European Territorial Cooperation is central to the construction of a common European space, and a cornerstone of European integration. It has clear European added value: helping to ensure that borders are not barriers, bringing Europeans closer together, helping to solve common problems, facilitating the sharing of ideas and assets, and encouraging strategic work towards common goals. Today 86 Interreg programmes are operating across the borders, in the EU and at its external borders.
Find out more about Interreg programmes
Besides financial support in the form of Interreg programmes and projects, the European Commission also works with border regions to help them unlock their full potential via a number of policy initiatives that are grouped under the “Border Focal Point”. This includes comprehensive studies, communication activities, border obstacles identification and resolution and the promotion of tools such as the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation. More info
Macro-regional strategies serve as open and agile platforms for strategic networking. They help to coordinate joint policies and actions far beyond physical or psychological barriers. A broad range of people works together on thematic platforms and processes to define concrete work plans that ultimately shape cooperation on the ground. As such, they make cooperation meaningful and their macro regions stronger, more resilient and attractive to live in, everywhere and for all.
Four EU macro-regional strategies, covering several policies, have been adopted so far:
All adopted macro-regional strategies are accompanied by a rolling action plan to be regularly updated in light of new, emerging needs and changing contexts. The four macro-regional strategies concern 19 EU member-states and 10 partner countries.
