European Overview

The intensity of the cooperation beyond borders in Central-Europe and South-East-Europe is lower than in Western-Europe because the nationalizing of the states and the homogenization processes are barriers in front of the developing of the border regions. European territorial cooperation is not possible without decentralisation. The European Union has established a new legal instrument, a new form of cooperation of the European territorial cooperation, namely European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (2007-13; Objective 3, Regulation 1082/2006/EC). It substantially contributes to European integration and to implementation of cross-border strategies. Furthermore, it brings EU policies closer to people; it means European, political, institutional and sociocultural added value. Successfully strengthened territorial cooperation needs an appropriate legislative framework in terms of local governance, local administrative reforms and capacity building. To overcome obstacles and barriers created by borders due to national law and the different administrative structures and competences is the willingness of local and regional authorities.