Tasks
The EGTC allows cross-border partnerships to be implemented on a higher formal, organisational and institutional level, and it is the natural continuation of the experiences and common actions of Poles and Slovaks around the Tatra Mountains borderlands, which initially were the beginning of Euroregion TATRY. The creation of the EGTC TATRY has led to a significant innovation in the way that territorial cooperation is carried out. The EGTC can act as sole beneficiary of ETC projects, as it has already done in a micro-project. As the sole beneficiary, the EGTC can facilitate the preparation and implementation of projects and simplify the coordination, management and accounting of common cross-border projects for the local governments from Polish-Slovak border. Actual performance will become evident in practice over the coming two to three years.

The EGTC is a tool for the use of local authorities of the Polish-Slovak borderland for the more effective and efficient implementation of projects in the Interreg VA PL-SK 2014-2020 programme. The local governments from Poland and Slovakia gained the opportunity to absorb EU funds to a greater extent than in the past. It is an effective instrument that allows them to overcome the barriers and difficulties encountered by common Polish-Slovak projects due to, inter alia, different legal, formal or administrative systems and uneven access to EU funds in Poland and Slovakia. The EGTC offers the opportunities to create sound relations and cooperation between Polish and Slovak authorities of Małopolska, Prešov and Žilina Region and the cooperation of governance structure from national governments of both countries based on the principles of partnership and subsidiarity.

For the remaining funding period, the EGTC plans to 1) use the opportunities provided by the Interreg VA Poland-Slovakia 2014-2020 Programme: as the sole beneficiary and as the partner in the projects and micro-projects, and by supporting the local governments in the preparation and implementation of cross-border projects, 2) implement the flagship project "Cycling route around the Tatra Mountains – stage II", 3) carry out the priorities of the Strategy of EGTC TATRY, 4) prepare, carry out and coordinate the cooperation projects in partnerships with other EGTCs, 5) increase the participation in other ETC programmes and 6) prepare for the new programming period to gain the possibility of participating in the management of a cooperation programme, or part thereof.

The EGTC addresses the priorities and targets established in the Europe 2020 strategy in the projects that have been prepared and implemented. The development of cycling tourism around the Tatra Mountains will increase efficiency in the use of resources and the attractiveness of the natural and cultural heritage in the Polish-Slovak border region. Local communities obtain an attractive tourist product and have the possibility to develop new services related to leisure time activities. It will stimulate the local communities to take up and pursue economic activities linked to cycling tourism. This will be positive for the economic and social development of the Polish-Slovak border region. This flagship project also promotes greener modes of travel by bike. The implementation of the micro-project "Cross-border specialist and vocational training in EGTC TATRY" will improve job opportunities in the area of intervention of EGTC TATRY. The professional skills of participants in the cross-border training and courses will increase, including the use of modern IT tools on the job.

In its daily operations, the EGTC works towards the aims outlined in the EGTC TATRY STRATEGY FOR THE YEARS 2014-2020 by implementing projects in the four strategic areas: 1) joint cultural and natural heritage, 2) cross border education, 3) cross border partnerships and 4) freedom of movement and accessibility in the area around the Tatras.

The EGTC has noticed that the experts evaluating and scoring proposals often do not understand that an individual EGTC complies with the 4 criteria in cross-border partnerships such as: joint preparation of the project, joint realisation, joint financing, joint staff, and should therefore obtain the highest assessment in the quality of cross-border partnerships.

Challenges or issues
There is still too little applicable Polish experience and best practices in the functioning of EGTCs. There is no agreement on the management of the SPF in the Polish-Slovak Interreg VA Programme for the years 2014-2020 because of the opposition of the Slovak part of the Programming Group, particularly of the border regions of Prešov and Žilina. Due to that decision, the EGTC may not participate in the implementation programme part (in particular Polish-Slovak cross-border micro-projects), which hampers the achievement of the EGTC’s full potential.

Budget
€ 50,000

EU-funded projects and programmes in phase of imple-mentation in 2016
1) EGTC TATRY is the lead partner of the flagship project in the Interreg V-A Poland-Slovakia 2014-2020 Programme in the partnership with 9 Polish and Slovak local governments (project entitled "Cycling route around the Tatra Mountains – stage II") budget of the project € 5,892,204.48 - total budget implemented by EGTC TATRY - € 208,074.75 EUR - co-financing value from ERDF € 4,885,762.93
2) ECTC TATRY is the sole beneficiary of the micro-project in the area of education entitled "Cross-border specialist and vocational training in EGTC TATRY"
Additionally, the director of EGTC TATRY is a member of the Monitoring Committee of Interreg VA PL-SK 2014-2020 and the sole beneficiary preparing cross-border projects and micro-projects in the same Interreg cooperation programme. The EGTC also supports local governments in the preparation and implementation of cross-border projects.

Staff (in FTE)
2.25 FTE = 3 persons: director and 2 project managers.