​The workshop is dedicated to highlighting those examples which demonstrate that CBC is not a problem but a solution during critical situations. The pandemic drew attention to the shortages faced within national health systems which has required the sharing of medical capacities across borders. In the most integrated CB functional areas, the crisis revealed the strong interdependencies characterising these regions and the need for better coordination. 

Many Member States, which in general closed the borders for the free flow of people, had to facilitate the free movement of cross-border commuters in order to guarantee the economic performance of the neighbouring countries and the delivery of essential services. The main aim of the workshop is to deliver and discuss similar positive examples with the involvement of local actors; and to highlight the policy level consequences of these phenomena by involving experts of CBC: DG REGIO, the CoR, CESCI, the AEBR and MOT.

Speakers:

• Pamela Arthurs, Chief Executive, East Border Region (IE-UK), Ireland.
• Pavel Branda, Deputy Mayor, Rádlo Municipality, Czechia.
• François Decoster, Member of a Regional Assembly, Regional Council of Hauts-de-France, France.
• Magnus Schönning, Program Manager, INTERREG CBC Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak, Sweden.
• Arola Urdangarin, Director, EGTC Nouvelle-Aquitaine Euskadi Navarra Euroregion, France.
• Nathalie Verschelde, Deputy Head of Unit, European Commission