Problems addressed• The requirement to improve the flow of experience of current Interreg projects, focussing on the North Sea area, and to encourage wider participation in Interreg of other maritime areas of Europe on maritime cross border issues. • The requirement of an enhanced exchange of knowledge, best practices and benchmarking together with a better understanding of the relevance of maritime cross border co-operation. • The requirement of a more consistent, better governance and co-operational structures in maritime projects. Objectives• Define the extent to which the results concerning maritime issues fed from Interreg IIC into Interreg III, how they contributed to the programme itself and how they could contribute to an Interreg IV programme in terms of project types.• To determine how the three strands (A, B & C) of Interreg III are interacting and/or overlapping in geographical areas whilst focussing on the southern North Sea as an example.• Create synergies and a maximum transfer of best practices and know-how on maritime projects between the whole Interreg III programme and to improve the implementation of approved Interreg maritime projects through better governance.Approach and methodology• To conduct a full analysis (SWOT like analysis – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and trends) of all maritime projects approved thus far by the Interreg III North, South, West and East Programmes.• To set up an eCentre of Expertise, made up of partner representatives, to assist in increasing public organisational and political awareness.• To work closely with (a) regional authorities which link directly to both national authorities, which develop policy, and local authorities which implement this policy, and (b) the relevant Interact Contact Points and make all the findings available to the Interact secretariat and Contact Points. Expected Results: • A small scale Maritime Cross Border Co-operation eCentre of Expertise to assist awareness raising activities and the formulation of future projects.• A multi-lingual (English, French and Dutch) web-site on Maritime Cross Border Co-operation including a Maritime Cross Border Cooperation Guide of Practice for use in all European regions. Newsletters, leaflets, brochures and press articles.• A European Maritime Cross Border Cooperation seminar and high level master classes for representatives of the Executive Body of the regional authorities, including a full publicity campaign .