The year 2025 marked a period of significant progress for the FutureECOS project, an Interreg Europe initiative dedicated to “future-proofing” living spaces within growth corridor regions. The project has spent the year fostering interregional learning and refining regional policy through three core pillars: Smart Living, Sustainable Living, and Inclusive Living.
Key Milestones and Events from the Southern Region
- Exploring Economic Corridors (Wexford, March 2025): The second Regional Stakeholder Group meeting focused on the strategic extension of the Eastern Economic Corridor. Stakeholders examined the success of the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor (DBEC) as a model for enhancing connectivity and economic resilience along the south-eastern seaboard.
- Interregional Learning in Cork (May 2025): The Southern Regional Assembly hosted a major interregional event in Cork where good practices from our Region were presented to our European partners. These included the Cork Smart Gateway, the docklands regeneration, and the New European Bauhaus initiative in Cobh.
- Stakeholder Engagement (Waterford, September 2025): The third stakeholder meeting in Waterford provided a forum for a workshop where attendees used a “three window cartoon” storyboarding technique to tackle regional issues. Dividing into groups representing rural, town, and city perspectives, participants sketched out “problem, solution, and future” scenarios for essential services, public transport, and housing.
- International Learning in Romania (October 2025): Partners travelled to Timișoara and Reșița, Romania, to study industrial heritage regeneration. The visit highlighted how sustainable mobility and cultural innovation can revitalize industrial areas.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The project’s focus will remain on translating these “future-proof” concepts into actionable regional policy to ensure a balanced, green, and liveable future for all citizens.
