2024 REGIOSTARS Competition – Europe

REGIOSTARS are the yearly competition organised by DG REGIO since 2008: it has become Europe’s label of excellence for EU-funded projects, which demonstrate the impact and inclusiveness of regional development. In 2024, projects compete in five categories, detailed here below. By putting forward solutions to common challenges and tapping into the biggest opportunities, the REGIOSTARS have inspired regions to deliver evermore-impactful EU regional policy. They encourage applications from comparatively less-developed regions in Europe and from all programme areas.

Competition Categories

• Category 1 – A Competitive and Smart Europe Promoting competitiveness, innovation and economic resilience
  • Category 1 focusses on projects in support of Policy Objective 1, to achieve a competitive and smart Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity.
  • The Commission is determined to make this Europe’s “Digital Decade’ and thus to implement a human-centric, sustainable vision for a digital society while aiming for digital sovereignty. The EU’s digital strategy aims to make this transformation work for people and businesses, while helping to achieve its target of a climate-neutral Europe by 2050. The twin transition – the green and digital transition – should ideally reinforce each other. These transitions reinforce labour markets call for highly qualified and skilled workers. Reskilling, upskilling, and reintegration into labour markets are thus key to ensure that the green and digital transitions are socially fair and just.
  • They are looking for good projects that promote innovative and smart economic transformation in line with the goals of the twin transition. This includes projects that enhance digitalisation processes, skills and show innovative approaches to implementing Research and Innovation Strategies involving stakeholders, or fostering the smart cities and villages agendas. Projects that prepare European SMEs for competing in a globalised economy are welcome and may involve, for example, activities that develop new technology and products, improve innovation systems, build competitiveness through design and creative industries, foster social entrepreneurialism, enhance social and service innovation, support new business models and practice-based innovations. Contributing to sustainable regional innovation systems, support Europe’s industrial autonomy or further the job market in the digital industries could be features of such projects.
• Category 2 – A Green Europe The green transition as the enabler of regional development
  • Category 2 focusses on projects in support of Policy Objective 2, to achieve a green and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility.
  • The European Union strives to be the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. With the ambitious European Green Deal the European Union aims to improve the well-being and health of citizens and future generations by providing (1) fresh air, clean water, healthy soil and biodiversity, (2) renovated, energy efficient buildings, (3) healthy and affordable food, (4) more public transport, (5) cleaner energy and cutting-edge clean technological innovation, (6) longer lasting products that can be repaired, recycled and re-used, (7) future-proof jobs and skills training for the transition as well as a (8) globally competitive and resilient industry.
  • The Green Deal provides an important framework for a variety of initiatives. With the REPowerEU Plan the EU aims to support the saving of energy, producing clean energy and diversifying the energy supplies. To achieve climate neutrality the Commission proposed the European Climate Law, which also sets a new, more ambitious net greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of at least -55% by 2030, compared to the level of 1990. The Regulation on land, land use change and forestry (LULUCF, revised in 2023) sets out how the land use sector contributes to the EU’s climate goals with a separate land-based net carbon removals target of 310 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030.
  • They are looking for good projects that promote a greener and more resilient Europe and help achieve the European Union’s Green Deal goals of climate neutrality and improve the environmental conditions. Amongst others, projects can include investments in green initiatives that improve air and water quality, promote sustainable agriculture, preserve environmental systems. Creating an effective circular economy, transforming towards a resource- efficient economy or transitioning to renewables can also be features of such projects.
• Category 3 – A Connected Europe Enhancing mobility and connectivity between regions
  • Category 3 focusses on projects in support of Policy Objective 3, to enhance mobility and connectivity.
  • A connected, modern, secure and smart infrastructure will be key to achieving cohesion and to delivering the European Green Deal. As such the European Union is committed to support the development of high performing, sustainable and efficiently interconnected trans-European networks in the fields of transport, energy and digital services. Transport policy at the European level aims to ensure the smooth, efficient, safe and free movement of people and goods throughout the EU by means of integrated networks using all modes of transport (road, rail, water and air).
  • They are looking for good projects that promote the delivery of a more connected Europe. This includes projects that support efficient, safe and environmentally friendly mobility solutions within the EU and create the conditions for a competitive industry generating growth and jobs. These can also include wide-ranging issues such as passenger rights or clean fuels. Projects can also help achieve goals of the Trans-European Networks in the field of energy, transport or digital connectivity. Explicitly, projects can showcase the development of new energy or transport infrastructure, or the rehabilitation or upgrading of existing one. They can also showcase the development of safe, secure and sustainable high-performance infrastructure including Gigabit and 5G networks; increased capacity and resilience of digital backbone infrastructures; or the digitalisation of transport and energy networks.
• Category 4 – A Social and Inclusive Europe Achieving a more inclusive Europe by harnessing regional talents
  • Category 4 focusses on projects in support of Policy Objective 4, to achieve a more social and inclusive Europe by implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights.
  • The European Union is based on the values of human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. In line with that, the EU is taking huge efforts in combating discrimination of any kind and enhancing the equality of treatment of all Europeans, including gender equality, integration of migrants, and the accessibility for disabled persons. Article 21 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights clarifies that any discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation is against the values of a European Model of Society and shall be prohibited in the EU.
  • They are looking for good projects that contribute to a more inclusive society at large, non-discrimination of any person, and gender equality within and beyond the EU. In particular, projects shall be supportive of the 20 principles as well as of the three targets of the Action Plan of the European Pillar of Social Rights. This may, for example, involve activities on the labour market, in the education sector, in local communities and international networks. Explicitly, projects shall demonstrate innovation in terms of fostering active inclusion of discriminated persons or persons at the risk of discrimination, easing the reintegration of disadvantaged persons into the labour market, contributing to gender equality and diversity through management strategies, or creating jobs in course of integration work and anti-discrimination efforts. As well, projects are welcome that engage with care of children, the elderly, or health more generally and contribute to a good work-life balance.
• Category 5 – A Europe Closer to the Citizens Fostering the sustainable development of all types of territories
  • Category 5 focusses on projects in support of Policy Objective 5, to foster the sustainable and integrated development of all types of territories and local initiatives.
  • The European Union is committed to the sustainable and integrated development of urban, rural and coastal areas through local initiatives. Key to achieving European cohesion is to overcome multi-thematic challenges for an integrated regional development across sectors. With the introduction of this cross-cutting Policy Objective, the EU aims to recognise the importance of integrated investment strategies targeting different territorial scales – for example cities, rural areas, metropolitan areas and functional regions) where people work, live and commute daily.
  • They are looking for good projects that support the implementation of local and regional strategies, such as, for example, Sustainable Urban Development (SUD) strategies or territorial and local development strategies. Projects can also showcase specific areas of improvement for citizens daily life and support capacity building. Projects aim to help the region encounter specific development challenges in a functional urban area or territory and develop specific place-based solutions for the citizens.

Eligibility Criteria

• All applications for the REGIOSTARS Awards shall meet the following eligibility criteria:
  • The application shall be submitted via the REGIOSTARS online platform no later than 31 May 2024.
  • Applications must be in one of the official EU languages.
  • The application shall include an endorsement letter of the relevant Managing Authority. The endorsement letter – a filled endorsement form signed by the head of the Managing Authority or an email with the equivalent information from the Head of the Managing Authority confirming endorsement – should be uploaded as a PDF together with the application. (Please note that it is possible to submit up to five projects per programme. The Managing Authority is responsible for respecting the limit.)
  • The application shall refer to a project that has received EU co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Social Fund, Just Transition Fund or a project which has received EU funding under any strand of Interreg programmes, starting earliest on 1 January 2014.
  • Only completed projects are considered. A completed project is a project which has carried out all the planned activities, has received its final financial contribution and has been declared closed by the project beneficiary and/or the Managing Authority.
  • The project must clearly refer to one of the 5 award categories. The same project cannot be submitted for several categories.

For more information, visit European Commission.