The case for border regions, EGTCs and citizens
The case for border regions, EGTCs and citizens
On 19 November 2013, the Committee of the Regions and the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) organized jointly a seminar on the issue of the participation of citizens of the border regions in Partnership Agreements and Operational Programmes, which are the main instruments of implementation of the future cohesion policy 2014-2020. The seminar also focused on the specific situation of the European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), which are called on to have a more active role in the next programming period.
The seminar was organized in the framework of the European Year of Citizens 2013, with the support of the European Year of Citizens' Alliance (EYCA).
The seminar was co-chaired by Mr Herwig Van Staa (AT/EPP), President of the Parliament of the Land Tyrol and political coordinator of the EGTC Platform of the CoR, and by Mr Karl-Heinz Lambertz (BE/PES) Minister-President of the German-speaking Community of Belgium, President of PES Group in the CoR and President of the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR). The European Commission was represented by Mr Dirk Peters, team leader and legal officer at the Legal Affairs Unit of the Direction General of Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission.
For the Committee of the Regions, members of the five political groups were present: In addition to Mr Van Staa and Mr Lambertz, Mr Patrick McGowan (IE/ALDE), Mr Uno Silberg (EE/EA) and Mr Pavel Branda (CZ/ECR) took the floor.
The co-chairs of the event sent a letter to the main EU institutions containing the conclusions of the seminar.
Around 70 participants took part in the event, representing several Member States and Ukraine, EGTCs, regional and local authorities, and academia.
Conclusions
The Committee of the Regions and the Association of European Border Regions wish to draw attention to the necessary participation of the border regions in Partnership Agreements and Operational Programmes.
The specific situation of the European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) has to be taken into account. EGTCs are called upon to play a more active role in the future programming period: implementing programmes and new instruments like Joint Action Plans and Integrated Territorial Investments, acting in different fields of policy, developing macro-regional strategies, and consolidating cooperation with non-EU countries.
For many border areas in Europe, this period will be crucial in overcoming the economic crisis and establishing the basis for a real economic recovery. Most of these border areas, and in particular established EGTCs and other cross-border structures (Euroregions), have designed their own strategies in the run-up to 2020.
Cross-border cooperation not only involves economic issues, but also addresses cultural, social and environmental needs, beyond the objectives of Europe 2020.
Cross-border cooperation cannot be successful without active involvement from civil society.
The border regions in general and the established and future EGTCs in particular need to be involved in the preparation of programming documents as part of a structured dialogue.
In particular, it is up to the national authorities to be aware of the needs of border areas, and also of the potential of the EGTC and its possible uses in the coming period.
It is important to remember the principles of multi-level governance and partnership, which are enshrined in Art. 5 of the Common Provisions Regulation and were expanded on most recently in the European Code of Conduct on Partnership.
The conclusions of this seminar should be widely disseminated among the EU institutions, national authorities and also the regional and local authorities and representatives of civil society involved in cross-border cooperation.
Agenda
14:00 Registration
14:30 Opening and keynote speeches
Mr Herwig Van Staa (EPP/AT), President of the Parliament of the Land Tyrol and political coordinator of the EGTC Platform of the CoR
Mr Karl-Heinz Lambertz (PES/BE), Minister-President of the German-speaking Community of Belgium, President of PES Group in the CoR, President of the Association of European Border Regions
Mr Dirk Peters, team leader – legal officer at the Legal Affairs Unit of the Direction General of Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission
15:00 Roundtable: Involving the EGTC in the next programming period
Dr Nóra Ivády, Head of Department of Cross-Border Cooperation for Territorial Public Administration, Ministry of Public Administration and Justice, Hungary
Ms Sandra Sodini, Director of the EGTC Euro-GO
Floor debate with participation of CoR members and representatives of EGTCs
15:45 Break
16:00 Roundtable: The participation of the civil society of border regions
Mr Diogo Pinto, co-chair of the working group of citizens' participation at the European Year of Citizens' Alliance, European Movement International
Mr Roman Haken, Director of the Centre for Community Organizing of Central Moravia - Member of the Czech Government Council for NGOs, member of the European Economic and Social Committee
Floor debate with participation of CoR members
16:50 Conclusions
17:00 Closing of the seminar
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