What Central Baltic Programme does

The Central Baltic Programme is an EU Interreg cross-border cooperation programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), operational since 2007 and administered under the legal name "Central Baltic Programme 2021-2027." The programme's core function is to allocate ERDF grant capital to cross-border cooperation projects across Estonia, Finland (including Åland), Latvia, and Sweden, spanning 29 regions. For the 2021-2027 period, the programme manages a €152 million ERDF envelope across seven programme objectives covering SME exports, growth company scaling, circular economy, coastal and marine environment, CO2 emissions reduction, employment, and public services. Funding is disbursed through structured calls for proposals with multi-step approval for Regular Projects and single-step applications for Small Projects.

The programme operates through a core technology platform, Jems (Joint Electronic Monitoring System), used for application submission, management, and project lifecycle tracking. Supporting services include a Partner Search Tool, Project Idea Consultations with Joint Secretariat Project Managers, Applicant Support Events and Webinars, and a published Programme Manual (current version 6.1). Distribution is geographically anchored: the Managing Authority and Joint Secretariat sit with the Regional Council of Southwest Finland in Turku, supplemented by National Contact Points in Estonia, Finland, Åland, Latvia, and Sweden. The programme's go-to-market is event-driven, with structured calls, applicant webinars, Lead Partner Seminars, and multilingual communications in English, Finnish, Swedish, Estonian, and Latvian.

As a non-revenue-generating public entity, the programme does not sell products or services; it receives EU funding and deploys it to approved project beneficiaries. Governance rests with a Monitoring Committee comprising national, regional, local, and social representatives from the four participating countries. The organisation operates with approximately 18 employees, has funded 122 projects (2007-2013), 137 projects (2014-2020), and continues to scale approvals in the current period, with 60 new projects approved in the Fifth Call and 43 in the Fourth Round. Recognised externally as a RegioStars 2024 and 2025 finalist by the European Commission, the programme represents a permanent institutional fixture in EU regional policy.

Name

Central Baltic Programme

Legal name

Central Baltic Programme 2021-2027

Website

https://centralbaltic.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Central Baltic Programme is an EU Interreg cross-border cooperation programme that allocates €152 million in ERDF grants to projects across Estonia, Finland (including Åland), Latvia, and Sweden. It serves public authorities, SMEs, environmental organisations, and public service bodies through structured calls and the Jems portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cross-Border Cooperation Grants

NAICS

International Affairs (928120), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Program & Project Implementation (TA Delivery) (BPADAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO), Donor Coordination, Monitoring & Evaluation (MEL) Programs (BPADABAN)

Keywords

• Cross-border cooperation funding
• EU Interreg grants
• Regional development programmes
• SME internationalization grants
• ERDF project funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Turku

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) grants: The programme provides grant financing to approved cross-border cooperation projects. Funding comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The programme acts as a funding body, not a revenue-generating entity.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Central Baltic Programme is an EU Interreg cross-border cooperation funding programme that allocates €152 million ERDF for the 2021-2027 period to projects across Estonia, Finland (including Åland), Latvia, and Sweden. It provides two grant mechanisms — Regular Projects (multi-step, larger-scale) and Small Projects (single-step, simpler) — covering seven programme objectives in business development, environment, employment, and public services. The programme operates the Jems web portal for application management, a Partner Search Tool to match cross-border collaborators, and dedicated Joint Secretariat consultations to support applicants.

Product overview

The Central Baltic Programme is an EU Interreg cross-border cooperation funding programme that provides grants for projects in Estonia, Finland (including Åland), Latvia, and Sweden. The programme operates through its core Jems web portal for project application management, offering two funding mechanisms: Regular Projects (larger-scale with multi-step applications) and Small Projects (simpler single-step process). The programme supports seven objectives: More exports by SMEs, More new scaled-up growth companies, Joint circular economy solutions, Improved coastal and marine environment, Decreased CO2 emissions, Improved employment opportunities, and Improved public services. Supporting services include a Partner Search Tool for finding collaborators, Project Idea Consultations with Joint Secretariat staff, Applicant Support Events and Webinars, and a Programme Manual. The current Fifth Call (2025) reserves approximately €30 million ERDF for funding approved projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regular Projects Funding Larger-scale cross-border cooperation projects funded with multi-step application process, addressing the programme's seven objectives in business development, environment, employment, and public services. Targeted at regional and national authorities, SMEs, research institutions, and NGOs in Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Sweden.
• Small Projects Funding Smaller-scale projects with a single-step application process, designed for simpler cross-border cooperation initiatives in the Central Baltic region. Targeted at organisations seeking lower-friction access to ERDF co-financing.
• Jems (Joint Electronic Monitoring System) Web-based electronic monitoring system for submitting, managing, and tracking project applications and funded projects throughout the programme lifecycle. Used by all applicants and project partners in the Central Baltic Programme.
• Partner Search Tool Online tool for finding cross-border project partners across Estonia, Finland (including Åland), Latvia, and Sweden. Targeted at prospective applicants seeking collaboration partners before submitting an application.
• Project Idea Consultations Advisory consultations with Joint Secretariat Project Managers to help applicants determine project fit and provide feedback on project ideas before submission. Targeted at prospective applicants considering a Central Baltic Programme funding application.

Quantifiable outcome

• 152 million euros ERDF available for 2021-2027
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Anne Jylhä (National Contact Point for Finland)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 14 April 2025National Contact Point for Finland based in Helsinki, collaborating with local partners to raise awareness about the programme and funding opportunities.
• Regional Council of Southwest FinlandcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHost organization for the Managing Authority and Joint Secretariat of the Central Baltic Programme. Provides administrative infrastructure and staff for programme implementation.
• EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Central Baltic Programme aligns with and contributes to the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Programme staff participate in EUSBSR forums and events.
• Interreg Baltic Sea Region ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Interreg Baltic Sea Region on stakeholder consultations for post-2027 programming and joint workshop on future Interreg funding.
• Other Interreg ProgrammesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipation in Interreg Cooperation Day events alongside multiple Interreg programmes, including South Baltic, Baltic Sea Region, and others.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Interreg North Sea Programme: The Interreg North Sea Programme is a larger-scale EU Interreg programme covering North Sea region countries with broader geographic scope and larger ERDF allocation, but operating with similar cross-border cooperation and ERDF funding mechanisms as Central Baltic Programme.
• Interreg Central Europe Programme: The Interreg Central Europe Programme is a larger-scale EU Interreg transnational cooperation programme with substantially larger ERDF allocation but similar programme structure, multi-country governance, and project-based funding approach for cross-border cooperation.
• Interreg Danube Region Programme: The Interreg Danube Region Programme is a major EU Interreg transnational cooperation programme with substantially larger scale and ERDF allocation, but operating with similar ERDF-funded cross-border cooperation model targeting economic, environmental, and social objectives across participating countries.

Others

• European Commission DG REGIO: The European Commission's DG REGIO manages the overall EU cohesion policy framework and ERDF funding that Central Baltic Programme operates under. Represents the regulatory and funding authority that Central Baltic reports to and depends upon for programme continuation.
• EUSBSR (EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region): The EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region is a macro-regional strategy that Central Baltic Programme actively contributes to and aligns with. While not a direct funding programme, it represents the broader strategic framework within which Central Baltic operates and partners.

Direct peers

• Interreg Aurora Programme: Interreg Aurora is an EU Interreg cross-border cooperation programme covering northern Sweden, Finland, and Norway with similar ERDF funding model and programme objectives. Directly comparable in structure, funding mechanism, and Northern European geographic focus.
• Interreg Finland-Estonia Programme: Historical predecessor programme to Central Baltic, the Interreg Finland-Estonia programme operated as a bilateral cross-border cooperation programme with similar ERDF funding structure. Represents a comparable programme model in the same broader Baltic region.
• Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme: The Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme is the most directly comparable peer - another EU Interreg cross-border cooperation programme funded by ERDF that operates in overlapping geography (Baltic Sea region) with similar programme structure, governance model, and ERDF funding mechanisms. Central Baltic actually collaborates with this programme on post-2027 planning.
• Estonia-Latvia Interreg Programme: The Estonia-Latvia Interreg Programme is a bilateral cross-border cooperation programme with the same ERDF funding structure and project-based model. Overlaps geographically with Central Baltic Programme's territory and shares similar SME and regional development objectives.
• South Baltic Programme: The South Baltic Programme is another EU Interreg cross-border cooperation programme operating in adjacent Baltic Sea geography with similar ERDF funding structure, multi-country governance, and project-based funding model. Both programmes participate in joint Interreg Cooperation Day events.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CentralBaltic
• Facebookfacebook.com/centralbaltic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/central-baltic-programme
• Instagraminstagram.com/centralbalticprogramme

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Central Baltic Programme