More than 38 million euros EU-funding available!

Starting July 1 2025, an exciting opportunity is coming up for anyone wanting to collaborate on innovative projects in our cross-border region. The new call for projects is opening. This call will make over 38 million euros of EU funding available. What makes this round so special? We’ve summed it up for you below.

More funding for your project

In this round, projects can receive up to 60% of their costs covered by EU funds. That’s a full 10% points more than in previous calls! The remaining 40% must be provided by the project partners themselves, either through co-financing or their contributions.

Easier language requirements

Good news if you dread all that translating: for the first step of your application (Step 1), you can submit in Dutch, French and German, OR only English. This change is a direct result of talks with earlier project teams. Many people said that translating all the texts adds a lot of extra work. Some find English inconvenient, while others want to submit everything in English first. By allowing both options in the first step of the application this time, we hope to make things easier for everyone!

More chances to apply

No need to stress about deadlines this time! You can hand in your project idea any day from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026. Throughout the year, there will be five key dates (cut-off moments) when we review the applications. This way, you won’t have to wait too long, and the process stays quick and smooth. If your idea gets past the first step, you can move on with your full application without long delays.

At the cut-off moments, the programme will assess all the submitted ideas. If your project is rejected the first time, no problem! You'll receive feedback and are welcome to try again.

The programme will distribute the available budget on a “first-come, first-served” basis. The exact available budget for the call will therefore change while the call is still ongoing. It will be regularly updated here. That is why we recommend that you send in your application as soon as possible.

The cut-off dates are:

• 1 September 2025
• 3 November 2025
• 26 January 2026
• 13 April 2026
• 1 July 2026

What topics can you apply for?

The fifth call focuses on several important themes. Your project is eligible if it tackles one of these subjects, and if you're working together across borders (between Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany):

• Industrial transition;
• Green (sustainable) transformation;
• Social challenges, for example, in the field of labour market or education;
• A healthier society;
• High-quality tourism in our region.

The goal is for your project to develop, test, and implement innovative solutions that the region really needs. Cross-border collaboration and a real impact are key.