• BIG general objective is to improve governance, management and sustainable valorization of coastal and rural protected areas and contributing to the implementation of the Natura 2000 provisions in Greece and Italy. The sub-objectives are:• Strengthening and improving cooperation among regional administrations to further monitor Natura 2000 species and habitats and to set environmental measures for the next programming period (networking, setting common standards, creating databases and setting measures based on the updated biodiversity status).• Setting cross-border strategies and supporting decision-makers for management and valorization of protected areas and Natura 2000 sites.• Developing actions for the management and valorization of pilot rural and coastal ecosystems that consists of on-the-ground interventions in the parks of both countries and/or Natura 2000 sites.• Promoting sustainable tourism in protected areas via networking, implementation of concrete actions and transfer of best practices.