POR ERDF 2014-2020 was approved by the Commission with Implementing Decision C(2015) 929 on 2/12/2015, with a total budget of €356,293,204.00.

The measure 5 of the POR (specific objective 5.1) aims at improving the system of services and accessibility of natural areas through the enhancement and valorisation of landscape elements and biodiversity conservation.

The POR finances actions for restoration, recovery, strengthening and adjustment of the physical and functional characteristics of the areas of natural value. The objective also finances development projects within areas of natural beauty, urban green areas and degraded peri-urban areas as well as green infrastructure to reduce the ecological fragmentation.

Meanwhile Umbria Region has indentified that the support and improvement of this policy instrument, the achievement of its objectives and the implementation of successful actions should benefit from UL2L by:

- A enhanced integration of design, environmental, cultural, socia and economic qualities and their transfer into development activities;

- Combining the aspects of the protection with those of the enhancement and development in order to allow a sustainable use and in particular a use of such areas for the psychophysical wellbeing of the community;

- Supporting, with specific guidelines and best practices examples, the beneficiaries in integrating and designing new functions for disused green areas within urban and peri-urban landscapes.

The Surrey Rural Statement provides a series of policy visions to ensure that rural Surrey has a dynamic economy, vibrant communities and a healthy natural environment. The Statement outlines challenges and opportunities, and provides a framework for stakeholders to collaborate on actions to deliver future improvements. A key theme throughout the statement is the creation of jobs and economic growth.

The landscape and habitats of Surrey provide critical benefits and ‘ecosystem services’ which underpin the economic success of Surrey and the wellbeing of its residents. There is currently a lack of understanding, appreciation and quantification of these ‘natural capital’ assets and this should be improved and more fully integrated into the Rural Statement to ensure that Surrey achieves the smart economic growth that provides a sustainable future.

The Rural Statement will need to be agile enough to take account of rapidly evolving areas such as natural capital. Policy Instruments of this nature are, by definition, evolutionary. They will need to be capable of adapting to change both positive and negative. Building in increased robustness, whilst at the same time retaining flexibility, will both be necessary if maximum value and benefit is to be gained.

All municipalities in Sweden are obliged to have an updated Comprehensive Plan to present the current and future land use and water use within a legal framework set up and supervised by national government (the Planning and Building Act, PBL). The Comprehensive Plan is not legally binding, but gives the intention for changes in land- and water use and how to handle national interests. The more detailed legal planning instrument is the Detailed Plan. The comprehensive objectives of physical planning are stated in the PBL, e.g. societal progress towards equal and good living conditions and a good sustainable environment.

The topics of UL2L are of increasing relevance for Swedish municipalities too and require adjustments in the planning system. Improvements are needed as the Comprehensive Plan in municipalities in Sweden so far has mostly been focused on new housing and less on sustainable development. The Detailed plan is too limited in space and do not take in account the influence on ecosystem services in the surroundings.

As the ecosystem services and urban farming are rather large scale, Kristianstad will start with considerations about an improved Comprehensive Plan. Even more as lessons learnt here will be of major relevance for other Swedish communities. Working on the Comprehensive Plan within UL2L will also generate ideas or recommendations for improvements of the Detailed Plan and the PBL.

The objective of the multi-fund ERDF/ESF Regional Operational Programme of Slaskie Voivodeship (OP) is to increase the competitiveness of the region, ensuring in parallel the improvement of the living conditions of its inhabitants. One of thematic priorities is TO6 “Environment and resource efficiency”, which correspond with Priority axis 4 (mainly 4.1) of Interreg Europe.

There is a main priority for balanced interventions to reduce the pressure on the natural environment by increasing the size of protected areas, by sustainable use of the natural values, by enhancing access to and use of underused areas and by reducing the pressure of tourism on the environment. The beneficiary categories include institutions controlled (owned) by the regional and/or local authorities, public shareholdings (i.e. Silesia Park), associations and NGOs.

However, many measures proposed so far follow a local rather than regional approach and are competitive rather than perfecting each other. There is a need to strengthen the capacities of institutions and stakeholders, e.g. with specific guidelines and working groups of stakeholders, to jointly develop projects with a regional approach that serve the objectives of the ROP, integrate new functionalities (as addressed by UL2L) and will ensure greatest regional benefits of the funding that the ROP can provide.

The Latvian multi-fund Operational Programme ''Growth and Employment 2014-2020'' (OP) aims at achieving national development priorities along with the "Europe 2020" objectives. By combining support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund (CF), the European Social Fund (ESF) and the specific allocation for the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), the OP provides significant support to the economic growth and employment, with a focus on the competitiveness of Latvia's economy.

14.1% of the OP allocation will be spent on the measures dedicated to environment, sustainable use of natural resources and adaptation to climate change (priority axis 5). Investment priorities include protection and restoration of biodiversity and promotion of ecosystem services, also by using „Natura 2000” network and green infrastructure (5.4), protection and development of natural and culture heritage (5.5) and actions to improve the urban environment, to revitalise cities, to regenerate brownfield sites and conversion areas (5.6).

Measures to be implemented in this context are often very complex and new for the final beneficiaries. To overcome uncertainties and reluctances and to foster joint project development, it will be necessary to deliver an enhanced support, very much based on best practice examples, knowledge transfer, specific guidelines and opportunities for local and regional cooperation (e.g in stakeholder groups that include the managing authorities).