No C 182/46 Official Journal of the European Communities 23. 7. 90 
Opinion on the EC initiative programme to assist frontier areas (INTERREG) 
(90/C 182/15) 
On 4 April 1990 the Commission, acting in accordance with Article 198 of the Treaty establishing 
the European Economic Community, asked the Economic and Social Committee for an opinion on 
the EC initiative programme to assist frontier areas (INTERREG). 
The Committee instructed its Section for Regional Development and Town and Country Planning 
to prepare its opinion on the matter. The Section drew up its opinion on 22 May 1990 (rapporteur: 
Mr Muller). 
The Economic and Social Committee adopted the opinion set out below at its 277th plenary session 
(meeting of 30 May 1990) by a unanimous vote. 
1. Preliminary considerations constraints but rather to ensure a degree of flexibility to 
take account of the differing circumstances in the areas 
concerned, changes in those circumstances and the 
interests of the beneficiaries. 1.1. The new situations which have arisen over the years 
as the European Community has evolved have brought 
about a number of important adjustments to the guidelines 
and procedures followed in EC regional development 
policy. The Committee has always given its support to this 
policy, while continuing to pursue a line of restrained and 
constructive criticism. 
The most recent opinions issued by the Committee 
demonstrate the above, whilst, showing that the growing 
complexity of the issues requires an ongoing adjustment of 
the approach. In view of the fact that the introduction of a 
new series of EC measures is currently being prepared, 
there is every justification — without departing from the 
recommendations made by the Committee on a number of 
recent occasions — for drawing attention to a number of 
important requirements. These requirements are as 
follows: 
— the need for improved coordination, by the Commis­
sion, of the plethora of programmes with a view to 
ensuring a better management of these programmes 
within the framework of an overall concept of regional 
policy, 
— the need for transparency as regards the ways and 
means employed to achieve clearly-defined objectives; 
this transparency could be ensured not merely by using 
official institutional channels of information but also by 
the systematic involvement of public and private 
regional and local authorities and organizations in the 
planning and implementing of regional operational 
programmes, and by clearly demonstrating the links 
between regional programmes and other EC develop­
ment instruments, in particular the Structural Fund 
Regulations, 
— the need for the Commission to develop a monitoring 
and assessment system which would operate, with the 
agreement of the authorities of the Member States 
concerned, at the various stages of implementation of 
the development programmes; the aim would not be to 
introduce further technocracy and new administrative 1.2. The measures under consideration, known as the 
'INTERREG initiative', form part of the measures 
designed to achieve the goal of economic and social 
cohesion set out in the Single Act and the reform of the 
Structural Fund. The purpose of the INTERREG measures 
is to bring about closer regional cooperation across the 
internal and external frontiers of the Community. These 
measures undoubtedly represent an important and essen­
tial back-up to the decisive measures being taken to bring 
about the completion of the Single Market. The proposed 
measures are important, in view of the high level of funds to 
be spent in a relatively short period. The measures are 
essential in view of the necessary boost they should give, 
under certain circumstances, to Member States' policies to 
assist their respective frontier regions, and to the guidelines 
and implementation of these policies. The proposed 
measures will also have a beneficial effect on the 
endeavours of each of the Member States to establish or 
safeguard genuine, confidence-inspiring cross-frontier 
cooperation which benefits the regional populations 
concerned, whilst conforming to the rules governing the 
frontier-free 'Economic and Social Space'. 
1.3. As an important and indispensable back-up 
instrument for bringing about the completion of the Single 
Market, the measures under consideration should be based 
on an overall concept covering those fundamental factors 
which promote integration and economic and social 
reinforcement in the large geographical area covered by the 
Community. 
As examples of these fundamental factors the Committee 
wishes to draw attention to: 
— land-use plans to be drawn up by the Member States in 
the light of a genuinely cross-frontier approach to 
infrastructure problems, means of transport within and 
between regions, environmental protection, economic 
cooperation and diversification, competition between 
23. 7. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 182/47 
entreprises, the improvement of exchange-rate systems 
and stability pending economic and monetary union, 
etc. 
— the utilization of the local potential and particularly the 
human resources of the frontier regions. This would 
involve, inter alia, manpower mobility in frontier areas; 
the development of employment opportunities in the 
light of the demographic situations, rates of unemploy­
ment and the possibilities of cooperation between 
labour exchanges; simplifying the rules governing 
residence in the regions concerned, the procedures in 
respect of cross-frontier movement and access to 
occupations; the improvement of vocational qualifi­
cations, by means, inter alia, of cooperation between 
training establishments, and balanced adjustments to 
the rules governing the social security and right to 
employment of frontier workers. 
The Committee also considers that the basic objectives 
being pursued by the Commission in the INTERREG 
initiative should lead to the establishment of convergent 
approaches by the Member States concerned and the 
Commission and help to remove possible points of conflict 
in the determination of their respective roles. 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. It is recognized that the Communication — which is 
scheduled to be adopted in late June 1990 — comes within 
the general framework of regional development policy, 
which includes a broad range of development programmes, 
in addition to the measures provided for under the current 
EC Structural Fund Regulations. 
The proposed 'INTERREG' measures are, however, 
distinctive in that they are designed to promote cooperation 
between geographical areas which differ, to varying 
degrees, as regards rights of sovereignty, historical 
background, population density, economic development, 
environmental protection measures, social benefits, labour 
market situation, existence and level of responsibilities of 
regional and local authorities, political situation, etc. The 
'INTERREG' initiative is only likely to achieve satisfactory 
results provided that, in the frequently very disparate 
context of the Community's internal and external frontier 
regions, the operations and other measures pursued are 
integrated and based on overall strategies, jointly and 
clearly defined by the public and private operators 
concerned. 
There is, therefore, a need to underline the fact that the 
special nature of the INTERREG initiative makes it 
necessary for the implementing rules involved to be sufficiently flexible and adaptable to circumstances. 
Furthermore, given the objective in view, i.e. accelerated 
progress towards successful European integration through 
the abolition of internal frontiers and the strengthening of 
external frontiers, assessment criteria have to be adopted 
which are based on other factors than simply the need to 
close the gap between favoured and less-favoured regions. 
2.2. In the Committee's view, the Communication 
should give greater prominence to the role of the Member 
States in the implementation of the INTERREG Pro­
gramme. 
With this aim in view, attention is drawn to the points set 
out below. 
2.2.1. It is accepted that a high level of integration, 
which could serve as a model in several respects for the 
Single Market, has prevailed for many years in a number of 
the Community's internal-frontier regions. Generally 
speaking, this development has occurred in response to a 
variety of factors (in particular economic considerations) 
and with the agreement of the authorities of the Member 
States concerned. It also has to be recognized that in many 
cases — and for a large variety of reasons — this 
cooperation has been hampered by administrative and 
other obstacles arising from the narrow policy of the 
Member States or an excessive dependence of regional 
authorities and organizations on national decision-making 
bodies. The question, therefore, arises as to how obstacles 
can be identified and removed at local and regional level if a 
Member State prevaricates over cross-frontier policy. All 
the parties involved should endeavour to find a solution to 
this problem, with a motivating role being played by the 
Commission. 
2.2.2. Attention should also be drawn to the fact that a 
number of sectors, such as communications, energy 
supplies and educational policy, are generally matters of 
national sovereignty and, consequently, it is the central 
decision-making bodies in the Member States which 
usually decide on any cross-frontier measures to be taken. 
Care should be taken when deciding on these measures to 
ensure that a fair balance is maintained and that frontier 
and cross-frontier problems are recognized. 
2.2.3. The Committee wonders whether the Member 
States will be able to adjust their multi-year budgetary 
policy to meet the expenditure incumbent on them as a 
result of their participation in the implementation of the 
INTERREG projects, which are scheduled to cover the 
period 1990-1993. It would be interesting to ascertain at the 
current moment in time whether, and to what extent, the 
various Member States have shown an interest in the 
projects and announced possible measures for cross-
frontier cooperation with neighbouring States. 
A careful examination should also be made of the real 
potential impact of the INTERREG initiative on regions 
No C 182/48 Official Journal of the European Communities 23. 7. 90 
which have few funds and therefore cannot make a 
contribution towards development programmes or take 
part in joint projects with the neighbouring Member State 
or States. 
2.2.4. The Committee stresses the need to involve, from 
the outset of the INTERREG Programme, trade associ­
ations and the social partners in the process of formulating 
and implementing projects which meet the conditions set 
out in the INTERREG initiative and in the proposed back­
up programmes. Working together with the Member 
States, the Commission should organize meetings, seminars 
and workshops without delay to provide information in the 
regions concerned. The establishment of a number of pilot 
cross-frontier cooperation projects could help to increase 
the impact of this initiative. With the same aim in view, the 
introduction of a dedicated information network to meet 
the needs of the areas concerned could serve not only to 
disseminate information but also to provide a means of 
training additional advisors and offering a platform for 
comparing notes and operations. It is essential that the 
Member States concerned lend their support to such 
measures. 
2.2.5. It will be the role of the internal frontier regions to 
provide a demonstration, on a small scale, of the way in 
which the Single Market will operate in future and to 
provide concrete examples of the opportunities to be taken 
and the difficulties to be surmounted. The regions along 
external frontiers, for their part, will have to make the 
necessary adjustments to enable them to carry out the new 
functions inherent in their location. One of these functions 
will undoubtedly be that of serving as a bridgehead for 
Community relations with non-EC countries. In view of 
their history and location, some regions are eminently 
suited to carrying out this task. In the case of other regions 
which come within the field of application of the 
INTERREG initiative, the Committee calls upon the 
Commission to proceed with caution when selecting the 
programmes to be proposed in view of the distance of non-
EC countries, or of political circumstances which are 
unfavourable to cooperation with the frontier areas of the 
non-EC countries concerned. 
The Committee is pleased to note that the Commission 
intends to make a separate, careful examination of the 
problems arising as regards maritime links in a number of 
frontier areas. The Committee also calls upon the 
Commission to give adequate attention to integrated 
cooperation programmes in frontier areas bordering on 
Eastern European countries whose political developments 
need to be closely monitored. 
2.3. As regards the definition of eligible areas (points 8 
to 11 of Chapter II of the Commission's communication), 
the Committee supports in principle — without prejudging 
the tenor of the reform of the Structural Fund, which entails considerable assistance to Objective 1 areas (areas lagging 
behind in development) — the eligibility of Objective 1, 2 
and 5b areas, provided, however, that the exemptions 
provided for under points 8 to 11 may apply in full in the 
case of integrated programmes proposed as part of a 
coherent regional strategy of the Member States concerned. 
In the absence of such flexibility, the restrictions imposed in 
connection with NUTS III might represent an unjustified 
obstacle to implementation of a regional policy benefitting 
the populations concerned and they could also offset the 
expected benefits from the INTERREG initiative. The 
question also arises as to whether the special aid 
(paragraph 11) for regions not eligible under objectives 1,2 
and 5b will not be inadequate to fund certain important 
programmes for promoting rapid integration in certain 
dynamic frontier regions. 
Attention needs to be drawn to the fact that the paragraphs 
in Chapter II dealing with the eligible regions display a lack 
of clarity; this may lead to misinterpretation of the rules 
and the application of the derogations. The Committee 
therefore calls upon the Commission to revise the 
paragraphs concerned. The Commission and the Member 
States must at all events endeavour to provide clear, 
exhaustive information on the general rule as regards 
eligibility and possible exemptions for cross-frontier 
regions. The Member States, for their part, should 
constantly endeavour to ensure that the measures are both 
effective and flexible and they should put into effect joint, 
global, integrated development programmes in their 
respective frontier areas. 
2.4. The eligible measures as regards internal and 
external frontiers listed by the Commission will, no doubt, 
be carefully supplemented and expanded upon by the 
Member States and regional and local authorities and 
organizations in the light of the general and specific 
problems facing the regions concerned. Attention is drawn 
in this context to the observations made in point 3 below. 
3. Specific comments on the paragraphs in the Communi­
cation 
Chapter I, paragraph 5: The Committee draws attention to 
the need to involve all national, regional and local 
authorities in the formulation of the proposed program­
mes. The programmes should also be submitted jointly and 
in a compatible form by the authorities in the Member 
States concerned. 
23. 7. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 182/49 
The Committee calls upon the Commission to amend the 
current text to read as follows: 
'... Member States and regional and local authorities are 
encouraged to present joint proposals ...' 
Chapter I, paragraph 6: This paragraph should be 
amended to read as follows: 
'... the Commission will accord priority to proposals 
submitted jointly which include...'. 
In order to give a more concrete content to this paragraph, 
the Committee also calls upon the Commission to refer to a 
number of specific and important projects or tasks to be 
implemented by the 'institutional or administrative 
structures', such as: 
— the formulation of land-use plans; 
— vocational training and further training; 
— the strenghtening of the economic infrastructure 
through measures to promote the establishment of 
SMEs; 
— the coordination of employment policy. 
Chapter III, paragraph 13: This paragraph sets out an 
important list of eligible measures. The Committee will 
therefore confine itself to putting forward a number of 
proposals with a view to making the measures more 
effective. 
13(a): In the Committee's view there is a need to guard 
against undertaking a profusion of prior investigations, 
feasibility studies and the like; such studies do not always 
produce practicable results. The Committee considers that 
it would be more effective to draw up land-use plans, as 
referred to above. 
13(d): In addition to the infrastructure projects listed here, 
mention should also be made of programmes relating to 
regional and local communication networks designed to 
facilitate cross-frontier traffic and to develop appropriate forms of public transport, particularly in cases where cross-
frontier labour markets exist. 
13 (i): The Committee calls for provision for the establish­
ment of joint cross-frontier regional development associ­
ations which would coordinate various aspects of the 
overall, integrated guideline programmes. 
4. Conclusions 
There is no doubting the importance of the INTERREG 
initiative. The role to be played by the Member States in 
implementing the programme is likewise clear. All the 
parties involved, including the representatives of both sides 
of industry, must recognize the need to strive for efficiency 
and flexibility in the implementation of this new initiative. 
In view of doubts as regards the equitable distribution of 
EC and national funding and possible uncertainties as 
regards the determination of the eligible areas, the 
Committee calls upon the Commission to review the 
proposed level of funding. Furthermore, the Commission 
should not confine itself to examining proposals for 
guideline programmes and assessing their real and 
potential impact but should also provide for the establish­
ment, at the halfway stage in the implementation of the 
initiative, of an intermediate report reviewing the pro­
posals put forward, the measures adopted, the measures 
implemented and what has been achieved in the regions 
concerned. The report would supplement the initiative 
itself and pinpoint changes shown to be necessary and 
justified in the light of the basic objectives of the 
INTERREG initiative. 
Done at Brussels, 30 May 1990. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alberto MASPRONE