Boosting EU Border Regions

The European Commission published its Communication on ‘Boosting growth and cohesion in EU border regions’ in September 2017, which identified specific steps to eliminate the obstacles existing along the internal borders of the EU. Following the publication of the Communication, several steps have been taken in which CESCI has been involved as well.

The European Commission has published a Communication on Boosting growth and cohesion in EU border regions after two years, which can also be considered as the final document of the Cross-Border Review project launched by Corina Creţu Commissioner for Regional Policy in the summer of 2016. The aim of the project was to identify existing legal and administrative obstacles along the internal borders of the EU and to formulate recommendations to overcome these. The Communication itself identifies 10 specific actions in this regard. Following the presentation in September 2017, DG Regio already started to implement these actions. The online platform to share the experience and knowledge on the subject in the EU was launched in January. The Border Focal Point in DG Regio also operates from the beginning of the year, the task of which is to provide local actors with information concerning accessibility. In line with the Communication, a call for proposals for the implementation of PILOT actions was also launched, the aim of which is to promote the management of specific border obstacles.

The Communication itself was presented at three macro-regional events by the Commission in Mérida (Spain), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Bratislava (Slovakia). The Secretary General of our organisation, Gyula Ocskay held a presentation on CESCI’s Legal Accessibility initiative, and has announced that the implementation of the project supported by the Visegrad Fund has started, which aims to develop a regional, V4-level mechanism on the subject.