Sittings · Document
Follow-up to the European Parliament non-legislative resolution on current and future challenges regarding cross-border cooperation with neighbouring countries
Rapporteur: Daniel BUDA (EPP / RO)
Reference numbers: 2023/2076 (INI) / A9-0415/2023 / P9_TA(2024)0015
Date of adoption of the resolution: 16 January 2024
Competent Parliamentary Committee: Committee on Regional Development (REGI)
Brief analysis/ assessment of the resolution and requests made in it:
The resolution underlines the potential of cross-border cooperation with neighbouring countries, particularly in more sparsely populated cross-border areas, in such fields as renewable energy and the circular economy. The Parliament calls for funds from cross-border programmes to be used for the development of sustainable transport infrastructure, including the construction of railway connections and storage facilities near the EU’s borders with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.
The Parliament calls for support for more sustainable infrastructure projects that contribute to improving the connectivity of cross-border regions with strong focus on the Black Sea, to address security issues, including those related to regional conflicts and energy security, and encouraging projects to upgrade ports and related infrastructure and increase their connections to existing transport hubs, in particular, for their connection to TEN-T corridors.
The Parliament asks for a more coordinated and efficient use of existing funds, to increase the competitiveness of the Mediterranean basin while fostering the potential of onshore and offshore renewable energy and invites the European Council to ask the Commission to submit and adopt a detailed macro-regional strategy for the Mediterranean.
The resolution notes that the existence of different legal and institutional frameworks creates additional obstacles to project implementation. It stresses that the EU and the Member States should cooperate more closely with neighbouring countries in the field of healthcare and emergency services. It recommends greater complementarity between projects and stresses the need for synergies with other EU funding tools. It recommends developing a fully integrated infrastructure strategy (road, rail, water).
The Commission is requested to reduce the bureaucratic burden, considerably simplify procedures and reduce hurdles related to different legislation; paying attention to rural areas in cross-border regions, as they are particularly affected by demographic challenges; The resolution calls for better coordination, dialogue and a further exchange of best practices between regions and states, for instance through a platform like INTERREG Europe.
The resolution stresses that, in accordance with the partnership principle, regional and local authorities and representatives of civil society and the private sector should be involved, in the preparation and implementation of projects from the outset. The Commission is called to consider providing technical support to local and regional authorities in neighbouring countries to help them develop and implement territorial cooperation projects and to continue integrating the Sustainable Development Goals into the future action plans.
Response to requests and overview of actions taken, or intended to be taken, by the Commission:
(Paragraph 4) The involvement of the private sector is particularly encouraged and enabled, not only for financial investment reasons, but also for its ability to bring innovative solutions for common projects, which can then be mainstreamed and emulated. As to the allocation being judged far from optimal for 2021-2027 and the need to strengthen the financing of programmes, it is up to the Parliament as budgetary authority to exercise its leeway on the size of financing.
(Paragraph 11) Interreg programmes are developed by the representatives of the participating countries, including representatives of regional and local authorities and socio-economic partners. These stakeholders decide on the thematic focus of the programmes, withing the scope determined by the legislation. Developing a sustainable economy and investing in the quality of jobs remain important topics for the programmes.
(Paragraph 14) Interreg programmes provide the possibility to invest in cross-border infrastructure, within the limits of the financial size of these programmes. All Interreg cross-border programmes that include Ukraine and Moldova allow for investments aimed at improving border connectivity.
(Paragraph 16) Interreg programmes are developed by the participating Member States and, in the case of external border, neighbouring countries, according to their most important development needs and challenges. The applicable legal framework allows for providing support for improving cross-border connectivity.
(Paragraph 17) Interreg cross-border programmes implemented between Member States and Ukraine and Moldova support projects which increase border connectivity. They received at the end of 2023, an additional EUR 160 million reallocated from the discontinued programmes with Russia and Belarus and allowing to add more actions to the programmes, including support for border authorities.
(Paragraph 27) The Interreg Black Sea Basin programme (EUR 85 million for 2021-2027 period) focuses on three cooperation priorities related (1) research and innovation (2) climate change adaptation, risk disaster, protection of nature and biodiversity, and fighting all sorts of pollution and (3) building mutual trust, enhancing sustainable democracy and supporting civil society actors. All priorities are commonly agreed by the 8 participating countries of the programme. The participating countries have agreed on the eligible beneficiaries, i.e: public authorities, bodies governed by public law and non-profit organizations.
(Paragraph 30) The Interreg NEXT MED programme provides financing for the green transition in the Mediterranean sea basin. In particular, the programme aims to improve the framework conditions for the uptake of technologies and the broad implementation of energy efficiency measures and their combination with renewable energy.
(Paragraph 37) As recognised in paragraph 37, it is not for the Commission to initiate a macro-regional strategy. The preparation of such a strategy requires a comprehensive participatory process of all key partners and stakeholders, including Member States and regions. It also requires the unanimous political support of all countries in the geographical area concerned and formal endorsement by the European Council. The creation of a new macro-regional strategy necessitates significant administrative and financial investment from all countries concerned. It also implies demonstrating the added value of a new strategy compared to existing cooperation frameworks, while avoiding overlapping processes and structures. This is especially important in the Mediterranean, where multiple frameworks for cooperation already exist such as the Union for the Mediterranean, the EU macro-regional strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian region and the EU sea-basin strategy covering the Western Mediterranean.
(Paragraph 38) Interreg programmes have the possibility to select an Interreg-specific Objective on better cooperation governance, which allows for cooperation between different administrative bodies to simplify and streamline existing procedures in order to facilitate cross-border cooperation.
(Paragraph 43) Interreg programmes are developed by a wide range of stakeholders which represent participating countries. Such an approach allows for the preparation of programmes which are adapted to the needs of the countries and regions concerned.
(Paragraph 53) Interreg programmes are developed jointly by the participating countries, including neighbouring countries.
(Paragraph 58) The Interreg Regulation requires all Interreg programmes to cater for complementarity and synergies with other funding programmes and instruments. Each programme needs to demonstrate how such complementarity and synergies are ensured.
(Paragraph 60) Interreg programmes support the cooperation of public authorities with other stakeholders, including in the development of joint strategies, plans and exchange of experiences in a wide range of policies. Interreg cross-border programmes invest in smart mobility and sustainable mobility solutions.
(Paragraph 62) The Commission has been promoting the full use of all simplification opportunities introduced in the legal framework for cohesion policy in the 2021-2027 Interreg programmes. This includes promoting the use of simplified costs options, which significantly reduce the administrative burden on beneficiaries and institutions.
(Paragraph 63) The Interreg Europe programme allows for cooperation and mutual learning between Member States and partner countries at all levels of governance – national, regional, local. The programme was amended in 2023 to extend its coverage to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine.
(Paragraph 64) Interreg programmes are prepared and implemented in accordance with the multi-level governance and the partnership principles, which promote cooperation between different levels of authorities and socio-economic representatives. In particular, the partnership principle is ensured by respecting the requirements set out in the European code of conduct on partnership established by Delegated Regulation (EU) No 240/2014.
(Paragraph 65) Interreg programmes promote sustainable development and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Conditions for the next generation of programmes will be defined in the relevant legal basis.
(Paragraph 66) Interreg programmes provide a unique opportunity for partner countries to implement EU funding programmes on equal footing with the Member States. Authorities of partner countries benefit from cooperation and the exchange of experiences with Member States’ authorities and the European Commission. Programmes receive technical assistance funding which is used for capacity building. In addition, the European Commission is directly cooperating with the authorities of partner countries to promote existing tools for development of administrative capacity.