AS PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE CONSIDERING THE OUTBREAK OF COVID-19 THIS EVENT WILL NOT TAKE PLACE ON 30/3

Further information to be provided shortly. Project/cases representatives and already registered participants will receive further information by email 

Cross-border cooperation (CBC) has great socio economic potential. If one fifth of legal obstacles to cross-border interaction would be solved, 2% of GDP in EU cross-border regions – one million jobs – could be gained. CBC is hampered by the fact that territories are regulated by different legal frameworks. Legal obstacles derive both from EU and national legislation. National legislative processes seldom take properly into account impacts across borders; including when transposing European legislation. Cross-border investments can have reduced effectiveness because of legal obstacles.

With the Communication “Boosting Growth and Cohesion in EU Border Regions” (2017) the Commisison has made a clear statement on the need to act to overcome such border obstacles. This Communication included an action plan to support CBC, including piloting solutions for border obstacles. 

B-Solutions is an initiative to tackle legal and administrative border obstacles along EU internal borders promoted by the European Commission (DG REGIO) and implemented by the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) as one of the actions proposed in the referred Commission’s Communication.

Under this initiative, 43 specific cases of obstacles have been addressed promoting sustainable methods of resolving them. Alongside, the Commission has tabled a proposal for a Regulation on a new Mechanism to overcome obstacles in a cross-border context, know an ECBM (European Cross Border Mechanism). This is currently in the legislative process.

This one-day event will bring together the 43 cross-border legal obstacles addressed in different fields including employment; healthcare; transport and institutional cooperation. Its aim is to explore lessons learnt from the initiative and to discuss how can the EU institutions, national and regional authorities, best support border regions in overcoming Cross Border legal obstacles. For the projects, it will also serve to build synergies with other border regions facing similar obstacles.