The second day’s panels focused on the added value and the future perspectives of the EGTC tool. First, in the panel moderated by Anne Thevenet, Director of the Euro-Institut of Kehl, the added value of the instrument was presented from different points of view. The Kvarken Council (presented by the Director, Mathias Lindström) opted for the EGTC to strengthen the organisation and provide it with stability. For the twin cities of Chaves and Verín (Pablo Rivera), the establishment of the grouping guarantees its own staff, its own budget, and strategic perspectives. The NAEN EGTC (Leyre Azcona) can play a mediating role between the two public administrations of France and Spain, and amplify the impact of the cross-border activities. The Pannon EGTC (Judit Füzér) is enabled to involve members from Bosnia and Herzegovina through the instrument facilitating Europeanisation of the candidate countries. Romina Cocina, the director of EGTC GO, highlighted the grouping’s capacity to manage cross-border integrated territorial investments (ITI) and the small project fund assisting the cross-border ECoC project. For the Deggendorf Technical University (Stefan Sunzenauer), the establishment of the EGTC opened the chance to tighter collaboration with the Austrian Applied Science University and the development of joint courses. The Saar-Moselle EGTC (Christine Steck) managed to open a bilingual child care home, which required their knowledge in intercultural exchange and cross-border project management.

At the beginning of the last round-table discussion, the moderator, Gyula Ocskay (secretary general of CESCI), summarised the lessons learnt on the added value of the tool. These are:

–          stability: from a timely perspective (continuity), legally (stable institution reducing the attractiveness of exit strategies), in capacities (dedicated and permanent staff, own budget);

–          enabler of strategic cooperation based on institutional stability;

–          catalyst of cross-border projects equipped with special expertise on cross-border developments and the combination of funds, along with the strategic aims of the shared territory;

–          laboratory of shared solutions equipped with coordinating, mediating roles between the different national authorities and stakeholders; and developer and manager of cross-border services;

–          better visibility promoting networking (at regional and international levels) and advocacy mission of the cross-border region; and

–          an instrument of identification with the cross-border area and the European values.

The panellists added further aspects. According to Julianna Máté (Via Carpatia EGTC), the groupings can be considered “cross-border ambassadors” operating in the proximity of citizens and institutions. Sandra Sodini (Senza Confini EGTC) underlined their innovative character when piloting joint investments, providing joint services and testing multilevel governance solutions. Frédéric Siebenhaar (EGTC PAMINA) referred to the community-focused tasks their organisation carries out. Elisa Bertò (Tyrol South-Tyrol Terentino EGTC) explained the role of the Euroregion in turning the political debates into a joint future vision-making.

The speakers also expanded to the needs of the groupings. According to Xavier Bernard Sans (Pyrenees-Mediterranean EGTC), many Member States still view the EGTC tool as not yet experimented with and are hesitant to entrust it with substantial tasks or resources. Administrative capacities remain insufficient, and border regions continue to face many of the same challenges that existed two decades ago. In his view, a joint Task Force should be set up involving the representatives of the EGTCs, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Member States, through which the visibility and the policy-making role of the EGTCs can be boosted. The panellists shared the conclusion that the biggest challenge is to raise awareness towards the tool in the political sphere. For instance, the DGs in Brussels do not know the EGTCs, regardless of the efforts DG REGIO has made so far. Furthermore, EGTCs would be able to manage Interreg programmes, but the national authorities are not in favour of this solution. The groupings also reclaim their cross-border acknowledgement in vain: not only are they excluded from the calls published on the other side of the border, but very often even the mainstream operational programmes within the seat country neglect them. By enforcing the advocacy of the EGTCs, the effects of the persisting legal and administrative obstacles can also be reduced.

As Pavel Branda summarised it, the ECBP may assist in achieving a greater visibility at the European level through the involvement of different DGs, promoting networking (uniting forces) and knowledge exchange (sharing good practices), facilitating the policy-making role of the EGTCs (through their involvement in the design of CoR opinions), and supporting joint and harmonised communication. Finally, based on the proposal made by Xavier Connil, director of Cerdanya EGTC, the ECBP embraces the proposal on a special EU status of cross-border workers, which will be piloted at the French-Spanish border by three EGTCs. Ricardo Ferreira confirmed that the Border Focal Point of the DG REGIO is ready to assist in these developments.

The next annual meeting of the ECBP will take place on 10 and 11 June 2026, to be organised by the CoR and CESCI.