European Territorial Cooperation and Ethnicity: Interreg Projects as Instruments of Minority Integration

The aim of this article is to analyze the ways in which issues related to ethnicity and ethnic minorities are addressed in projects implemented under the European Union’s cross-border cooperation instrument (Interreg). The main research question is: How do Interreg projects engage with the topics of ethnicity and minority integration? Three hypotheses are proposed: (1) ethnicity is primarily treated as a cultural resource; (2) the type of program influences the framing of ethnic issues; (3) post-conflict programs are more likely to include components of civic education and dialogue. The study is based on a qualitative and quantitative analysis of 211 projects referencing ethnicity, identified in the KEEP.eu database. Projects were classified by program type (including IPA CBC, PEACE, ENI CBC, Interreg CBC) and thematically coded. The findings confirm the dominance of a cultural narrative: ethnicity is viewed as an element of heritage and identity. The approach varies depending on the nature of the program and the geographical context – more political in post-conflict regions, more symbolic within the European Union (EU). EU values (equality, integration, minority rights) are present, though most often in a declarative form. The article concludes with recommendations aimed at strengthening Interreg’s potential as an instrument of social cohesion and equality.