On November 4 and 5, 2026, project partners from across Central Europe gathered in Vienna for the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE program conference. Under the motto “Better Together: Teaming up for future impact,” the focus was on two questions: How can the results of ongoing projects be better linked? And what should the program look like for the 2028–2034 funding period? The Mobility & Logistics Cluster was represented at the event by the Interreg projects CROSS-IN and Drive2Transform.
Kickoff with a Pub Quiz
On Wednesday evening, a pub quiz at Charlie P’s Pub served as a pre-event networking opportunity. Participants were tested on their knowledge of Interreg, the CENTRAL EUROPE program, and the partner countries. During the music round, the challenge was to identify which partner country a song or artist came from. The atmosphere was relaxed, the quiz was a lot of fun, and it provided the perfect setting for everyone to get to know one another.
Synergy Workshop in the Hall of Mirrors
The conference day began at 9 a.m. with a plenary session in the conference hall of the Europahaus Wien. Following a welcome address by the managing authority and a discussion with project participants on synergies, the workshop sessions began. CROSS-IN and Drive2Transform were assigned to the “Strengthening Innovation Capacities” session, which took place in the Hall of Mirrors at Miller-Aichholz Castle, part of the Europahaus complex. There, the projects exchanged information about their results and potential areas of collaboration. This led to new contacts and concrete approaches for future cooperation. Lunch in the Orangery of the Europahaus provided an equally special setting for further discussions.
From Territorial Needs to the New Program
In the afternoon, interim results of the territorial analysis and initial ideas from the program secretariat regarding future program and project implementation were presented in the plenary session. In the subsequent consultation workshops on program design, participants shared their practical project experience, offering many concrete suggestions and feedback. To conclude, the leadership of the Program Secretariat presented the roadmap for Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE 2028–2034, before the day wrapped up with informal networking.
For the Mobility & Logistics Cluster, participation was well worth it: new contacts, inspiration for ongoing project work, and an early glimpse into the direction of the future program.
NOTE
The event was part of the EU project CROSS-IN – CROSS-border INnovation for Smart Automation in Automotive Production & Mobility. The project is co-financed by the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE program with support from the European Regional Development Fund (EFRE).