EGTC-Workshop 2015/3 (Zsámbék)

The next in line meeting of European Groupings for Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs) to which Hungary is participating, was held on 18-19 November 2015. The most important part of the meeting was the presentation of cross-border programmes to be opened in the future. The Hungarian-Romanian INTERREG V-A programme was presented by Magdolna Kalapáti, Head of Secretariat of the former Hungarian-Romanian programme; the Slovak-Hungarian programme was introduced by Csilla Veres, Head of Secretariat; and the Hungarian-Croatian programme by Márton Szűcs, Director. All three presenters are associates of the Széchenyi Programme Office. As established during the session, in the case of all 3 programmes, the first calls are due in the first quarter of 2016. The programme that made the most progress during the workshop was the Croatian one, its expected launch being the end of December 2015. The developments in the Slovak border area can only be launched after the meeting of its Monitoring Committee planned mid-December, whereas Brussel’s final approval for the Romanian programme is still pending. However, according to preliminary information, it can be expected within 2-3 weeks.

The EGTCs had the opportunity to raise questions on the spot concerning the realisation of the programmes, to be better prepared for the application.

In the remainder of the workshop, topics such as the delay in the contracts on the 2015 operational grants assured by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (KKM), as well as the case of the project preparation fund to be launched in 2016 by the KKM and the arrangements for the EGTC Days organised every second year by the EGTCs to which Hungary is participating were discussed. In the case of the latter, CESCI was requested by the participants to make a submission to the Europe for Citizens programme’s next call.

The assembled participants accepted CESCI’s proposal to – opposed to the current system – always have a different EGTC hosting the workshop in the future, at the same time presenting the grouping’s results as well. The professional part of the workshops will still be organised by CESCI, but it is vital that the member states visit each other in order to exchange experiences and strengthen internal relations.

Along the lines of the new system, the Pons Danubii EGTC, based in Komarno, took on the organisation of the next workshop.