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Raffaele Cattaneo (IT/EPP), Chair of the Commission COTER of the CoR, announced the 2016 edition of the EGTC award 'Building Europe across Borders' during the seminar on the participation of the EGTCs in programmes of European Territorial Cooperation.

The award named 'Building Europe across Borders' intends to recognise and give visibility to the best practice of a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation related to the creation of growth and jobs in Europe, implementing the Strategy Europe 2020. This award is biennial, and 2016 is the second edition.

The award recognises the best practice of an EGTC – the best project – related to the creation of growth and jobs, implementing the Strategy Europe 2020. According to the rules of procedure, the EGTCs which can participate are those established before 31 December 2014 and registered at the CoR.

"In 2014 there were very interesting projects but some of them were just starting. Maybe this year they can apply again and win!", encouraged Mr Cattaneo.

The winner of the edition of 2014 was the Euroregion Pyrenees-Mediterranean with its project 'CREAMED BUSINESS INCUBATOR'. The jury gave honourable mentions to the Euroregion Tyrol – Alto Adige – Trentino for the 'Euroregio Youth Festival', and to the EGTC Gate to Europe for the project 'Together without borders' for rural entrepreneurs. 

Several CoR members and representatives from other institutions compose the jury. Joachim Zeller, MEP, Pavel Branda (CZ/ECR), chair of the CoR Intergroup on cross-border cooperation, and Martín Guillermo-Ramírez, Secretary-General of the AEBR, were invited by Mr Cattaneo to be members of the jury.

"The award reinforced the visibility of the EGTCs and backed them politically at home. I hope that we will have many candidates again this year", said Mr Cattaneo.

The deadline to submit applications is 29 February 2016. The winner will be announced at the annual meeting of the EGTC Platform on 20 April.