Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Euroregions
Date: 2007-07-11
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: European integration, competitiveness, cross-border cooperation, economic and social cohesion, regional authority, regional cooperation

27.10.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 256/131

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Euroregions’

(2007/C 256/23)

On 17 January 2006, the European Economic and Social Committee, acting under Rule 29(2) of its Rules of
Procedure, decided to draw up an opinion on Euroregions.

The Section for Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion, which was responsible
for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 21 June 2007. The rapporteur
was Mr Zufiaur.

At its 437th plenary session, held on 11 and 12 July 2007 (meeting of 11 July), the European Economic
and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 108 votes, with one abstention.

1. Background

1.1 Definition

Euroregions are permanent

1.1.1
intended to
promote cross-border cooperation between directly neigh-
bouring local or regional authorities located along shared State
borders.

structures

1.1.1.1
following:

Specific features (1) of

these structures include the

— Euroregions and similar structures are neither a new form of
administration nor a new level of government; they are a
platform for exchange and for
‘horizontal’ cross-border
cooperation between local and regional government; they
also promote closer ‘vertical’ cooperation between regional
or local authorities, State governments and the European
institutions.

— They are associations of local and regional authorities from
both sides of a national border, sometimes with a parliamen-
tary assembly.

— They are cross-border associations with a permanent secre-
tariat, technical and administrative team and own resources.

— In some cases,

they are private-law bodies, based on
not-for-profit associations or foundations from either side of
a border, in accordance with their respective national laws.
In others, they are public-law bodies, based on inter-State
agreements, intended, inter alia, to secure the involvement
and cooperation of local and regional authorities.

— Euroregions are often not defined solely by their geogra-
phical or political/administrative boundaries but also share
common economic, social or cultural characteristics.

Various

1.1.2
are
used
Euroregio,
‘Euroregions’,
Region, Greater … Region, Regio, etc.

terms
including

designate

to
Euroregion,

different
European

which are selected on different bases according to regional and
geographical characteristics. In the early stages, or in the case of
working communities with very specific aims, the first priority
is to promote mutual understanding, develop cultural relations
and strengthen economic cooperation. Euroregions that have
more integrated structures and their own financial resources set
more ambitious aims for themselves. They address all types of
issues relating to cross-border cooperation,
from promoting
common interests in all areas to implementing and managing
cross-border programmes and practical projects.

1.2.2
Cross-border activities encompass not only socio-eco-
nomic development and cultural cooperation, but also other
areas of general
in particular
social affairs, health, education and training, research and devel-
opment, waste management, environmental protection and
landscape management, tourism and leisure, natural disasters,
transport and communication infrastructure.

interest to border communities,

1.2.3
Euroregions are considered to be an appropriate frame-
work for implementing European projects to improve labour
mobility and economic, social and territorial cohesion because
they implement cooperation procedures in cross-border areas,
and thus avoid conflicts of responsibility.

1.2.4
tion, from the ground up and in people's daily lives.

Euroregions help to boost EU construction and integra-

Cooperation across borders in turn helps to set

in
1.2.5
motion cross-border
forms of organisation and action on
common problems, such as inter-regional trade union commit-
tees, cooperation between business associations and chambers
of commerce and the creation of Euro-regional economic and
social committees, etc.

1.2 Aims

1.2.1
The main aim of Euroregions and other similar struc-
tures (2) is to ensure cross-border cooperation, the priorities of

The study group responsible for drawing up this
1.2.6
opinion had the opportunity to observe the truth of this asser-
tion at first hand, when it was invited by the Economic and
Social Committee of the Saar-Lor-Lux region (3) to a hearing in
Luxembourg on 13 February 2007.

(1) Features based on the AEBR, ‘Practical Guide to Cross-border Coopera-

tion’, 2000.

(2) The term ‘Euroregions’ can be assumed also to refer to other, similar

structures.

(3) Saarland, Lorraine, Luxembourg, Rheinland-Pfalz, Wallonia,

the
French-speaking Community of Belgium, the German-speaking Com-
munity of Belgium.

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1.3 Background

1.4 Forms of cooperation

is the
The Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg,
1.3.1
European organisation that has for decades addressed the issue
of Euroregions and that of cross-border cooperation in general.

1.3.2
The first experiments in cross-border regional coopera-
tion took place in the late 1940s. The Benelux Agreement,
signed in 1948, was an early attempt to cut across the dividing
lines formed by State borders. The Euregio was created in 1958
around the Dutch area of Enschede and the German area of
Gronau. Shortly afterwards, but at
the time outside the
European Community, various experiments were promoted in
Scandinavia,
in Oresund, North Calotte and Kvarken, which
straddle the borders of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

1.3.3
Between 1975 and 1985 a number of working
communities (WCs) were set up between regions in different
States, such as the Jura WC and the Pyrenean WC, with limited
scope to act.

1.3.4
Cross-border regional cooperation and the creation of
Euroregions have expanded since 1990 (4). The factors that have
contributed to this growth include:

— advances in European integration, especially with the crea-
tion of the single market, the introduction of the euro and
the enlargement of the EU;

— the

increasing decentralisation and regionalisation of

European countries;

— the increase in cross-border employment;

— the recognition, albeit limited, of the role played by the
regions in the governance of the European institutions;

— the implementation of Community cross-border cooperation

initiatives such as Interreg.

1.3.5
The two latest rounds of enlargement, which increased
the number of EU Member States from 15 to 27, have signifi-
cantly increased the number of border regions and of character-
istics associated with them. To be specific,
there are now
38 border regions as defined by NUTS II and the EU's borders
have grown from 7 137 kilometres in length to 14 300.

Through the Interreg III Community initiative for
1.4.1
cooperation between regions, the Commission has identified
three areas of cooperation:

— A — Cross-border cooperation

The aim of cross-border cooperation is to ensure economic
and social
integration by implementing common develop-
ment strategies and structured exchanges between commu-
nities on either side of a border.

— B — Trans-national cooperation

The aim of
trans-national cooperation between national,
regional and local authorities is to promote greater terri-
integration by forming large European groups of
torial
regions or macro-regions.

— C — Inter-regional cooperation

to step up
inter-regional cooperation is
The aim of
exchanges of information and experience, not necessarily
just in border regions.

Euroregions fall in particular under strand A and, increasingly,
also under strand B.

2. Community context

2.1
Various recent Community proposals have improved the
general framework in which the Euroregions operate. In the first
half of 2006, a number of important decisions with implica-
cooperation were adopted by the
tions
European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.

cross-border

for

2.2 The financial perspective

2.2.1
The Commission presented its initial proposal on the
revision of the financial perspective (2007-2013) (6) in 2004. In
this proposal for a Union of 27 Member States, the Commission
calculated the required level of expenditure to be around 1,14 %
of GNI for the period 2007-2013. In its opinion (7), the EESC
stated its support for increasing own resources to a maximum
of 1,30 % of GNI (an increase on the previous ceiling of 1,24 %),
in light of the major challenges facing the European Union. The
European Council of December 2005 set total expenditure for
the period 2007-2013 at 1,045 % of GNI. Lastly,
in April
following negotiations between the Council and the
2006,
European Parliament,
at
EUR 864 316 million, or 1,048 % of GNI.

the definitive proposal was

set

In its resolution (5) of December 2005, the European
1.3.6
Parliament considered that cross-border cooperation was of vital
importance to European integration and cohesion and called on
Member States and the Commission to promote and support
the use of Euroregions. Cross-border cooperation was also
included in the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for
Europe (Art. III-220).

(4) There are currently more than 168 Euroregions and similar structures.
Approximately half of the regions in the European Union's Member
States participate in Euroregions.

(5) European Parliament Resolution of 1 December 2005 on the role of

‘Euroregions’ in the development of regional policy.

This substantial

2.2.2
reduction has affected funding for
economic and social cohesion, which has fallen from 0,41 of
GNI in the EU-15 to 0,37 % in the EU-27. This has happened at
a time when the entry of the new Member States and other
challenges facing the EU such as globalisation call for more, not
fewer resources.

(6) COM(2004) 101 final.
(7) Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the
European Parliament — Building our common future: Policy challenges
and budgetary means of the enlarged Union 2007-2013, OJ C 74 of
23.3.2005, p. 32.

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2.2.3 With regard to territorial cooperation in Europe, the
new Objective 3 provides for EUR 8 720 million (2,44 % of the
0,37 % of GNI provided for cohesion), compared to the
EUR 13 000 million requested by the Commission in its
original proposal. Less money will clearly have to be stretched
further.

The EU's financial support for cross-border cooperation
2.2.4
has increased in relation to the previous period (2000-2006),
but the reduction in relation to the European Commission's
original proposals requires closer cooperation by regional and
local bodies and better use to be made of public-private partner-
ships. The resources planned now cover more border areas,
especially in Central and Eastern Europe, following the accession
of the 12 new Member States.

2.3 New regulations

The Commission's proposals, presented in July 2004,
2.3.1
on the Structural Funds for the period 2007-2013 set out the
aim of ‘convergence’ to replace the previous objective 1 and the
aim of ‘competitiveness and employment’ to replace the old
objective 2, and establish a new objective 3 — ‘European terri-
torial cooperation’ — which attaches greater importance to
actions in the regional cross-border sphere.

In particular,

this new objective 3 (8), which is
2.3.2
based on the experience of the Interreg Community initiative,
will
focus on promoting balanced integration between the
Union's regions, by means of cross-border, trans-national and
inter-regional cooperation.

2.4.3
aim to

The strategic guidelines for European cohesion policy

a) make the regions more attractive to investors;

b) promote innovation and entrepreneurship; and

c) create jobs; and more specifically to take account of the

regional dimension of cohesion policies.

As is well known, national borders often present an
2.4.4
obstacle to the development of Europe's territory as a whole,
and can restrict its competitive potential. One of
the main
objectives of Community cross-border cooperation is, therefore,
to eliminate the barrier effect between national borders and to
establish synergies to address problems requiring common solu-
tions.

Cohesion policy should focus on measures

that
2.4.5
bring added value to cross-border activities, such as increasing
cross-border competitiveness through innovation and research
and development; linking up intangible networks (services) or
physical networks (transport) to strengthen cross-border integra-
tion as a feature of European citizenship; promoting mobility
and transparency in the cross-border labour market; water
management and flood control; developing tourism; encoura-
ging the participation of economic and social actors; promoting
cultural heritage and improving land-use planning, etc.

2.5 A new legal base for territorial cooperation

2.3.3
The Committee drew up its opinions on the reform of
the Structural and Cohesion Funds in 2005 (9). The Council and
the European Parliament adopted the proposed new regulations
in 2006 (10).

2.5.1
Historically, the lack of a homogenous European legal
base for cross-border cooperation has acted as a brake on the
implementation of useful measures in this field.

2.4 Cohesion policy: strategic guidelines

The Commission communication (11) on the strategic
2.4.1
guidelines for cohesion policy was approved following the adop-
tion of the various regulations on the Structural Funds. This
communication confirms the importance of the new objective 3
— ‘European territorial cooperation’ — in all of
its three
strands: cross-border, trans-national and inter-regional coopera-
tion.

The aim of

the new cooperation objective is

2.4.2
to
promote greater territorial integration within the Union and to
reduce the ‘barrier effect’ by means of cross-border cooperation
and the exchange of good practice.

(8) COM(2004) 495 final, Article 6: European territorial cooperation.
(9) EESC opinions on the general provisions on the Funds: the Cohesion
Fund and the European Regional Development Fund and on the
European grouping of cross-border cooperation (EGCC), OJ C 255 of
14.10.2005, pp. 76, 79, 88 and 91.

(10) OJ L 210 of 31.7.2006.
(11) COM(2005) 299 final and COM(2006) 386 final, adopted by the

Council of Ministers on 5 October 2006.

2.5.2
In 2004, the Commission proposed that a European
grouping of cross-border cooperation (EGCC) be created. In its
later proposal, the Commission amended the name, replacing
the term ‘cross-border’ with ‘territorial’.

2.5.3
edges that:

The regulation (12) adopted on 31 July 2006 acknowl-

— Measures are necessary to reduce the significant difficulties
encountered by Member States and, in particular, by regional
and local authorities in implementing and managing actions
of territorial cooperation within the framework of differing
national laws and procedures.

— In order to overcome the obstacles hindering territorial
cooperation, it is necessary to institute a cooperation instru-
ment at Community level for the creation of cooperative
invested with legal
groupings
territorial
called
personality,
cooperation’ (EGTC).

‘European groupings of

in Community territory,

(12) OJ L 210 of 31.7.2006, page 19.

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— The conditions for territorial cooperation should be created
in accordance with the subsidiarity principle enshrined in
Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of
proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation
does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve its
objectives, recourse to an EGTC being optional, in accord-
ance with the constitutional system of each Member State.

3. Economic integration and social and territorial cohesion

3.1 Integration and specialisation

In the larger, older States, most economic activity has
3.1.1
tended to be concentrated in the central part of the country and
often in the capital and largest cities. Within each State, a degree
of regional economic specialisation has developed.

3.1.2
European integration encourages the creation of new
areas of cooperation such as the Euroregions. European integra-
tion has meant that regional specialisation no longer takes place
within each State but, increasingly, at European level. Borders
between States no longer constitute an insurmountable barrier
to trade. This encourages new relations between regions — with
sometimes differing levels of development — from different
Member States but which have common aims, against the back-
drop of increasing specialisation at the European level.

3.1.3
Cooperation of this nature is particularly needed for
small-scale activities that suffer most acutely as a result of the
border effect. SMEs are a case in point.

the view that

The EESC is of

3.1.4
the Euroregions
should make a substantial contribution to the aims of EU
economic, social and territorial cohesion policy. To this end, the
main aims of
the EU's new territorial policy proposal are:
convergence and increased competitiveness and employment,
especially in the less prosperous regions and in those facing new
specialisation-related challenges.

3.2 Competitiveness

3.2.1
Euroregions are conducive to economies of scale. In
short, they offer increased market size (agglomeration econo-
mies), complementarity of production factors and greater incen-
tives for investment. It is estimated that some investments in
innovation and development can have a direct impact at a
distance of 250-500 kilometres. Although some Euroregions are
larger, the average Euroregion stretches from 50 to 100 kilo-
metres.

Euroregions are crucial to achieving critical mass in
3.2.2
certain fields, making possible a range of investment in key
services
that would not be possible without cross-border
cooperation.

3.2.3
To increase competitiveness, cross-border cooperation
between regional and local authorities can provide distinct
public benefits, such as:

— information, communication, energy and transport networks

and other cross-border infrastructure;

— public services, such as schools, hospitals and emergency

services;

— institutions and services that promote private economic
activity, including trade development, entrepreneurship and
partnerships between cross-border undertakings, creating
new job opportunities and worker mobility.

3.3 Cohesion: problems affecting cross-border employment

3.3.1 Most Euroregions contain regions with a similar level
some Euroregions also include
of development. However,
regions with different
the
purposes of the Euroregions is to promote economic and other
types of activity that reduce inter-regional disparities. Greater
involvement on the part of the States concerned and the EU is
crucial to achieving this.

levels of development. One of

3.3.2
Investment in basic social services in border areas is
typically lower than investment in more central areas in each
country, often as a consequence of the weaker influence of
border areas in the decision-making centres. In many cases, this
results in the inadequate funding of high-quality, diverse and
profitable services, in particular those serving the most vulner-
able members of
immigrants,
families on a low income, the disabled, the chronically ill, etc.

including children,

society,

3.3.3
Euroregions can play a key role in developing this type
of service and in ensuring that these social sectors are conse-
quently given greater protection as the result of a cross-border
approach. Furthermore, Euroregions can also to a large extent
help to surmount the legal, administrative and financial barriers
and disparities that hamper the progress of these communities.
They also help to eradicate long-standing prejudices, prepare
joint studies and improve mutual understanding of the differ-
ences between them.

The legal shortcomings relating to the free movement
3.3.4
of frontier workers and the inadequate harmonisation in this
field have only been partially remedied by the Community
acquis and the Court of Justice. Due to the growing number of
frontier workers, this situation has become a matter of impor-
tance at European level, in particular as regards taxation, social
security and social assistance, where definitions and approaches
still differ on concepts such as residence, family circumstances,
reimbursement of health costs and dual taxation — along with
other types of administrative constraint (13).

(13) The EESC's future Employment Observatory could follow-up the issue

of border and cross-border work in Europe.

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4. Cross-border cooperation — added value for European

integration

4.1 Surmounting borders

4.1.1
The need to overcome obstacles to integration is a
daily reality for people living in border areas. The aim is not to
change borders or to infringe State sovereignty but to facilitate
effective
life,
improving living conditions and making a citizens' Europe a
reality.

cooperation on all

cross-border

aspects of

The

EU's

borders have

largely moved

4.1.2
beyond
their traditional role of forming a barrier, but economic, socio-
cultural, administrative and legal differences still remain and this
is particularly striking at the EU's external borders. The aim of
cooperation in cross-border areas is, therefore, to develop coop-
eration-based structures, procedures and instruments that help
to remove administrative and legal obstacles, eliminate factors
that have, historically, been divisive and make ‘neighbourhood’ a
factor for mobility, economic development and social progress.
The aim,
is to make cross-border regions ‘areas of
shared prosperity’.

in short,

4.2 Added value

Cross-border cooperation and its steady implementa-
4.2.1
tion by Euroregions not only helps to prevent conflict, deal
with disasters or overcome psychological barriers; it also clearly
improves development on both sides of a border. This added
value can be seen at the political, institutional, economic, social
and cultural levels and also in terms of European integration.
Cross-border cooperation makes a very useful contribution to
promoting peaceful co-existence and European security and
integration. It is a highly effective means of implementing the
Community
and
economic, social and territorial cohesion, and of bolstering the
full integration of the new Member States into the EU.

subsidiarity,

partnership

principles

of

4.2.2
These permanent structures for cross-border coopera-
tion help to ensure the active and sustained involvement of the
general public and administrations and of trans-national poli-
tical and social groups. They ensure mutual understanding and
help to build a vertical and horizontal partnership on the basis
of different national structures and powers. This also facilitates
the management of cross-border programmes and projects or
the joint management of funding from different sources (such as
Community or national funds, their own resources or funds
from third parties). The EESC considers that the joint implemen-
tation of this type of initiative can be more successful and effec-
tive if organised civil society plays a leading role in it.

4.2.3
From the socio-economic point of view, cross-border
cooperation structures facilitate the following: a) harnessing the
endogenous potential of all actors (chambers of commerce,
associations, businesses, trade unions, social and cultural institu-
tions, environmental organisations or tourism bodies, amongst
many others); b) opening up labour markets and harmonising
professional qualifications and c) enhancing economic develop-
ment and job creation by means of measures in other sectors
such as infrastructure,
the environment,
education, research and cooperation between SMEs.

transport,

tourism,

the

field,

In the

socio-cultural

4.2.4
added value of
cross-border cooperation lies in the ongoing dissemination of
general knowledge. This dissemination of knowledge should be
‘cross-border continuum’ which can be
seen as a kind of
accessed in different publications and formats. Similarly, it helps
to guarantee a network of bodies that act as multipliers. This
applies to centres of education, environmental protection orga-
nisations, cultural associations,
libraries, museums, etc. Cross-
border cooperation also promotes equal opportunities and a
broad knowledge of the language of the neighbouring country,
or even of local dialects, which are key components of cross-
border regional development and a prerequisite for communica-
tion.

4.2.5
Viewed in this light, cross-border cooperation bolstered
by permanent structures such as the Euroregions adds value to
national measures through the additionality of cross-border
programmes and projects, the synergies that are created, joint
research and innovation, the creation of dynamic and stable
networks, the exchange of knowledge and good practice, the
indirect effects of surmounting borders and the cross-border
and efficient management of available resources.

4.3 Obstacles

Nevertheless, different factors hampering cross-border coopera-
tion remain (14), most notably:

— Legal

limitations imposed by national

legislation on the

cross-border activity of regional and local administrations.

— Differences
different
border.

the
in the structure and responsibilities of
levels of administration on the two sides of a

— The lack of political will, especially at national level, to elimi-
nate restrictions, for example by means of national regula-
tions or bilateral treaties.

— The absence of common frameworks for taxation and social
security or the recognition of academic and professional
qualifications.

— Structural economic differences on the two sides of a

border.

— Linguistic, cultural and psychological barriers,

including

prejudice and historical grudges between communities.

4.4 General principles of cross-border cooperation

A

number

4.4.1
Europe
help to identify a set of general principles for the success of
cross-border cooperation:

throughout

examples

of

— Proximity to the general public. The inhabitants of border
areas want cooperation, as a means of overcoming the
problems they face or of improving their living conditions.

(14) EESC opinion on The management of

change in
cross-border regions following EU enlargement, of 21 April 2006 —
OJ C 185, 8.8.2006.

industrial

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— The involvement of political representatives (local, regional,
national and European) is crucial to successful cross-border
cooperation.

between two or more States. The involvement of the social part-
ners in the EURES network in cross-border areas is an impor-
tant practical expression of this principle.

— Subsidiarity. The local and regional level has proved to be
the most effective for developing cross-border cooperation,
although an alliance is needed with national governments.

— Partnership. The involvement of all actors from both sides

of the border is essential to achieving common goals.

6. Conclusions and recommendations

— Joint

resources

structures with

(technical,
common
administrative, financial and decision-making instruments)
are a guarantee of lasting and constantly evolving activity.
They are also a guarantee of being able to exercise certain
European
powers, manage
programmes, achieve cross-border consensus and to prevent
national self-interest from taking over.

programmes,

including

5. Towards cooperation-based governance

5.1 A new form of governance needed for new regions

5.1.1
Euroregions are territorial units that put into practice
new models of cooperation within the public sector, within the
private sector and between these two sectors, with the aim of
framing new joined-up policies, and with the greater involve-
ment of all of the genuine stakeholders.

5.1.2
The concept of governance denotes a more participa-
tory and horizontal form of governing than traditional, more
hierarchical and vertical forms. The issue of governance in the
Euroregions is particularly complex and interesting and hinges
on finding common solutions to common problems.

5.1.3
role
nonetheless
economic, social and territorial cohesion policy.

Furthermore, Euroregions increasingly play a minor but
in the European governance of

crucial

The EESC, therefore, considers that the Euroregions
5.1.4
and similar structures should make a key contribution to
deepening the process of European integration and unification.

In turn, creating Euroregions

requires cooperation
5.1.5
between institutional and social actors, who often have very
different traditions and mindsets. Simply living in close proxi-
mity to one's neighbours does not always mean more coopera-
tion with them. Hence the important role of the institutions and
civil society organisations in horizontal governance.

6.1
The adoption of the Regulation on a European grouping
of territorial cooperation (EGTC) and its inclusion of a new
objective for territorial cooperation have given Euroregions new
scope for action. Firstly, because it establishes a Community
legal instrument for cross-border cooperation and also makes it
possible for Member States, at their different levels, to become
involved in cross-border territorial cooperation. Secondly, the
move from ‘cross-border cooperation’ to ‘territorial cooperation’
means that the Euroregions can extend their sphere of activity
beyond the issues typically covered by cooperation at the local
level or with neighbouring local authorities, and fully develop
larger territories that share common synergies and potential.

6.2
The EESC therefore considers that the territorial coopera-
tion promoted by the Euroregions is a key factor in promoting
European integration, reducing the economic, social and cultural
fragmentation created by national borders and in developing
economic, social and territorial cohesion. For this reason, the
EESC calls for particular attention to be given to cross-border
territorial cohesion in the forthcoming debate on the definitive
adoption of the European constitutional treaty.

To ensure that European territorial cooperation is able to
6.3
meet the expectations created by the reforms referred to above,
the EESC considers that national States and their intermediate
structures will need to be more closely involved in developing
the Euroregions. National strategies for territorial cooperation in
the Community framework would be required to achieve this.
In particular, States would have to help to solve the most
pressing problems facing their cross-border communities, which
generally concern the labour market, healthcare, social services,
education and transport.

6.4
In the EESC's view, in order to make territorial coopera-
tion activities more effective and in line with the principle of
subsidiarity, there should be greater direct management by the
EGTCs of cross-border and,
trans-national
projects financed by Community or national funds.

in certain cases,

The participation of economic and social actors in the
5.1.6
frameworks
governance of Euroregions requires institutional
that enable this system to work. Civil society organisations must
be involved in drawing up and implementing the policies estab-
levels of cross-border cooperation
lished by the different

6.5
Turning Euroregions into ‘areas of shared prosperity’
would require greater involvement by the private business sector
in cross-border development
(including the social economy)
initiatives, given the importance of small and medium-sized
businesses in maintaining the production fabric and in job crea-
tion.

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6.6
The EESC believes that, like the EGTCs created in accord-
ance with Regulation No 1082/2006, the Euroregions are the
ideal physical expression of the principles of European govern-
ance that the Commission set out in its 2001 White Paper. The
EESC therefore considers that the effectiveness of cross-border
activities and policies and of territorial cooperation in general
depend on achieving a genuine ‘partnership’ between all of the
territorial and socio-economic stakeholders concerned. Accord-
ingly, the EESC calls for methods of participation to be estab-
lished for organisations representing organised civil society in
territorial cooperation projects.

6.7
In particular, the EESC is of the view that the EURES
network should be made a European instrument that really
plays a key role in mediating between labour supply and
demand. The cross-border sphere is in this sense a testbed. The
EESC therefore regrets the trend seen in recent years towards the
thinks
re-nationalisation of EURES's management, which it
should be genuinely cross-border in nature. It should be added
that EURES not only acts as a mediator in the labour market
but also plays a major role in promoting social dialogue in
neighbouring trans-national areas.

It is generally accepted that socio-economic organisations
6.8
play an important role in European integration. The EESC there-
fore welcomes
trans-nationalisation
conducted by inter-regional union councils, the different forms
of trans-national cooperation and association implemented by
business organisations, chambers of commerce, research insti-

experiments

the

in

and universities
and social

creation of Euro-regional
and the
tutes
economic
amongst others. The
committees,
Committee encourages their consolidation and development and
offers the possibility of assistance.

6.9
In the EESC's view, Euroregions play a major role in
regions sharing a border with third countries and can play an
even greater one, both from the point of view of economic
development and of public security and social integration. The
EESC therefore calls for this type of body and the activities that
it can carry out to be included in the EU's Neighbourhood and
Pre-Accession policies.

Given the great wealth of experiments carried out on
6.10
cross-border activity (some examples of which are provided in
the appendix to this opinion) and the considerable ignorance
about these schemes, even amongst the Euroregions themselves,
if the
the EESC considers that it would be extremely useful
in the
Commission were to draw up a ‘good practice guide’
field,
including examples of successful public-private partner-
ships.

examined exhaustively in a

6.11
Since an issue as multifaceted as this one can clearly
the
not be
EESC considers that it would be useful to study the issue —
cross-border territorial cooperation and its support structures
— in greater detail in other opinions on cross-border issues of
common interest, such as the labour market, tourism, develop-
ment hubs, etc.

single opinion,

Brussels, 11 July 2007.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Dimitris DIMITRIADIS