photo of a group of 11 people, with Fight4CE logo in the background

Fight4CE

Project overview

Fighting Energy Poverty in Central Europe

Many people in central Europe struggle to keep their homes warm or afford essential energy, especially in rural and border regions with older buildings and heating systems. Yet authorities often measure the problem differently, making it hard to compare needs or transfer successful support across borders. Fight4CE adapts results from earlier Interreg projects into a shared toolkit that helps local authorities identify vulnerable households, choose suitable measures and involve residents. Five territories will test the approach, while a permanent task force and joint strategy will support wider policy uptake.

1,11m €

Project Budget

80%

of the Budget is funded by ERDF

Layer 1

5

Countries

6

Regions

6

Partners

1

Pilots

Duration

Start date

End date

Project progress

5%

Project partnership

Project partners

Slovenija (SI)

Lead partner

Local energy agency Spodnje Podravje

Address
Presernova ulica 18
2250 Ptuj
Country
Slovenia (SI)
Web
https://www.lea-ptuj.si/

Project partner

Address
Városház tér 1
3525 Miskolc
Country
Hungary (HU)
Web
www.bora94.hu
Total partner budget
147,000 €
Address
Rudarska 1
52220 Labin
Country
Croatia (HR)
Web
www.irena-istra.hr
Total partner budget
181,440 €
Faculty of Social Science / Wydział Nauk Społecznych
Address
ul. Bażyńskiego 4
80-309 Gdańsk
Country
Poland (PL)
Web
https://ug.edu.pl/
Total partner budget
198,600 €
Address
Andrije Žaje 10
10000 Zagreb
Country
Croatia (HR)
Web
regea.org
Total partner budget
189,000 €
Project Management Office
Address
via Genova 9
34121 Trieste
Country
Italy (IT)
Web
www.cei.int
Total partner budget
163,800 €

Roadmap

1

Context

Europe is switching to cleaner energy, but not everyone can keep up. Old buildings, outdated heating and rising bills mean many households are being left behind. In 2024, 9.2% of Europeans could not keep their homes adequately warm.
2

Specific problem

Every country measures energy poverty differently. Hungary counts households spending over 25% of their income on energy, Italy uses 10%. So nobody can see the full picture, and solutions stay stuck behind borders.
3

Idea

What if Central Europe agreed on one definition of energy poverty and gave local authorities one shared set of tools to fight it?
4

Solution

Fight4CE will create an online toolkit and a Central Europe Energy Poverty Task Force, a network of experts that helps local authorities tackle energy poverty.
5

How it works

We combine the best tools from five earlier projects and agree on a shared definition. The toolkit then helps local authorities find energy poverty, choose and carry out the right measures, and involve citizens along the way. We test it in five areas across Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia and Poland, and use what we learn to shape local action plans and a joint strategy for the years ahead.
Jet4CE I-PRODER HERCULES-CE MESTRI-CE BalticBeat
6

Expected results

By the end of the project, five areas will have tested the toolkit and adopted local action plans to help the households that need it most. Our partners will sign a joint strategy to keep the shared definition and the toolkit in use. The Task Force will carry on as a permanent expert group, so any local authority in Central Europe can ask for support long after the project ends.

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Fight4CE

The project lead partner is responsible for the content of this project website.

Project Contacts

Project Manager

Tea Potočnik
Email: tea.potocnik@lea-ptuj.si
Phone: +386 (0)2 778 33 02

Finance Manager

Jernej Širovnik
Email: Jernej.sirovnik@lea-ptuj.si
Phone: +386 (0)2 778 33 01

Communication Manager

Michelle Decock
Email: decock@cei.int
Phone: +39 (0) 4077 86751