Areas (ACs):

  1. Galicia / Norte de Portugal
  2. Norte de Portugal / Castilla y León
  3. Castilla y León / Centro de Portugal
  4. Centro / Extremadura / Alentejo
  5. Alentejo / Algarve / Andalucía
  6. A multi-regional area for projects spanning more than one border zone.

Across these ACs, the programme includes 36 eligible NUTS III regions:

SPAIN (15 NUTS III):
A Coruña, Lugo, Ourense, Pontevedra, Ávila, León, Salamanca, Valladolid, Zamora, Badajoz, Cáceres, Cádiz, Córdoba, Huelva, Sevilla.

PORTUGAL (21 NUTS III):
Alto Minho, Cávado, Ave, Área Metropolitana do Porto, Alto Tâmega, Tâmega e Sousa, Douro, Terras de Trás-os-Montes, Algarve, Oeste, Região de Aveiro, Região de Coimbra, Região de Leiria, Viseu Dão-Lafões, Beira Baixa, Médio Tejo, Beiras e Serra da Estrela, Alentejo Litoral, Alto Alentejo, Alentejo Central, Baixo Alentejo.

  • In addition, POCTEP designates functional areas for integrated local development strategies, such as the Gerês-Xurés Biosphere Reserve and the Lower Guadiana region, which enable more targeted cross-border cooperation.
Strategic priorities & objectives of Interreg Poctep

The Strategic Priorities and Objectives of Interreg POCTEP 2021–2027 are aligned with the European Cohesion Policy and aim to strengthen cross-border cooperation between Spain and Portugal.

The programme is built around four Policy Objectives (POs) and one specific Interreg Objective (ISO):

  • PO1 – A Smarter Europe: Fostering innovation, digitalisation, and the competitiveness of SMEs to promote a more resilient and knowledge-based cross-border economy.
  • PO2 – A Greener, Low-Carbon Europe: Advancing environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and climate change adaptation in shared natural spaces.
  • PO4 – A More Social Europe: Enhancing inclusion, employment, education, training, and access to health and social services in border regions.
  • PO5 – A Europe Closer to Citizens: Supporting integrated and sustainable local development through community-led cross-border initiatives.
  • Interreg-Specific Objective – Better Cooperation Governance: Strengthening institutional capacity, cross-border governance, and coordination among regional and local actors.

Together, these priorities aim to make the Spain–Portugal border a more innovative, sustainable, inclusive, and well-governed region.

Funding

The Interreg POCTEP 2021–2027 programme has a total budget of about €427 million, with around €320 million coming from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Funding is allocated across the programme’s priorities as follows:

  • PO1 – A Smarter Europe: €105.8 million
  • PO2 – A Greener, Low-Carbon Europe: €86.6 million
  • PO4 – A More Social Europe: €76.9 million
  • PO5 – A Europe Closer to Citizens: €25.6 million

Projects can receive up to 75% ERDF co-financing of eligible costs, with typical budgets ranging from €200,000 to €3–4 million, depending on the call and project type. Larger strategic projects may receive higher funding to support broader cross-border impacts.

Key deadlines

Interreg POCTEP launches regular calls for project proposals throughout the 2021–2027 period, typically announced once or twice a year. Recent calls have opened between January and September, with submission windows of around 8–10 weeks. Future calls, including those expected in 2026, will follow a similar schedule depending on available funds and priorities. Applicants should check the official POCTEP website.

Application process

The application process for Interreg POCTEP is structured and competitive, involving several key stages:

  1. Call publication—Each call outlines priorities, eligibility, funding rates, and submission deadlines.
  2. Project partnership—Applicants must form a cross-border consortium with at least one partner from Spain and one from Portugal.
  3. Online submission—Proposals are submitted via the POCTEP e-platform (SIGEFA) within the call deadline.
  4. Eligibility and quality assessment—Projects are reviewed for administrative compliance, technical quality, cross-border relevance, and expected impact.
  5. Approval and contracting—Selected projects receive an ERDF co-financing grant agreement and can begin implementation after formal approval.

👉 Tip: Successful applications clearly demonstrate cross-border cooperation, measurable regional impact, and alignment with POCTEP priorities such as innovation, sustainability, and territorial cohesion.

Evaluation criteria

The evaluation criteria for Interreg POCTEP focus on ensuring that projects deliver strong cross-border value, feasibility, and alignment with programme goals. Proposals are typically assessed on the following key points:

  1. Relevance and coherence – Alignment with POCTEP priorities and contribution to cross-border cooperation objectives.
  2. Partnership quality – Balanced, complementary consortium with active partners from both Spain and Portugal.
  3. Technical and financial quality – Clear work plan, realistic timeline, sound budget, and efficient resource allocation.
  4. Cross-border impact – Demonstrated added value of cooperation and tangible benefits for the eligible regions.
  5. Innovation and sustainability – Long-term impact, replicability, and contribution to environmental and social goals.
  6. Communication and visibility – Effective strategy for dissemination, results sharing, and stakeholder engagement.

💡 Each criterion is scored according to the official call guidelines, and only proposals achieving the minimum required score in all sections are eligible for funding.

Eligible costs

Eligible costs under Interreg POCTEP include staff, travel, equipment, external services, and small-scale infrastructure directly linked to project activities. All expenses must be necessary, reasonable, incurred within the project area and period, and comply with EU and POCTEP eligibility rules.

How We Support Your Interreg POCTEP Application

  • Backed by PhDs, engineers, and finance experts, we guide you through every stage of the Interreg POCTEP application and project lifecycle.
  • We combine strategic insight with technical excellence to help innovators secure the right collaborative funding and manage their projects successfully.
Control de convocatorias (1)

1. Opportunity Scouting

We identify the most suitable Interreg POCTEP calls for your project and ensure alignment with eligibility and cross-border requirements. We also scout other EU funding opportunities that match your profile. When needed, we support partner search and review initial technical and financial inputs.
Diagnóstico y preparación

2. Application Support

Obtención de ayuda (2)

3. Submission & Grant Agreement

We support the submission process and help coordinate communication with the Managing Authority and Joint Secretariat. After approval, we guide you through the grant-agreement steps—administrative checks, contract arrangements, budget alignment, and documentation—for a smooth transition into implementation.

Gestión del proyecto (1)

4. Project Management

We support implementation through progress monitoring, report preparation, audit assistance, fund-disbursement guidance, and ongoing administrative coordination.

Need expert advice for your Interreg POCTEP proposal?

Our consultants guide you through everything you need to know about Interreg calls, requirements, and winning strategies.

Contact our team

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“Evolution was pivotal in improving and refining our business model and go-to-market strategy. Besides, the writing of the proposal was elevated to a very high standard; we could not have achieved this without Evolution’s help.”

Fadhil Musa, co-founder of Delox

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“We have received support from Evolution at all stages of the application process. This has been very important in complying with the appropriate procedures and submitting the supporting documentation on time. This kind of support is crucial if you have no previous experience in managing EU-funded projects, ensuring that you make the most of their potential. The relationship has been excellent, and the response time has been almost immediate.”

Beatriz Salvador, Innovation Manager of Biome Makers

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“Evolution Europe has been brilliant in supporting our project’s administration, communication, and progress tracking, playing a key role in our success”

Pavel Pavlovsky, CEO of GeoKinesia

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“We highlight the Evolution team’s flexibility in offering a proposal tailored to startups, their communication with international teams, and their ability to improve consortia and tasks.”

Ana Bouchet, Scientific Co-Founder of Lifesome Therapeutics

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“The team at Evolution Europe showed an extraordinary ability to understand both the company’s challenge and the scope of the underlying scientific work, providing critical and constructive insights that significantly improved the original proposal.”

Ignasi Hontecillas, Director of Quality and R&D of Agrocat

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about the Interreg POCTEP programme.

What is the meaning of Interreg?

Interreg is a European Union initiative to promote cooperation across borders through project-based funding. It supports regional development and cohesion between neighbouring territories.

What is the Interreg programme of the EU?

The Interreg programme is a long-standing funding instrument supporting joint projects that improve economic, environmental, and social conditions across EU regions. It includes programmes like Interreg A (cross-border), Interreg B (transnational), and Interreg C (interregional).

 

What is the Interreg Poctep funding rate?

Interreg Poctep offers co-financing of up to 75% of eligible project costs, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The remaining 25% must be covered by partners, either through national contributions or own resources.

This 75% rate applies broadly across all eligible partner types—including public bodies, SMEs, NGOs, and EGTCs operating within the programme’s eligible NUTS III regions.

What is the Interreg Poctep success rate?

The success rate for Interreg POCTEP projects varies by call and priority area, depending on available funding and the number of proposals received. While specific rates are not published, the programme is highly competitive, with only the most relevant and well-prepared cross-border projects selected for funding. Applicants are encouraged to develop strong partnerships and clearly demonstrate cross-border impact, innovation, and alignment with POCTEP priorities to improve their chances of success.

How long does it take to get funded?

The funding timeline for Interreg POCTEP projects typically ranges from 6 to 12 months after the call deadline. This period covers evaluation, selection, and contracting by the Managing Authority.

Once approved, projects receive a grant agreement and can begin implementation, with initial payments usually made after the first progress report or upon request, depending on programme rules.

💡 Tip: Timely submission of complete documentation and clear project planning can help speed up the contracting process.

What is the TRL required to apply to the Interreg Poctep programme?

Unlike Horizon Europe programmes, Interreg POCTEP does not require a specific Technology Readiness Level (TRL).

Projects can range from early-stage applied research to pilot actions and demonstration activities, as long as they have a clear cross-border impact and contribute to the programme’s priorities — such as innovation, sustainability, and territorial development.

In practice, most funded projects operate around TRL 4–7, focusing on testing, validation, and real-world implementation of solutions rather than basic research or large-scale commercialization.

Is Interreg part of Horizon Europe?

No — INTERREG is not part of Horizon Europe. It belongs to the EU Cohesion Policy and is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), while Horizon Europe is the EU’s research and innovation framework programme.

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