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Should EU cross-border cooperation programmes focus mainly on reducing border obstacles?

  • Eduardo Medeiros profile
    Eduardo Medeiros
    12 July 2018 - updated 2 years ago
  • 1 comment
    Total votes: 6
Document(s): 
PDF icon pub_pap_em_should_eu_cross-border_cooperation_programmes_focus_on_reducing_border_obstacles_documents_danalisi_geografica.pdf
External link: 
https://dag.revista.uab.es/article/view/v64-n3-medeiros
Author(s): 
Eduardo Medeiros
Year of publication: 
2018
Tags: 
Cross-Border CooperationBarrier Effectborder obstaclesINTERREGEU cohesion policy

EU cross-border cooperation programmes were formally established with the launching of the first INTERREG Community Initiative (1989-1993). Since then, these programmes have been expanding to Northern and Eastern Europe. At present, the INTERREG V-A (2014-2020), formally known as European Territorial Cooperation (strand A – crossborder cooperation), covers more than 60% of the EU territory and 40% of EU inhabitants, making it one of the most politically relevant EU financed programmes. For the most part, however, these programmes are still regarded by both the European Commission and national and regional authorities as a complementary financial tool to support growth and regional development strategies. In this context, this article analyses what have been the main strategic goals of the EU cross-border cooperation programmes, whilst supporting a new strategic paradigm for these programmes during the post-2020 EU policies programming phase focused on reducing the barrier-effects in all their main dimensions. 

 

Keywords: Cross-border cooperation; barrier-effects; border obstacles; EU Cohesion Policy; INTERREG; European Territorial Cooperation

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Nathalie VERSCHELDE's picture
Nathalie VERSCHELDE,
25/07/2018 09:24

Thanks Eduardo for this useful and challenging contribution.

Your question is certainly one of the most interesting ones for all those involved in Interreg CBC.  In the Commission we see it as the main challenge for the next programming period - yes, Interreg needs to continue to put oil in the life of cross-border spaces (trust, economic activity, jobs, culture, environment, access, etc).  But also YES to the highly relevant question of border obstacles - future programmes need to engage more on this and we hope the draft regulation proposed by the Commission will encourage and facilitate this.  Notably via the earmarking of 15% of each CBC programme's budget to finance governance-related activities.

The ball is very much with the programme authorities now.  How will they react to these proposals ?  Will they raise to the challenge ?  Will we see more time and resources dedicated to content rather than to project management (see also all the proposals to ease the management and control burden for all) ?

On our side, we feel ready.  Are you ?

Nathalie

Total votes: 1