What does it take for a tiny mountain plant to tell a European success story?
Discover it in an illustrated booklet, The Little Plant That Refused to Disappear – The story of Centaurea grbavacensis, which shows how the Conse-pp project turned biodiversity conservation into a lasting legacy of cross-border cooperation.
The CONSE-pp (Improving the Conservation of Priority Plants in the Cross-Border Area) project, implemented under the Interreg IPA CBC Programme Greece – Republic of North Macedonia 2014–2020, has officially submitted its application for the REGIOSTARS Awards 2026 in Category 2: “A Green Europe”.
The REGIOSTARS Awards, organised annually by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO), recognise outstanding EU-funded projects that demonstrate excellence, innovation and impact in regional development.
With a total budget of €1,189,618.29, Conse-pp brought together five partners from Greece and North Macedonia:
- Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organization – ELGO-DIMITRA (Lead Partner)
- Municipality of Thermi
- Municipality of Debrca
- Public Enterprise for Managing and Protection of the Multipurpose Area JASEN
- Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje – Faculty of Forestry
The project focused on improving the conservation status of priority and endangered plant species in the cross-border region through scientific research, biodiversity documentation, conservation infrastructures, propagation protocols, environmental awareness activities and innovative digital tools. By combining in situ and ex situ conservation measures with education and public engagement, CONSE-pp has contributed to safeguarding the unique biodiversity of the Programme area.
We are pleased to announce that the project has successfully passed the eligibility screening and is currently undergoing the Initial Assessment phase of the REGIOSTARS evaluation process.
The next milestones of the competition are:
- 14 July 2026: Announcement of the finalists following the eligibility screening and initial assessment.
- Mid-September 2026: Online training for finalists on presenting and pitching their projects.
- Mid-October 2026: Finalists will present their projects before an independent jury during the European Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels, where the winners of each category will be selected.
In parallel, the public will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite project through the Public Choice Award.
The submission of CONSE-pp to the REGIOSTARS Awards 2026 represents an important opportunity to showcase the project’s achievements and its contribution to biodiversity conservation and cross-border cooperation at the European level.
We look forward to the announcement of the finalists and wish the project every success in the next stages of the competition.