OPE Cantabria (European Projects Office – Government of Cantabria)
OPE Cantabria is a publicly owned company fully owned by the Regional Government of Cantabria, dedicated to guiding, advising and supporting regional public bodies in strengthening their capacities and accessing EU funding programmes.
Since 2017, it has played a key role in European collaboration, actively participating throughout the whole process of securing EU competitive funding and contracts.
What do we do?
Detecting areas of opportunity and international good practices in strategic sectors.
Increasing the participation of regional puplic entitles in networks links.
Generating synergies between regional puplic entities with European and international actors.
Attracting funding through the participation of regional puplic entities in European projects.
Our main lines of work:
- Education and Youth.
- Citizen Participation and Inclusion.
- Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
- Culture and Heritage.
We are focused on the main European social challenges related to the following areas:
- Health and well-being, demographic change.
- Food security and sustainable agriculture.
- Bio-based economy.
- Safe, clean and efficient energy.
- Intelligent, sustainable and integrated transport.
- Climate action, efficiency of resources and raw materials.
- Inclusive societies and social innovation.
- Protection and conservation of heritage and culture.
And also in the ecosystems of the RIS3 (Research and Innovation Strategies):
- Industry 4. 0.
- Blue Economy and offshore industry.
- Health and well-being.
- Cultural industry and sustainable tourism.
- Bioeconomy and agri-food sector
Why Cantabria?
CANTABRIA
Cantabria is a small región in northern Spain with an área of 5.326 km². 582.796 hab (110/km2). – GDP per capita (PPS % ratio EU avg): 79% . Mountainous region with good connectivity (e.g. international airport and bay).
Heterogeneous economy with a mix of rural (agri-food), industrial (automotive, metallurgy, chemical) and services, with a prominent touristic sector that capitalizes the natural, historical, cultural and ethnographic assets of the region. Moderate innovator with a consolidated research and innovation ecosystem, emerging sectors (marine, ICT, CNIC, biotechnology) and opportunities (Regional Innovation Index 9.5% performance increased over 2014-2020) with relative strengths in the national and international level (e.g. strong tertiary education).
With a diverse geography and a stunning orography, has an unparalleled rich natural heritage formed by wild mountain reliefs, vast forests, abrupt coasts, diverse ecosystems, natural parks, caves and prehistoric rock art, villages with a unique charm, a rich cultural heritage (material and immaterial) and a varied and quality gastronomy.