Building a common project: 25 years of cooperation in South-West Europe

馃帀To mark the 25th anniversary of the first transnational cooperation programme in South-West Europe (Sudoe), the Government of Cantabria, in its capacity as the Managing Authority for the Interreg Sudoe Programme, and the Men茅ndez Pelayo International University (UIMP) have included in their 2026 academic programme a meeting dedicated to analysing the evolution of territorial cooperation in the European Union, and in particular, in the South-West European area.

Over these 25 years, cooperation in this territory has addressed significant challenges of common interest, such as technology and innovation transfer, natural risk management, climate change adaptation, and the fight against depopulation. All of this has been brought to fruition through the funding of 367 projects, with the participation of nearly 3,000 public and private entities from Spain, France, and Portugal.

馃搮The course, which will be held on聽10 and 11 September in Santander, will be structured around various presentations and round-table discussions that will examine the evolution of territorial cooperation in the Sudoe area over the last quarter of a century. The meeting will feature the participation of representatives from the Member States involved in the programme, the European Commission, the European Parliament, and managers of projects funded by Sudoe in fields such as the environment, health, and risk management.

This training activity is aimed at managers of European and public funds, teaching staff, and researchers interested in territorial development policies, as well as potential beneficiaries of the programme, including public administrations, research centres, universities, hospitals, foundations, development agencies, and SMEs. Furthermore, the course is open to the general public interested in European cooperation and territorial development.

馃憠Full information about the course, as well as access to the registration process, is available on the Men茅ndez Pelayo International University (UIMP) website.

It is recommended to register in advance, as places are limited.