Smart Cities aimed to create an innovation network between governments and academia in six countries to promote excellence in the domain of e-services (development and take-up) in order to set a new standard for e-service delivery in the whole North Sea Region. The transnational working method (pooling expertise and joint model development) was proposed to equip decision-makers to achieve further innovation in the delivery of e-enabled public services.

Smart Cities was also represented in the DANS cluster.

The project aimed at promoting and facilitating the shift of cargo from road to sea based inter-modal transport. StratMos strived to improve accessibility within the North Sea Region by supporting the implementation of the Motorways of the Sea concept and related transport networks in integrated logistical chains.

On the strategic level, the project intended to provide input for the Master Plan to be developed by the North Sea MoS Task Force as well as to EU entities. On the implementation level practical demonstration projects were carried out in order to demonstrate actions to be taken by public and private actors to improve the effectiveness of inter-modal transport, in particular related to hubs and hinterland connections.

StratMos was also represented in the MTC Cluster.

SAWA strived to strengthen the member states for their current implementation of the EU Flood Directive by developing a transnational implementation strategy. The aim was to adapt existing water management systems to the effects of extreme flood events due to climate change, focusing on sustainable development of society and regional economies.

Based on case studies and pilot implementations, SAWA tested the new and innovative strategies in Flood Risk Management around the North Sea. The project integrated local, regional and national stakeholders, university and vocational training students.

The project focused on the integration and creation of knowledge through various methods for empowering water in interdisciplinary urban development and planning processes. The project had significant relevance for national and EU policy evaluation and it supported the implementation of the Floods Directive and the Waterframework Directive.

The project developed a SKINT Water portal, which provided end-users from the national and regional level with an active source of information for online training courses, including an effective web-communication tool.

SURF focused on the urban fringe (social /economic/environmental) and developing instruments in which to manage a sustainable urban frindge. In addition, the project aimed to put the Urban Fringes higher on the political agenda within the partner regions, at national and regional governments and at EU level.

In most cases the Urban Fringes act as the hinterland of the urban centres, are of complex shape with a scattered landscape, are administratively fragmented and do not have a distinct identity. Overall, Urban Fringes are the areas under pressure facing unsustainable growth and expansion.

The cities and urban fringes cannot be considered in isolation, and therefore there is a need of greater integration between various policies and programmes at local, regional and national level to make the urban fringes challenging and more attractive. The partnership brought together various partners across the North Sea Region and city region, which would not have been possible without the support from the programme.

SUSCOD aimed to make a step change in the application of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM). Seven partners from five countries developed an innovative Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IZCM) ‘assistant'.

The ICZM approach has been explored in several parts of the North Sea Region and often the focus of these interventions has been public safety. Although these interventions have offered opportunities to realise the full development potential of the areas concerned, in practice a fully integrated, holistic approach has rarely been taken and this is regrettable, because coastal potentials are not fully utilised.

SUSCOD brought together partners that wanted to change this through a well coordinated transnational team approach. The practical web-based tool allowed coastal development practitioners to fully realise coastal potentials, economical as well as social and environmental.

Alternative propulsion systems for (freight) sailing, defined as “hybrid sailing concepts”, have high potentials, due to rising oil prices and environmental aspects. Hybrid sailing concepts can lead to new business opportunities, job creation, more attractive regions and a more sustainable future.

S@IL built capacity, developed, improved and tested concepts, developed business cases, built alliances and embedded hybrid sailing in policy and society. A Strategic Sustainable Sea Transport Plan and a Communication Plan guaranteed project follow-up and implementation.

Derelict buildings and empty spaces threaten economic competitiveness, territorial cohesion and performance. SEEDS addressed the urgent need for revised policies and robust EU steer by promoting innovative land-use strategies and modern governance.

The project developed skills and opportunities for those furthest from labour markets, transforming growth prospects. It tackled changing land-use patterns demanded by recent economic challenges and delivered evidence-based spatial planning tools and instruments.