Initiated in 1989 by the European Union, the INTERREG program aims to encourage and finance joint and cross-border projects with the support of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Today, there are more than 100 programs along the EU’s internal and external borders.
INTERREG V is the second part of INTERREG and comprises 15 programs over the period 2014-2020. The INTERREG V Rhin Supérieur – Obberhein is located from the French departments of Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin, to the west of Baden-Württemberg and the south of Rhineland-Palatinate, to the cantons of northeastern Switzerland (Basel-Stadt, Basel-Country, Jura, Solothurn and Aargau).
For 28 years the INTERREG V Rhin Supérieur – Obberhein has financed many projects. One of the most emblematic was the construction of the bridge “Two Rives” between Strasbourg and Kehl. This walkway, inaugurated in February by Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel, will host from April 29th 2017 the extension of line D of the tram that will connect two cities.
For the current multiannual period INTERREG V Rhin Supérieur – Obberhein has an envelope of €110 million, the program develops various cross-border projects such as research projects, actions to stimulate the market and also a willingness to finance micro projects initiated by civil society.
The last major project concerns the construction of the Hartmannswillerkopf Historial (HWK). The agreement was signed on March 13th2017. The INTERREG V Rhin Supérieur – Obberhein is funded €837,801. The HWK is the first museum dedicated to the First World War memory and the inauguration is planned on August 3rd 2017
