Closer joint services for citizens shaping policies and actions on citizensrsquo needs and cross-border obstacles

Consider impact on population vs COVID pandemic demonstrating the link of CBC actions to citizensrsquo needs and

expectations

Martiacuten Guillermo Ramiacuterez Association of European Border Regions (AEBR)

2 Interreg-specific objectives

1 to support strengthening institutional capacity enhancing legal and administrative cooperation in particular where linked to implementation of the Border Regions Communication intensify cooperation between citizens and institutions and the development and coordination of macro-regional and sea-basin strategies build up mutual trust in particular by encouraging people-to-people actions and

2 to address cooperation issues on safety security border crossing management and migration--- o ---

1 Solving obstacles to CBC through better governance and capacities involving citizens and their organisations promoting citizensrsquo engagement and people-to-people actions and building trust

2 The CB dialectic between cooperation and security Technology and protection of citizensrsquo rights

CBC Cross-Border Cooperation in ldquooptimalrdquo environments (EU internal borders) also face growing challenges

1 CB regions are a small-scale Europe2 Many obstacles to overcome but also many little daily stories in positive (CBC belongs

to Europersquos Positive Agenda like the Erasmus Programme)3 Main challenges

bull Effects of ldquore-nationalizationrdquo and skepticism (Brexit anti-European movements nationalism) migration phenomena and then strengthened border controls

bull Unemployment and lack of opportunitiesbull Brain-drain and demographic change climate change and clean energiesbull Access to ICTs (CB) Smart Specialization Strategies (RIS3) innovation practices etcbull Response to the exigence of welfare and prosperity for all territories

Additional aspects to be developed with sub-national public authorities to deal effectively with CBC

1 Decentralization and subsidiarity2 Capacity building3 Modernization and rationalization of processes and structures

euroregions eurodistricts working communities EGTCs ECGs () ITIs CLLDs hellip

4 Joint participative strategies5 Mutual trust6 Shared responsibility and accountability

CBC during the COVID-19 pandemic

bull Policy makers have previously ignored CBC and CB interaction in most cases (capitals are too far away from borders)

bull Then towards the declaration of pandemichellip1 1st idea borders closing to control dissemination of the virus (national control

measures little coordination)2 2nd idea Urgent re-opening (discovery of ldquocross-borderrdquo realities including essential

services and value chains across national boundaries many depend on workforce providers and other players across the border) and conscience of CBC at all levels

3 CB Coordination use of CB structures to guarantee essential services4 CBC has become included in most political agendas (European and national ones) (for

how long)

Involving young people in Interreg

bull Some 700 young Europeans involved since 2017bull More than 30 Citizensrsquo Engagement Initiativesbull Extended to IPA and Neighbourhood programmes

and citizensbull wwwinterregyouthcom

2 Interreg-specific objectives

1 to support strengthening institutional capacity enhancing legal and administrative cooperation in particular where linked to implementation of the Border Regions Communication intensify cooperation between citizens and institutions and the development and coordination of macro-regional and sea-basin strategies build up mutual trust in particular by encouraging people-to-people actions and

2 to address cooperation issues on safety security border crossing management and migration--- o ---

1 Solving obstacles to CBC through better governance and capacities involving citizens and their organisations promoting citizensrsquo engagement and people-to-people actions and building trust

2 The CB dialectic between cooperation and security Technology and protection of citizensrsquo rights

CBC Cross-Border Cooperation in ldquooptimalrdquo environments (EU internal borders) also face growing challenges

1 CB regions are a small-scale Europe2 Many obstacles to overcome but also many little daily stories in positive (CBC belongs

to Europersquos Positive Agenda like the Erasmus Programme)3 Main challenges

bull Effects of ldquore-nationalizationrdquo and skepticism (Brexit anti-European movements nationalism) migration phenomena and then strengthened border controls

bull Unemployment and lack of opportunitiesbull Brain-drain and demographic change climate change and clean energiesbull Access to ICTs (CB) Smart Specialization Strategies (RIS3) innovation practices etcbull Response to the exigence of welfare and prosperity for all territories

Additional aspects to be developed with sub-national public authorities to deal effectively with CBC

1 Decentralization and subsidiarity2 Capacity building3 Modernization and rationalization of processes and structures

euroregions eurodistricts working communities EGTCs ECGs () ITIs CLLDs hellip

4 Joint participative strategies5 Mutual trust6 Shared responsibility and accountability

CBC during the COVID-19 pandemic

bull Policy makers have previously ignored CBC and CB interaction in most cases (capitals are too far away from borders)

bull Then towards the declaration of pandemichellip1 1st idea borders closing to control dissemination of the virus (national control

measures little coordination)2 2nd idea Urgent re-opening (discovery of ldquocross-borderrdquo realities including essential

services and value chains across national boundaries many depend on workforce providers and other players across the border) and conscience of CBC at all levels

3 CB Coordination use of CB structures to guarantee essential services4 CBC has become included in most political agendas (European and national ones) (for

how long)

Involving young people in Interreg

bull Some 700 young Europeans involved since 2017bull More than 30 Citizensrsquo Engagement Initiativesbull Extended to IPA and Neighbourhood programmes

and citizensbull wwwinterregyouthcom

CBC Cross-Border Cooperation in ldquooptimalrdquo environments (EU internal borders) also face growing challenges

1 CB regions are a small-scale Europe2 Many obstacles to overcome but also many little daily stories in positive (CBC belongs

to Europersquos Positive Agenda like the Erasmus Programme)3 Main challenges

bull Effects of ldquore-nationalizationrdquo and skepticism (Brexit anti-European movements nationalism) migration phenomena and then strengthened border controls

bull Unemployment and lack of opportunitiesbull Brain-drain and demographic change climate change and clean energiesbull Access to ICTs (CB) Smart Specialization Strategies (RIS3) innovation practices etcbull Response to the exigence of welfare and prosperity for all territories

Additional aspects to be developed with sub-national public authorities to deal effectively with CBC

1 Decentralization and subsidiarity2 Capacity building3 Modernization and rationalization of processes and structures

euroregions eurodistricts working communities EGTCs ECGs () ITIs CLLDs hellip

4 Joint participative strategies5 Mutual trust6 Shared responsibility and accountability

CBC during the COVID-19 pandemic

bull Policy makers have previously ignored CBC and CB interaction in most cases (capitals are too far away from borders)

bull Then towards the declaration of pandemichellip1 1st idea borders closing to control dissemination of the virus (national control

measures little coordination)2 2nd idea Urgent re-opening (discovery of ldquocross-borderrdquo realities including essential

services and value chains across national boundaries many depend on workforce providers and other players across the border) and conscience of CBC at all levels

3 CB Coordination use of CB structures to guarantee essential services4 CBC has become included in most political agendas (European and national ones) (for

how long)

Involving young people in Interreg

bull Some 700 young Europeans involved since 2017bull More than 30 Citizensrsquo Engagement Initiativesbull Extended to IPA and Neighbourhood programmes

and citizensbull wwwinterregyouthcom

Additional aspects to be developed with sub-national public authorities to deal effectively with CBC

1 Decentralization and subsidiarity2 Capacity building3 Modernization and rationalization of processes and structures

euroregions eurodistricts working communities EGTCs ECGs () ITIs CLLDs hellip

4 Joint participative strategies5 Mutual trust6 Shared responsibility and accountability

CBC during the COVID-19 pandemic

bull Policy makers have previously ignored CBC and CB interaction in most cases (capitals are too far away from borders)

bull Then towards the declaration of pandemichellip1 1st idea borders closing to control dissemination of the virus (national control

measures little coordination)2 2nd idea Urgent re-opening (discovery of ldquocross-borderrdquo realities including essential

services and value chains across national boundaries many depend on workforce providers and other players across the border) and conscience of CBC at all levels

3 CB Coordination use of CB structures to guarantee essential services4 CBC has become included in most political agendas (European and national ones) (for

how long)

Involving young people in Interreg

bull Some 700 young Europeans involved since 2017bull More than 30 Citizensrsquo Engagement Initiativesbull Extended to IPA and Neighbourhood programmes

and citizensbull wwwinterregyouthcom

CBC during the COVID-19 pandemic

bull Policy makers have previously ignored CBC and CB interaction in most cases (capitals are too far away from borders)

bull Then towards the declaration of pandemichellip1 1st idea borders closing to control dissemination of the virus (national control

measures little coordination)2 2nd idea Urgent re-opening (discovery of ldquocross-borderrdquo realities including essential

services and value chains across national boundaries many depend on workforce providers and other players across the border) and conscience of CBC at all levels

3 CB Coordination use of CB structures to guarantee essential services4 CBC has become included in most political agendas (European and national ones) (for

how long)

Involving young people in Interreg

bull Some 700 young Europeans involved since 2017bull More than 30 Citizensrsquo Engagement Initiativesbull Extended to IPA and Neighbourhood programmes

and citizensbull wwwinterregyouthcom

Involving young people in Interreg

bull Some 700 young Europeans involved since 2017bull More than 30 Citizensrsquo Engagement Initiativesbull Extended to IPA and Neighbourhood programmes

and citizensbull wwwinterregyouthcom

Identifying legal and administrative obstacles to

CBC and proposing solutions

bull 90 cases studied 43 published in the 1st Compendium 47 for the 2nd one (December 2021 together with thematic and story-telling publications)

bull b-solutionsaebreubull wwwb-solutionsprojectcom

Specific Objectivesbull specific solutions addressing concrete legal and

administrative obstaclesbull innovative proposals to inform innovative approaches bull increased exchange of information and mutual engagement bull raised awareness of key stakeholders at localregional

nationalEU level

Lessons learnedThese lessons expect to raise awareness among CB practitioners and inspire

others to identify their own obstacles

a) Variety of obstaclesb) Variety of causes c) Tailored solutions d) A long processe) Changes in legal frameworks f) Complementary tools

g) Political commitmenth) Multi-level engagementi) Deep analysisj) Information sharingk) Capacity buildingl) Interreg and EGTC potentialm) ECBM () potential

Policy recommendations1 Capacity building of local

stakeholders in borders regions a improved training provision for

LRA amp CBC actors b support for

informationcoordination units at the LRA

c commissioning detailed comparative studies

d strengthening capacity within professional service firms

2 Promotion of effective multi-level engagement and responses

a Legal mechanismsb Joint commissioning of CB studies amp

analysesc Enhanced forums of dialogue

3 Maximising the value of EU tools and instruments

a The proposed ECBMb Interreg and other existing EU

instrumentsThese are available for consultation at the dedicated section of the compendium (vol 1) on b-solutionsrsquo website

Policy recommendations1 Capacity building of local

stakeholders in borders regions a improved training provision for

LRA amp CBC actors b support for

informationcoordination units at the LRA

c commissioning detailed comparative studies

d strengthening capacity within professional service firms

2 Promotion of effective multi-level engagement and responses

a Legal mechanismsb Joint commissioning of CB studies amp

analysesc Enhanced forums of dialogue

3 Maximising the value of EU tools and instruments

a The proposed ECBMb Interreg and other existing EU

instrumentsThese are available for consultation at the dedicated section of the compendium (vol 1) on b-solutionsrsquo website

CB Public Services

Association of European Border Regions

Enscheder Strasse 365 Neue Schoumlnhauserstraszlige 3-5D-48599 Gronau (Germany) D-14197 BerlIn

Phone +49-2562-70219 +49 30 7262 19763Fax +49-2562-70259

infoaebreu wwwaebreu

We are also in the social media SocialnetAEBR

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Association of European Border Regions

Enscheder Strasse 365 Neue Schoumlnhauserstraszlige 3-5D-48599 Gronau (Germany) D-14197 BerlIn

Phone +49-2562-70219 +49 30 7262 19763Fax +49-2562-70259

infoaebreu wwwaebreu

We are also in the social media SocialnetAEBR

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION