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The search returned 5 results.

Placing European Territorial Cooperation Post-2020 at the Heart of EU Cohesion Policy journal article

Eduardo Medeiros

European Structural and Investment Funds Journal, Volume 5 (2017), Issue 3, Page 245 - 262

In 2007, European Territorial Cooperation became one of the major goals of EU Cohesion Policy, building on the successful experiences from the INTERREG Community Initiative in supporting cross-border, transnational, and interregional cooperation processes across the EU territory since 1989. Yet, financially, this goal has never received more than 3 % of the total budget of EU Cohesion Policy. This article discusses the crucial role of European Territorial Cooperation for implementing the goals of EU Cohesion Policy, and debates several arguments suggesting its future (re)positioned at the heart of Cohesion Policy. More pointedly, the article sets out several advantages in adopting a transnational approach to the development of the EU territory, by exploiting transnational potentials, and tackling transnational needs in all domains of territorial development. Furthermore, we highlight the need to place the goals of reducing persistent barriers and implementing cross-border planning strategies at the core of cross-border cooperation programmes. Finally, it is concluded that there is a need to shift the ongoing ‘nationally driven EU Cohesion Policy’ design and implementation rationale into a ‘transnational driven’ rationale, and thus places European Territorial Cooperation at the heart EU policy making.


Civil Society Organisations and Cross-Border Networks in the Western Balkans journal article

Dragisa Mijacic, Jasna Zarkovic

European Structural and Investment Funds Journal, Volume 5 (2017), Issue 3, Page 187 - 199

This article discusses a methodological approach in examining cross-border networks for understanding the impact of cross-border cooperation programmes, especially on socio-economic development and social cohesion. Cross-border cooperation programmes bring together different types of beneficiaries and their interaction offers interesting opportunities to test brokering roles that arise from the interaction between them. Using the empirical data on grant projects from all eleven cross-border programmes between IPA beneficiary countries of the Western Balkans for the financial framework 2007-2013, collected through a complex exercise of analysing different documents publicly available at websites of contracting authorities and operating structures, and using principles of social network analysis, the study discussed in this article successfully tested the key hypothesis that civil society organisations are the most successful type of beneficiaries in providing brokering opportunities to bridge the structural holes between different actors in cross-border cooperation programmes, regardless of the programme measure or geography.


A Practitioner-led Working Group for ‘Facilitating Better Transnational Cooperation’ journal article

Process, Lessons Learnt, Outcomes

Peter Toth

European Structural and Investment Funds Journal, Volume 5 (2017), Issue 3, Page 200 - 210

In the 2014-2020 EU Programming Period, the role of cooperation in the framework of LEADER has been enhanced. For more effective cooperation, a better understanding of the differences and similarities in relevant rules and procedures in EU member states is needed. To facilitate this, the European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) set up a working group comprising of LEADER Cooperation Practitioners (PWG).


Transnational Cooperation – an Opportunity for Social Innovation of Rural Regions journal article

Thomas Dax, Stefan Kah

European Structural and Investment Funds Journal, Volume 5 (2017), Issue 3, Page 211 - 222

Transnational cooperation is a policy instrument of the LEADER programme that has been available to local actors since the start of LEADER 25 years ago. However, its potential for social innovation has been underutilised so far. An assessment of the international debate about the usefulness of the scheme and the analysis of a case study in Austria provides insights into obstacles and opportunities of this instrument. In particular, there are opportunities for a greater use of transnational cooperation due to increased spatial interrelations and the extension of the LEADER approach to other European Structural and Investment Funds, i.e. by implementing Community-led Local Development (CLLD). The current (2014-20) EU programme period might therefore provide additional stimuli for creativity in rural development activities.


Added Value of Cross-Border Cooperation journal article

Experience from the Nordic Context

Lisa Hörnström, Anna Berlina

European Structural and Investment Funds Journal, Volume 5 (2017), Issue 3, Page 178 - 186

Territorial cooperation is assumed to bring added value to regional and local activities, contribute to balanced development across European regions, and increase integration between different parts of the European territory. Territorial cooperation can bring added value in terms of finding solutions to common problems, help to mobilise critical mass, contribute to learning, and build structures for future territorial cooperation. Cooperation across national borders has a long tradition in the Nordic Region. Cross-border cooperation committees (CBCCs) were established in various border areas as early as the 1960s. When the Interreg initiative was introduced in the Nordic Region in 1995 it brought additional funding and strengthened cross-border and transnational cooperation. The scope of this study is to explore the added value of Interreg programmes to the Nordic CBCCs. The priority areas of the cross-border programmes covering Nordic regions will be compared with the objectives of Nordic cross-border cooperation. Further, two examples will be highlighted to illustrate the two-way linkage between Interreg cross-border programmes and Nordic CBCCs.

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