The European Union – via the Cohesion Policy - introduced dedicated measures to pay a
“particular attention to mountainous regions”. These measures
can be used to finance many initiatives that improve the quality of life of mountain citizens.
However, as stated by the
8th Cohesion Report, the “cohesion in the European Union
has improved, but gaps remain” especially in rural regions. Potential beneficiaries of
these funds in mountain areas are too often unaware of the opportunities offered by the
Cohesion Policy and face a number of barriers limiting the uptake of these funds in their
regions.
What are the barriers hindering the uptake of the Cohesion funds in mountain
regions? How can Managing Authorities and other relevant actors better inform mountain
actors on the opportunities of the 2021-2027 Cohesion Policy in their region? What kind
of support is needed to help mountain stakeholders make the most of these funds?
Montana174 is a one-year communication campaign to inform and engage mountain
citizens on the Cohesion Policy in five European mountain regions. Capitalizing on its
findings and activities, Montana174’s final conference will be an opportunity to share
lessons learnt on the needs and challenges faced by mountain stakeholders as well as to
discuss upon different practices to foster the uptake of the Cohesion Policy funds in
mountain areas over the 2021-2027 period.