At least one call for proposal will be launched each year until 2006. In order to prepare a successful project proposal, it is important that it does meet the following criteria which are obligatorily considered during project selection:

	provide a transnational project partnership;
	projects must have a transnational character (this excludes projects wich are eligible under INTERREG III A (cross-border co-operation projects), that is at least two co-operating partners from different states participating in a project and securing national co-financing;
	each EU-partner has to contribute financially to the project. The contribution of Non-Member States can be either in money or in kind;
	have a Lead Partner who safeguards a reliable project organisation and a competent project management. The form of co-operation, the content of the project and the distribution of work must be the subject of a written agreement between the partners. If the Lead Partner is from Switzerland or Liechtenstein the project must have an ERDF-Lead Partner for dealing with ERDF-funds;
	respect relevant national and EU policies regarding structural funds policies, environmental legislation etc.;
	be in accordance with European and national spatial development policy issues -spatial development aims and issues of the ESDP and national spatial development strategies. Projects must therefore demonstrate a positive impact towards a balanced and harmonious development of the territory;
	concentrate on transnational problems calling for transnational solutions;
	include a description of quantified outputs and/or clear attainable targets to allow for appraisal and ex-post evaluation;
	be completed within the programme period (before September 2008);
	not be funded by other EU programmes (except PHARE, ISPA, and SAPARD funds for Non-Member States) but synergies with other EU programmes are welcome; the (Lead) partners must confirm that the project is not funded by other EU programmes;
	do not duplicate existing work;
	be consistent with the programme. The objectives and methodologies of the projects must fall within the strategy, priority and measures defined in the programme;
	provide equal opportunities for men and women;
	demonstrate their environmental sustainability;
	financial correctness.

Some of the obligatory project selection criteria are also used for the assessment of the quality of the projects if the application fulfils the criteria better than the minimum level is demanding.