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(zuletzt aktualisiert: 19.11.2024)

Priorität 1: Klima und Umwelt

Priority 1 - SO 2.4: Promoting climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention
Lead partner organisation: WWF Niederlande (NL) | Contact person: Iago Velasco (ivelascolopez[at]wwf.nl)

Current river management and historic human interventions hinder the natural capacity of the River Rhine to regulate the extremes of (very) wet and (very) dry periods and storms within the storage capacity of the river basin. This, combined with the increasing pressures of climate change, prevents the river and the population living in the river basin to be climate resilient and to address and prevent natural disasters. The River Rhine has its own story to tell, which can be read in two main chapters:
The upstream river catchment area: mainly the mid-range mountains are natural sponges. The flood disasters in the valley start as a water drop in the hills. The same goes for droughts: the valley lacks the water that should have been stored upstream during wetter days. To increase system resilience, the upstream catchment area should be allowed to absorb water from rain and snow in its soil and vegetation. In this way, the catchment area stores and slows down the water runoff, seeping towards the valley. Man-made drainage systems for agricultural purposes are incompatible with this principle of storage, nor are (exotic) tree plantations that influence evaporation. Peatlands, wetlands and native vegetation on the other hand, store and block a fast downflow of rain water.
The downstream river basin: the valley and lowland rivers, both main stem(s) and tributaries, all need their space. To increase resilience, the river needs areas to flood, and areas to absorb her flow-energy. Natural (low-lying) floodplains, wide inundation areas, old river branches and (partly) river connected side-channels provide this required space. We need to loosen the straitjacket we have created by building barriers and shore protection (trapping sediments), groins (focusing the river energy at its center), winter dikes (reducing the floodplain area), and summer dikes (reducing inundation of the floodplain). In loosening the grip, we apply the principles of giving the river system room for its natural processes by undoing part of the historic interventions, reclaiming space and restoring natural processes: sedimentation, erosion and connection with the groundwater level. Applying effective NbS interventions requires a good understanding of the River Rhine system, including origins and seasonal flow of the river discharge. With that knowledge, we will know which buttons to press to make the Rhine river basin resilient again to the impacts of climate change (droughts, floodings, storm/extreme weather events).

WWF-NL, Stroming and partners created the ‘Room for Living Rivers concept’ (Link). Core of this concept is a large-scale implementation of nature-based solutions, which proves to work for the Dutch part of the Rhine basin. Now we want to apply this concept to the entire Rhine river basin. To do so, we intend to do an in-depth feasibility study delivering detailed maps where we identify the areas of the river where challenges are more prominent, which interventions are feasible in those areas and what their costs, benefits and impacts are. Based on these insights, we will engage policy-makers and other stakeholders to translate our analyses into policy and strategic plans through an extensive, participative knowledge-sharing approach of selected countries in the river basin and targeted negotiation/meetings with key policy-makers.

We are looking for:

  • Technical partners for specific knowledge generation: - advanced in state-of-the-art modeling of effectiveness of NbS related to river discharge/ hydraulics and/or with a track record/ interest in international multifactor cost-benefit analyses of NbS
  • Partners that work on movement building/policy and advocacy engagement/capacity building, especially in Switzerland and Germany.

Priority 1 - SO 2.4: Promoting climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention
Lead partner organisation: région Hauts-de-Fance (FR) | Contact person: Bertrand Ringot  (bertrand.ringot[at]hautsdefrance.fr)

Like much of the coastline of North-Western Europe, the Hauts-de-France coastline (210 km and home to almost 18.5% of the regional population) is heavily impacted by coastal erosion (retreat of soft coastlines and lowering of beach levels, cliff slumps) and the risk of marine submersion. The predicted consequences of climate change and its repercussions on rising temperatures and sea levels, as well as on the recurrence and intensity of winter storms, will further increase the vulnerability of the region's coastline in the coming years. To collectively manage the challenges facing this coastal area, and in particular its exposure to the effects of climate change, in July 2020 the Hauts-de-France Region set up the Parlement de la Mer des Hauts-de-France, a consultative body bringing together the regional maritime community, with the aim of promoting better management of maritime and coastal issues, identifying priorities for collective action and involving the region's inhabitants and users in collective reflection.
In addition, the Hauts-de-France Region is a statutory member of the Groupement d'Intérêt Public, GIP, Réseau d'Observation du Littoral Normandie Hauts-de-France (ROL NHDF), which capitalizes on, promotes and makes available data on the evolution of the coastline along the entire East Channel-North Sea coastline. Successive legislative changes are calling on coastal communities to draw up and implement local coastal zone management strategies. These strategies must enable them to understand the evolution of the coastline and identify the operational actions to be initiated on different scales (long, medium and short term, as well as on different geographical scales).

Building upon the Parlement de la Mer, the project wants to adress the following questions: 

  • How can local players anticipate the management of the land concerned?
  • How can we alert and train local players to the factual issues of marine submersion and coastal erosion in the context of climate change?
  • How can citizens and stakeholders be involved in addressing the risk of marine submersion and coastal erosion? What participatory democracy tools can be used? 

Priority 1 - SO 2.4: Promoting climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention and resilience, taking into account ecosystem-based approaches

Lead Partner HZ University of Applied Sciences (NL) I Contacts: Reeleaf on behalf of HZ University of Applied Sciences Jacqueline Brouwer (j.brouwer[a]reeleaf.nl) and Lisa Mangattale (l.mangattale[a]reeleaf.nl)

Coastal regions in North-West Europe (NWE) are severely impacted by climate change. They need to cope with sea level rise and heat stress and devise a strategy and new solutions to adapt their economic activities (mainly tourism) while protecting liveability and community resilience. Governance of coastal areas and geographical dynamics are complex and call for intensive cooperation using innovative ideas across borders. 

The objective of CoARES is to identify long-term climate adaptation solutions for coastal areas. We like to include spatial planning experimentation-pilots dealing with future climate change impact, like rising sea levels resulting in less coast available and/or weather extremes like heat stress.

CoARES aims to overcome the complexity of finding climate adaptation solutions for coastal areas by realising spatial planning experimentation pilots that combine technical, governmental and participatory innovations, while making use of transnational cooperation to provide coastal regions in NWE with new options to boost their community resilience while adapting to climate risks.

Governmental authorities at various levels, coastal businesses, technical businesses, regional development agencies, knowledge institutions; Partners from the coastal regions of West Flanders, German Wadden Islands and Ireland are particularly invited to Jacqueline Brouwer and Lisa Mangattale.

Priority 1 - SO 2.4 Promoting climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention and resilience, taking into account ecosystem-based approaches

Leadpartner: UCLouvain, Earth and Life Institute (BE) | Contact: Alice Alonso (Alice.alonso[at]adscian.be)

This project aims to reduce the risk of pluvial muddy floods by:

- developing a pluvial (muddy) flood early warning system (medium, and possibly short-term)
- developing pilot actions
- sharing of good / successful practices for prevention, protection, preparation, and reparation

Pluvial, muddy flooding is an issue faced by different countries in the NWE region. A large knowledge base and risk management approaches have been developed, and lessons have been learned by the different regions. So far, the knowledge is dispersed. There is a need of “cross-fertilization” through (i) the gathering and analysis of data to improve risks prediction models; (ii) the sharing of good practices.

The leadpartner is looking for research organizations, regional or local sectoral agencies, SMEs or NGOs who want to join the partner consortium. 

Priority 1 - SO 2.7 Enhancing nature protection, biodiversity and reducing all forms of pollution

Leadpartner: Province of Friesland (NL) | Contact: Peter Algra (p.algra[at]fryslan.frl)

Farmland birds in NW Europe are in decline due to ongoing agri intensification and climate change. In 40 years, populations of farmbirds species declined  tonearly 70 % (NL statistics).

Main objectives: Improve efforts for conservation and recovery of farmland bird populations by applying front-end monitoring technologies with drones, Copernicus satelite images, artificial intelligence e.g. thus contributing to faster and more efficient implementation of EU Nature Restoration Regulation and NATURA2000 objectives.

FarmBird is looking for regional authorities, NGOs in the field of biodiversity management and governance, IT-consultancies and/or other front runners in highend monitoring, universities or DG DEFIS.

Priorität 2: Energiewende

Priorität 3: Kreislaufwirtschaft

Priority 3 - SO 2.6 Circular and resource efficient economy
Lead partner: Saxion Hogeschool (NL) | Leon Cremonini (l.cremonini[at]saxion.nl)

The NWE territories must scale up circular economy practices to foster resilient regions. There is a growing demand for good practices. How can we identify and exchange good circular practices? How can we use practice-based knowledge to support companies in adopting and adapting circular practices for resilient, prosperous, and impact driven business models. Based n a successful Dutch pilot database, the project wants to develop a curated irnational database of companies in Northwest Europe which practice circular business models. The database will be 

  • structured, searchable, scalable
  • with AI-powered tailored advice
  • open access: free to use (and contribute) for NWE companies and institutions

The database will facilitate and boost the adoption of circular business practices in NWE territories, allow for joint development of practice based Circular Business Intelligence, and establish collective impact via resilient and multiple value creating business models. 

We are looking for the following partners from Germany and other territories: Any stakeholders - e.g. business clusters, industrial chambers, regional authorities, research institutes - interested in joining the Circular Business Community. 

Priority 3 - SO 2.6 Circular and resource efficient economy
Lead partner: Energy Challenges Foundation (NL) | Ingrid Kloosterman (ingrid.kloosterman[at]energychallenges.nl)

RYF is a project idea specifically targeting awareness and practices of the younger generations, through energy efficiency programmes at schools (with proven technology), smart cooking workshops and by increasing awareness and knowledge via fun games and evidence based pilots around circularity and resource efficiency. The project effectively aims to decrease the foodprint of involved youngsters by 10%, decrease energy usage by 10% at schools, and increase awareness about resource efficiency and circularity by more than 60%. The project will target at least 80.000 youngsters through 150 schools and 80.000 youngsters.

We are looking for the following partners from Germany and other territories: Any stakeholders - e.g. cooking schools, sustainable clithing companies, education authorities, relevant assocations - interested. 

Priorität 4: Innovation und Resilienz

Priority 4 - SO 1.1 Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies
Lead partner: City of Amsterdam (NL) | Maaike Schouten (maaike.schouten[at]amsterdam.nl)

Cities worldwide are facing the challenge of accommodating increasing (underground) infrastructure within limited spaces. The NWE region has many locations with a densely built-up environment, for example large cities such as  Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, but also smaller dense provincial towns and villages. Authorities in these locations face many challenges in the design of public spaces: increasing urbanization and the increasing demand for affordable housing need to be reconciled with major transition challenges in areas of e.g. climate adaptation, the energy transition and biodiversity. Underground, the densifying city and the modernization of life require more and more electricity and data cables, which need to be incorporated in addition to the already existing infrastructure of e.g. water supply, sewage pipes, water buffers and underground heat systems. 
With all these competing claims and increased number of requirements, the lay-out of public space requires an integrated and interdisciplinary working method for both design and engineering of underground and above-ground tasks. 
The Integral Design Method for Public Space (IOOR) developed by MOA provides urban policymakers, designers, planners and other stakeholders with a new solution to tackle the major transition task in public space in a time- and cost effective manner. IOOR provides an integrated approach to sustainable public space design, considering both above ground and underground elements in the planning process and making use of technical innovations and fostering better cooperation between public and private stakeholders.  IOOR offers an integrated approach which develops continuously through learning effects from projects and through improvements and digitalisation of working methods and tools.
Objective of the project: The project wants to demonstrate IOOR as a smart, multi-actor and cross-sectoral approach for the design of public spaces, which feeds into local, regional strategies, policies and action plans.  

We are looking to build the following consortium:

  • at least three different local governments in the NWE region (besides the Municipality of Amsterdam) that will test the IOOR approach in their own municipality via the e-learning course; these can be large cities such as Brussels, Paris, but also smaller dense provincial towns and villages 
  • an organisation (perhaps an SME) with expertise in developing e-learning courses (it does not necessarily have to be based in the Netherlands)
  • a city platform (EUROCITIES, ...) that helps disseminate the IOOR method to other European authorities
  • possibly other relevant partners suggested by the participating international local authorities

Priority 4 - SO 1.1 Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies

Leadpartner: Berry Numérique (FR) | Contact: Pascal BOURDILLON (contact[at]berrynumerique.fr)

The project aims to acquire a detailed understanding of the large water cycle at the scale of a coherent territory (such as a watershed) to better assess the actions necessary for sustainable and shared use of water resources.
This project will provide comprehensive and accurate data, along with a methodology, to move towards sustainable water resource management.

The project consists of several parts:
1. Deployment of a set of connected sensors to monitor and analyze the large water cycle at the scale of a coherent territory, including: rainfall, evaporation, infiltration, river flow, groundwater levels, and tracking all water takings (irrigation, private, professional).
2. Raising awareness and supporting all relevant stakeholders to engage them in the project.
3. Establishing appropriate governance for this type of project.
4. Developing a predictive model based on collected data for a medium-term assessment of water resource trends.

This project is looking for public entities responsible for water management, private sector (sensor suppliers, change management) or academic institutions (modeling research). They should identify and adequately equip a relevant territory, establish and support suitable governance, develop and test a predictive model.

Priority 4 - SO 1.1 Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies
Lead partner: Saxion Hogeschool (NL) | Thierry Tartarin (t.j.m.tartarin[at]saxion.nl)

NWE port activities significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and are hazardous places for humans to work. Drone applications (e.g., package delivery) offer innovative ways for ports to reduce their carbon footprint while providing safer and more efficient operations. However, ports are complex ecosystems and need help implementing drone technology. The objective of Drones4Pros is therefore to 

  • Design a drone implementation method to create resilient and sustainable NWE port operations by 2030
  • Develop drone-related multiple-value (environmental, social, economic) creation of innovative business models
  • Use drones to improve NWE port’s safety and security as critical infrastructure (EU Strategic Autonomy agenda)

The project will work towards the following results: 

  • Blueprint for drone implementation in port operations
  • Recommendations for regional, national, and EU policies
  • Recommendations for vocational curricula

Looking for German partners from the following sectors: 

  • Ports (maritime or inland)
  • Horizontal institutions/organisations to analyse pilot results to create the blueprint
  • Organisations involved with government/EU policies
  • Knowledge institutes schools to develop drone programmes

Priority 4 - SO 1.1 Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies
Lead partner: TechnologieCentrum Noord-Nederland (NL) | Maria Martirosyann (mariamartirosyan[at]tcnn.nl)

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) often face hesitation in adopting AI due to concerns about job displacement, data security, and distinguishing fact from fiction. Local authorities, despite having digitization policies, struggle to implement these strategies effectively for SMEs. Additionally, a significant skills gap exists among SME managers and employees, making AI adoption more challenging. The project will develop AI integration packages to enable SMEs to adopt existing AI tools rapidly and sustainably, assist local authorities in transforming digitization policies into practical actions, engaging SMEs in AI adoption for growth and innovation, and design comprehensive AI training programs for managers and employees in both SMEs and local authorities. 

The following work packages are planned: 

  • AI Integration Packages: Creation of AI resources, workshops, and demos tailored for SMEs.
  • Pilot Projects: Practical implementation of AI tools in SMEs, with outcomes documented for wider learning.
  • Training Programs: Specialized training for AI skills development among SME employees and managers.

Looking for partners: we are looking for local authorities and/or business clusters from Germany. 

Priorität 5: Inklusive Gesellschaft (Arbeitsmarkt, Gesundheitssysteme, Tourismus und Kultur)

Priority 5 - SO 4.1 Enhancing the effectiveness and inclusiveness of labour markets and access to quality employment through developing social infrastructure and promoting social economy

Lead Partner: Mission Locale Paris Terres d'Envol (FR) I Contacts : Romain Charlopin r.charlopin[at]missionlocalepte.fr and Marc Deman, marc.deman[at]dynatos-design.com 

The Aeroproject initiative seeks to address employment challenges faced by residents living near major international airports in North West Europe. These airports, including Paris CDG, Paris Orly, Amsterdam Schiphol, Frankfurt Airport, Dublin Airport, and Brussels Airport, serve as key hubs connecting Europe to the rest of the world. Despite local and cultural differences, these airports share common needs for skilled labor in the airport industry. 

The Aeroproject aims to facilitate long-term employment for residents surrounding international airports by enhancing collaboration across North West Europe. This will involve sharing results and improving support programs for vulnerable groups, including young and long-term job seekers. The project focuses on four main objectives: 

  1. Sharing Soft Skills Evaluations: Establish a European-level framework to define and assess the soft skills required by suppliers and airlines at major airports. This involves evaluating and comparing skill levels across different airport regions.
  2. Creating a Common Professional Guidance System: Develop shared tools, documents, and events to help local organizations guide candidates. This system will provide insights into job specifics, career paths, and other essential information to match candidates with roles that suit their soft skills.
  3. Enhancing Support Programs: Focus on the soft skills demanded by companies by creating and sharing training modules. These modules, available both online and onsite, will be tailored to meet the needs of candidates and utilized by supporting organizations or their training partners.
  4. Connecting Candidates and Organizations: Implement a common tool to track candidate progress across companies and link them to local support organizations. This tool will gather data to assess the effectiveness of the processes and programs offered in different airport areas.

The project seeks to collaborate with entities connected to international airport areas and those addressing soft skills issues. This includes support organizations, airport-related company associations, and academic partners to evaluate and develop new tools for support programs.

By fostering cooperation and leveraging shared resources, the Aeroproject aims to empower residents near international airports with the skills and opportunities needed for sustainable employment in the airport industry

Priority 5 - SO 4.1 Access to Employment   
Lead partner: Business in the Community (IE) | Contact person: Alison Payne (apayne[at]bitc.ie) 

EPIC will combat lower rates of employment and social integration for migrants, especially refugees in Northwest Europe. It further wants to address the urban and rural challenges for disadvantaged job seekers through online support along with local place based supports. More specifically, the project will provide support to migrant job seekers and to businesses that want to attract, hire, and retain more diverse employees. 

We are looking for German partners from the following sectors: 

  • Partners: NGO/Government/Business with a commitment to client centred approach and inclusive practices.
  • Skills/Solutions: Innovative job seeker training, trauma informed career counselling, and business/NGO/Government strategic partnerships.
  • Expertise: Urban and rural job seekers, new migrant populations and hybrid models of delivery

Priority 5 – SO 4.1Enhancing the effectiveness and inclusiveness of labour markets and access to quality employment through developing social infrastructure and promoting social economy

Lead Partner Paris – IDF Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FR) I Contact person: Irina Parisot (iparisot[a]cci-paris-idf.fr)

North-West Europe is facing key challenges, including social and professional integration, employment, and innovation. Artisanal and industrial trades are experiencing a decline in attractiveness and labour shortages. To reverse the trend and preserve regional economic development, it is urgent to revalue these short-staffed professions, ensure know-how transmission in align need with skills. 

SKILL’s objective is to strengthen the attractiveness and short-staffed professions in the North-West Europe area, and to facilitate the professional integration of the target audience. To achieve this goal, SKILL will assess existing practices in the partner regions. By leveraging networks of relevant businesses and local stakeholders, skill will also implement experimental actions and identify the most effective ones. 

SKILL will contribute to 5 results:

  1. Supporting employment
  2. Facilitating social integration
  3. Strengthening the economic foundation and competitiveness of the involved regions
  4. Promoting quality skills
  5. Contributing to regional strategies

Partners search:

  • Geographic scope: the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Ireland, partner
  • Typology: governmental and non-governmental organisations, federations and professional associations, SMEs and business networks academic and university stakeholders vocational training organisations.

Priority 5 - SO 4.1 Enhancing the effectiveness and inclusiveness of labour markets and access to quality employment through developing social infrastructure and promoting social economy

Leadpartner: Artevelde University of Applied Sciences (BE) | Contact: Elise Cornelis (elise.cornelis[at]arteveldehs.be)

The increasing number of older adults possesses valuable expriences and skills that are not fully utilised. Age-friendly volunteering can ensure that these talents are not lost. Key challenges are:

(1) social isolation: by volunteering older adults can build social networks and improve their mental well-being.
(2) strengthening communities: local communities can benefit from the knowledge and commitment of older adults.

Main objectives of this project:

This project aims to foster and enhance opportunities for older adults to engage in volunteering, recognising their valuable life
experiences and skills. It seeks to create age-friendly environments in which older individuals can actively participate in community activities, thus promoting social inclusion, intergenerational collaboration and enrichment of local communities.

The project AliVE is looking for (1) non-profit organisations and community groups to offer project implementation, volunteer networks, and experience in mentoring older volunteers and (2) health and welfare organisations with expertise in health promotion, access to older clients and training on well-being and care for volunteers.

Priority 5 - SO 4.5 Ensuring equal access to health care and fostering resilience of health systems
Lead partner: Royal College of Surgeons (IE) | Contact person: Breda Smyth (bredasmyth[at]rcsi.ie) 

The objective of this project is to develop a reference framework for Acute Virtual Wards (AVWs) to address the resource challenge in North West Europe acute hospitals due to an ageing population while improving patient experience by delivering the care they need at home. 

  1.  This project will deliver a reference Model of Care for Acute Virtual Wards, collating examples of best practice transnationally that is effective and efficient and deliver an evidence-based toolkit for countries to adapt a model of care to their health system. 
  2. A Population Risk Assessment to identify population cohorts most suitable to acute virtual wards care. All analytical tools including Artificial Intelligence tools, e.g., Machine Learning and Large Language Models will be used to carry out this analysis.
  3. A Core Clinical Staffing Model for AVWs in local acute hospital sites will be developed based on international experience and tailored to the NWE acute hospital systems.
  4. A toolkit will be developed that will outline the fundamental technology requirements to implement a Digital Health Platform to deliver AVWs whilst adaptable to individual countries systems.
  5. Quality & patient safety issues will be identified and interventions to mitigate these risks described.
  6. Participatory Research will be carried out with populations of all social classes including vulnerable and marginalized populations to assess equity, cultural and behavioural insights regarding Acute Virtual Wards and their ability to adapt to this concept.
  7. Cost Effectiveness Analysis will be carried out across countries identifying the most cost effective virtual care strategies and models of care.


The consortium is seeking German partners with expertise in:
•    Acute Virtual Wards or Virtual Care in the area of Chronic Disease / Fragility
•    Enterprises or SME's with Digital Health Platforms
•    Data Science Expertise 
•    Health Economics Expertise 
•    Behavioural Science Expertise

Priority 5 - SO 4.5 Ensuring equal access to health care and fostering resilience of health systems

Leadpartner: The Health and Europe Centre (IE) | Contacts: Thomas Molloy, IE (Thomas.molloy[at]healthandeurope.eu) or Norbert Göller, DE (n.goeller[at]irrsinnig-menschlich.de)

Professionals working with young people across NWE continue to experience unprecedented demand for mental health support, triggered by COVID – and this has highlighted the existing difficulties in accessing services. The BRIGHT SIDE partnership has cho-sen to work with its nine target areas specifically because they are peripheral, with high levels of deprivation and marginalization, limited services with long waiting lists, and often, poor public transport.

The issues of access to services are exacerbated by approaches to young people’s mental health which result in negative termi-nology, labelling and stigma. Labelling a young person as being at risk of suicide, self-harm, alcohol abuse, or not being in educa-tion, employment or training, for instance, focuses on the problem, rather than reinforcing the young person’s positive health assets.

BRIGHT SIDE will respond to our identified challenges (negative approaches, increased demand, worsening mental health, access issues) by:
1 - Positive Young People’s Mental Health Indicator Matrix (Pilot Action)

2 - New, innovative, transnational Positive Young People’s Mental Health Strategy

3 - 400-member stakeholder cooperation network (Capacity Building/Awareness Raising)

BRIGHT SIDE responds to the widely-recognised need amongst mental health professionals and others working with young people for a different approach to young people’s mental health, focusing on the positive rather than the negative. In spite of this consensus, a common, validated methodology is lacking.

This project is looking for local, regional or national public authorities in Germany.

Priority 5 - SO 4.6 Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation  
Lead partner: LRE Foundation (NL) | Contact person: Rémi Praud (r.praud[at]liberationroute.com) 

Building upon the already approved and running small-scale project “REFOOT” (Link), “Liberation Route Europe” (LRE) wants to strengthen sustainable tourism by expanding the Liberation Route Europe" (Link) across multiple countries and linking historically significant WWII sites. The project aims to promote cultural memory transmission and improving access to cultural heritage for diverse audiences. 

Effectively, the project will create new tourism routes and enhanced digital tools, greater international awareness of the region's historical significance to support regional economies. It will further deliver capacity-building programmes for stakeholders to enhance knowledge and implementation of sustainable tourism practices and digital transformation, with joint creation of strategies and action plans to implement these.

We are looking for German partners from the following sectors: tourism boards, regions & provinces, museums & history/remembrance associations, research institutions & universities, municipalities, SMEs and foundations.

Priority 5 - SO 4.6:Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation 

Lead Partner: Province of Antwerp – Tourist Department (BE) I Contacts: Liesbet De Wit (Liesbet.dewit[a]provincieantwerpen.be); Eva Geentjens (Eva.geentjens[a]provincieantwerpen.be) 

Vulnerable groups (people with disabilities, people from migrant backgrounds, and people with limited budgets) are often excluded from tourist activities in rural areas due to limited transportation options. 

Public transport in our green regions is inadequate because it is sometimes unusable (e.g., not suitable for large luggage), unavailable (no regular connections and/or no stop nearby), unaffordable (for people with limited budgets), unknown (the information about transport options does not reach the target groups), unclear (no centralized, simple, and clear information about options and prices), or even unreliable (e.g., wheelchair users, even with prior reservation, cannot always be certain they will reach their destination). Alternative transport options (e.g., car-sharing, taxis, bikes) are often not available or simply unknown to these vulnerable groups.  With this project, we aim to increase and share knowledge about functional mobility poverty for vulnerable groups when they wish to go on vacation or day trips in rural areas. We want to learn how other regions have successfully or unsuccessfully addressed this issue. Based on this knowledge, we will set up a pilot project in each participating region to improve access to selected tourist destinations for one of the three target groups. 

As a result, the basic knowledge about functional mobility poverty for vulnerable groups will increase among project partners and within the tourism sector, raising awareness in the sector. In addition, accessibility to tourist destinations in our green regions will improve for at least one of the three target groups, and a ripple effect can often be expected. Information about transport options will also improve for these groups. Finally, we will promote sustainable transport solutions for people without cars, enhancing opportunities for vulnerable groups to participate in tourism, thus reducing their social exclusion. 

Approach

The selection of destinations for pilot projects based on a set of criteria (f.i. small vs. large scale, day trips vs. overnight stays, private vs. public) established by the consortium 

  • Phase 1: Investigating the exact nature of mobility poverty in the three target groups
  • Phase 2: Mapping existing pilot projects and SWOT analysis
  • Phase 3: Setting up targeted pilot projects per participating region
  • Marketing campaign(s) focused on and tailored to target groups 

Priority 5 - SO 4.6: Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation 

Lead Partner: Toerisme Vlaanderen (BE) I Contact person Inge Defour (inge.defour[a]westtoer.be)

The rate and extent of tourism growth outpaced the system’s ability to support it, expanding economic opportunities, but revealing challenges such as overcrowding, infrastructure overload, and environmental degradation. 

The current tourism model prioritises visitors and immediate economic gains, often neglecting the broader impacts on communities and the environment.

This project aims to redefine success in tourism by including the entire ecosystem of each destination. While economic revenue is important, we need a more holistic approach with new, comprehensive indicators to measure success.

This will guide a regenerative tourism model that gives more to people and places than it takes away, allowing destinations to flourish sustainably, support local livelihoods, preserve resources… and thrive for future generations.

Our project aims to redefine success in the tourism sector by establishing a new regenerative tourism model through:

• Developing a comprehensive set of indicators to effectively measure success in tourism

• Implementing local pilot projects in NWE to test and showcase innovative practices

• Establishing a transition and training programme for stakeholders in the tourism sector

Partner search

We are looking for Public authorities (government or regional development agencies), actors in civil society and businesses/organisations active in the tourism sector in Germany, The Netherlands, Ireland and France.

Confirmed partners: Westtoer (BE), BUAS (NL), Munster University (IE); Confirmed associate partners: Necstour