Snapshot of EGTC’s with Hungarian participation (2022)

Overview of the situation and performance of the EGTCs with Hungarian participation

Author
Melinda Benczi

László Darányi

Kitti Dubniczki

Roland Hesz

Viktória Jánosi

Olivér Kriska

Gyula Ocskay
Translator
Ilka Molnár
Year of publicaton
2022
Language
Hungarian (HU), English (EN)

You can reach the Contents at any point of the study by using the up arrow in the bottom right-hand corner.

Table of contents

Opening remarks

Since its foundation in 2009, the Central European Service for Cross-Border Initiatives (CESCI) has played an important role in policy interventions regarding the operation of European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs). Until 2022, our association participated in an expert capacity in the establishment of 12 EGTCs (with headquarters in Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and the Netherlands) and elaborated 7 integrated development strategies of them. It also supports project development, communication and event organisation activities of the Hungarian EGTCs. CESCI is a founding member of the EGTC Platform set up by the European Committee of the Regions. Furthermore, it is an initiator and operator of the EGTC Workshop, which meets three times a year to facilitate exchange of knowledge between Hungarian associations. Additionally, it contributes to the development of the EU- and Hungary-related policy frameworks by making recommendations. To this end, CESCI created the EGTC Monitor, which is a detailed database of the activities of Hungarian groupings, and it also regularly analyses and assesses the achievements and development potential, as well as the changing development frameworks. In this area, we work closely with the European Committee of the Regions, the European Commission and the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (henceforth referred to as MFA), which is responsible for the public authority and policy tasks related to the establishment and operation of the EGTCs.

The Regulation (EC) No 1082/2006 first enabled the establishment of the EGTCs, as of summer 2007. Hungary was one of the first countries to adopt the national legislation related to the EU regulation in 2007, and henceforth, the EGTCs could be established in Hungary as well. The European Committee of the Regions announced the first registered EGTC in the European Union in January 2008, followed by the announcement of the second registered EGTC in November. The latter was the first EGTC with Hungarian participants, namely the Ister-Granum EGTC. The Government of Hungary has been providing professional and financial support for the operation of the EGTCs since 2010, including the integration of EGTC development needs into policies, the organisation of workshops for EGTC managers, and supporting their training. Uniquely in Europe, the Hungarian government has provided financial support from the central state budget for the operation of the groupings since 2011. EGTCs with Hungarian members can usually apply annually for non-refundable funding within tenders supporting the operation, for which, self-financing is not a prerequisite. The funding is paid in the form of pre-financing.

The present study aims to overview the operation of the EGTCs in Hungary over the past 10 years and the main achievements of this period. For the analysis we used, among others, the project database created for the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade by the EGTCs, which contains data on nearly 440 projects of the groupings. We also used the results of a survey among the EGTCs, conducted by CESCI, which was completed by 15 EGTCs. Out of the 21 EGTCs, registered in Hungary or having Hungarian members, the above mentioned 15 EGTCs are currently active in cross-border regional development. Therefore, the present analysis focuses on these active EGTCs.

Project database

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade annually collects data on EGTC projects from the EGTCs with Hungarian members. The most recent data, received in June 2022, included projects of 14 EGTCs, from the establishment of the EGTCs until the completion of the data sheets.

The database, structured according to a predefined pattern, collected EGTC projects in five categories: Completed projects; Projects under implementation; Projects under evaluation; Rejected projects; Projects managed by the EGTCs as a non-project partner. The EGTCs must provide, among others, the project title, a brief description, the abbreviated title, the funding source, the budget and time horizon for implementation.

CESCI employees organised the data regarding each EGTC into a database, converted the budgets in different currencies into euros and defined the thematic classification of the projects based on the brief description of the projects. In this study, the projects are listed by the year in which their implementation started.

Questionnaire for the EGTCs

CESCI employees first updated a questionnaire for the study book “Overview of the EGTCs around Hungary”, first published in 2016, and then conducted an online survey among the EGTCs in Hungary with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The first questionnaire was completed between the 15th and 18th of June 2022 by a total number of 15 EGTCs. The processing of the data received was completed in summer 2022.

The main topics covered by the questionnaire were the following ones: basic data regarding the membership and organisation of the EGTCs as of 31 December 2021; the characteristics and budgets of the EGTCs’ operation; areas of activity and most significant projects; factors obstructing cooperation; and patterns of contact.

The questionnaire mostly contained close-ended questions, but in certain cases, longer responses were allowed as well.

The extent and characteristics of the Hungarian EGTC partner network

The map below illustrates the development of the EGTC network in Hungary. Since the establishment of the first Hungarian EGTC, Ister-Granum, in 2008, the Hungarian EGTC network has become quite extended. Nowadays, each Hungarian county with a state border is covered by the operation activities of at least one EGTC. Only the Austrian-Hungarian common borderland is not covered by a grouping involving partners from both countries. The EGTC network expanded spectacularly, especially between 2010 and 2018. In the early years, smaller EGTCs were established, then with the involvement of county- and regional level municipalities (e.g. Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, Košice county, Baranya county, Međimurje county), networks emerged covering a much greater area. Around 2009-2010, the Hungarian EGTC network expanded most dynamically with Slovak partners, followed by the gradual establishment of the EGTCs in Romanian and Serbian, and later in Croatian and Slovenian border areas. In fact, the Tisza EGTC, established in 2016, is the first grouping of territorial cooperation in Europe founded by regional actors of an EU Member State (Hungary) and a non-EU Member State (Ukraine).

The EGTC members in Hungary are typically municipal and county governments, as well as other public institutions in a smaller number. In more than half of the EGTCs with relation to Hungary, only municipal governments work together, and in three cases the members are only county governments. In four cases there is mixed membership.

The number of members has not changed since their foundation in the case of one third of the EGTCs. When the number of members has changed, the increase in membership has been mostly small (less than 15%), except in the case of the Arrabona EGTC (90%) and the Gate to Europe EGTC (77%). here was a decrease in membership only in one case: the Ister-Granum EGTC went from 86 to 82 members between 2008 and 2021.

The EGTCs not only develop active cooperation and partnerships in their own regions, but also maintain regular professional relations with each other. The direction and intensity of these contacts were assessed by a questionnaire, the results of which are presented in the map below. The thickness of the lines connecting the two EGTCs indicates the level of perceived strength of the connection between the parties concerned. The darkness of the dot marking the location of an EGTC indicates the overall significance of the EGTCs in the network perceived by others. It is shown, that the intensity of the connection is strongly influenced by regional characteristics: the EGTCs located closer to each other, nevertheless not managing the same border (such as Tisza EGTC and Banat-Triplex-Confinium EGTC or MURABA EGTC and Arrabona EGTC) usually have stronger connections than those EGTCs that are located at opposite side of the country. Overall, the MURABA EGTC and the Ister-Granum EGTC seem to be having the most intense cooperation between them, perhaps due to the relatively high number of projects implemented by the EGTCs concerned.

The following chart illustrates how the EGTCs that completed the questionnaire rate the frequency of their communication with different types of institutions and organisations on a scale of 1 to 4. Although there are significant differences between the EGTCs, namely they most frequently communicate (usually weekly or monthly) with local governments, NGOs, Hungarian county authorities and Hungarian companies. At the other end of the scale, there are scientific organisations from other countries, such as EU institutions, business organisations from other countries (e.g. chambers of commerce), which the EGTCs only contact annually or even less frequently. According to the self-assessment of the associations, the most frequently communicating EGTCs are Arrabona, Mura Region and Tisza EGTC.

Since their foundation, the EGTCs have experienced a clearly positive change in their network of connections. 33% of the groupings said that their relations have become much more intense, 54% said that they have multiplied, but not significantly, while only 13% said that the main parameters of their network have not changed.

The Hungarian EGTCs typically have no active connections with other European EGTCs. In 2021, only the European Common Future Building EGTC was in contact with the Karawanken EGTC. Without any doubt, there is still unexploited potential to strengthen the cooperation with the European associations.

The EGTCs’ capacities

Human resource capacity

One of the indicators of the EGTCs’ human resource capacity is the number of employees. While initially the EGTCs had 1.3 employees on average when they were founded (the Arrabona EGTC and the Gate to Europe EGTC started out with the highest number of employees, three, but four EGTCs started out without any permanent employees), the average number of employees increased to 5.2 by 2021. The rate of increase, however, vary considerably between the EGTCs: the Rába-Danube-Vág EGTC increased its number of employees by 14, the Pannon EGTC by 10 and the Via Carpatia by 9, while ten EGTCs increased their workforce by less than 5 employees compared to the number of employees when founded. At the same time, none of the EGTCs decreased the number of employees.

In terms of human resource capacity, it is important to note, that targeted professional training courses have been available for EGTC employees in recent years, such as the training of cross-border development desk officers at EDUTUS University.

Financial capacity

The following two charts show the tendency of the income and expenses of the EGTCs based on the simplified annual reports of the groupings. Incomes and expenses developed broadly in parallel over the period under discussion. The surge in income is usually accompanied by a similar amount of expense. This indicates that the main sources of income for the groupings derive from the various tenders. These resources are already utilized in the same financial year, so financial reserves are not typically set aside.

For half of the EGTCs, their income exceeded EUR 100,000 at most once since their foundation. Two groupings, the Arrabona and the Ister-Granum EGTC, had almost equal incomes of around EUR 270,000 in 2021, but their financial results in the previous years developed differently. Three of the EGTCs (RDV, Pannon, Via Carpatia) showed an outstanding increase in income in recent years, which is closely linked to the budgets of the highly important Interreg projects they won. The Pons Danubii EGTC’s income showed the most dynamic alterations over the last 10 years – each of the significant surges were due to a high priority project.

As for the development of the incomes and the annual financial results of the EGTCs between 2017 and 2021, half of the EGTCs surveyed typically had an income below EUR 100,000, while the vast majority of the EGTCs ended each year with a slighlty positive financial result. The EGTCs that had a different result from this average were typically involved in several major projects in the given years.

Overall, the EGTCs’ income is largely made up of EU funding, mainly from cross-border cooperation programmes (69%), but other public funding (13%) and member contributions (10%) also make up a significant share. At the same time, however, the contibution of business activities to the overall income is relatively small, thus, this aspect may need to be strenghtened in the future.

Looking at the above data, broken down by EGTCs, it shows that the share of EU funding fluctuates between 0% and 90%, other public funding between 5% and 70% while the member contributions vary between 0% and 30%. This suggests that the EGTCs follow entirely different financial strategies.

Challenges and difficulties of the EGTCs with Hungarian members

According to the EGTCs participating in the research, the factors that complicate the cooperation the most are the following ones: the scarcity of available financial resources; the legal and administrative obstacles regarding the operation of the EGTCs; and the different authorities of the municipalities within the groupings representing the two sides of the border. Fortunately, according to the EGTCs the least problematic factors were the ones that are important when it comes to building cross-border mutual trust (such as prejudices and cultural barriers).

Intriguingly, most of the EGTCs identified 4 to 5 out of the 9 barriers listed in the questionnaire, while the three EGTCs that performed best in project implementation identified 7 to 8 barriers. This suggests that more intensive cooperation also brings about a higher number and more types of barriers.

The role and function of EGTCs

Project implementation

Based on the data in the MFA’s project registry, the total value of projects implemented, under implementation, under assessment, rejected or managed by the EGTCs not as a project partner until summer 2022 is EUR 210 million. These include an almost equal share of projects that were in progress during 2022(EUR 58.5 million); projects that were previously rejected (EUR 60.7 million); and projects managed by the EGTCs through providing professional services rather than working on them as project partners as per the request of actors in the border region (EUR 57.4 million). The total value of the projects already implemented (completed) by summer 2022 was EUR 16.6 million, and the value of those still under assessment was EUR 19.9 million. This means that in the last 10 years, the EGTCs with Hungarian members were actively involved in the utilization of more than EUR 75 million worth of funding, and they played a role in the management of more than EUR 57 million worth of projects along the Hungarian borders. In addition, they also prepared nearly EUR 20 million worth of projects pending implementation. Beside the favourable tendencies, however, the high rejection rate of projects suggests that the groupings still need direct or indirect support to prepare proposals.

The graph below shows the total cost of the different types of projects per EGTCs, excluding projects in progress and projects previously rejected. Out of all the surveyed EGTCs, the performance of the Arrabona EGTC was outstanding: since its foundtion, it managed projects with a total value of EUR 30 million, mostly (95% of the cases) by providing services to partners (regional development). The total cost of the Pons Danubii and the Carpatia EGTC was also over EUR 20 million, but in their case it derived mostly from participating as a project partner. Apart from these EGTCs, three other groupings, the RDV, the Pontibus and the Ister-Granum, have projects with a total value exceeded EUR 10 million. In case of the latter, the share of call for proposals managed as non-project partners is marginal. Strikingly, the development work with the highest value was carried out by the groupings along the Hungarian-Slovak border, which can be mostly explained by the innovative, territorial approach of the programme (territorial action plans and small project fund management). In case of seven further EGTCs, the total value of projects surpassed EUR 1 million.

The support system, provided by the MFA, played an important role in creating the institutional background necessary for the preparation and implementation of projects – on account of which, the EGTCs with Hungarian members received financial support worth around EUR 6.5 million since 2011. The fund essentially contributed to the costs of operation activities, but during the first three years, it was also possible to apply for funding for establishment purposes. Comparing the the total amount of the fund so far with the above figures, it is clear that the Hungarian government’s support for its own projects contributed to more than ten times the value of cross-border investment. Taking into account the projects managed by the EGTCs not as project partners as well, a twenty-fold return can be observed.

The above figures are somewhat qualified by the fact that the budgets of the projects under analysis did not fully belong to the EGTCs in all cases, but were shared between the members of a partnership, out of which, the groupings had 30% of the total budget of the projects on average.

While it can take several years to complete a project, if all projects are referred to by the first year of implementation, clearly 2019 was the peak year, with a total of EUR 34.6 million worth of projects of different status in the EGTCs. Although, there was a gradual decline in the total value of projects over the past four years as the various funding programmes were discontinued. Fortunately, the project values have not dropped below the levels before 2017, and there is still a significant proportion of projects under implementation. However, the share of proposals managed by the EGTCs not as project partners remained broadly steady over the last years, which indicates a continuous demand for this type of EGTC services.

The following two cumulative bar charts show the total cost of projects implemented between 2010 and 2022. The lowest value was in 2011, when only one EGTC started a project (BTC EGTC) for EUR 69.7 thousand, and the peak was in 2017, when a total of 7 EGCTs started projects for EUR 6.2 million that were since completed. Over the last three years (2019-2021), 3 to 4 EGTCs implemented projects with a modest amount of EUR 147,100 – EUR 274,300.

Among the projects still in progress by summer 2022, the Pons Danubii EGTC’s SWARE project was the first to start implementation (2016). In the following years, more and more EGTCs launched ongoing projects. For example in 2019, 4 EGTCs launched such projects (Ister-Granum EGTC with EUR 4.7 million, Pannon EGTC with EUR 1.7 million, Pontibus EGTC with EUR 4.7 million and Via Carpatia EGTC with EUR 9.3 million). 6 EGTCs launched new projects in 2020,but their total value is less than half of the figures in 2019. These figures also clearly reflect the pathway of the programme period between 2014 and 2020.

As for the number of projects implemented as project partners, or in progress, half of the projects are implemented under Interreg/IPA/ENI programmes, which represents 97% of the total budget. Although in a smaller value, the EGTCs also implemented a significant number of projects funded by other national sources (28%) and national operational programmes (8%).

In terms of budgets, the Interreg/IPA/ENI programmes make up for the largest percentage of project funding for all EGTCs except for one, (the EuropeAid EGTC, which finances 100% of its own development activities from national operational programmes) ranging from 69% to 100%. The national operational programmes play a significant role also for the Arrabona EGTC, while other national funds are mentionable in case of the Tisza EGTC and the Banat-Triplex Confinium EGTC.

If we breakdown the funding sources for projects, we get a much more diverse picture. Thus, the importance of Interreg/IPA/ENI programmes fluctuates between 33% and 100%, while direct EU funding, like the national operational programmes (with the exception of the EuropeAid EGTC), is nowhere above 33%. Other national public subsidies can account for up to 79% of the resources, while private sector tenders are only relevant in case of the Tisza EGTC.

The EGTC as the management organization of the Slovak-Hungarian Small Project Fund

During the period between 2014 and 2020, a call for proposals for the management of the Small Project Fund (SPF) within the Interreg V-A Slovakia-Hungary Cooperation Programme was announced in 2017 with a total ERDF contribution of more than EUR 12 million. In the Western programming area, the Rába-Danube-Vág EGTC was appointed for the umbrella project, thus the management of the SPF, while in the Eastern part, the Via Carpatia EGTC was selected for this task. The minimum ERDF amount of the proposals, announced by the two EGTCs, was EUR 20,000 and the maximum was EUR 50,000.

The Small Projects Fund is in line with two priority axes (PA) of the cooperation programme. The first one is priority axis number 1, called Nature and culture (PA1), which has the specific objective of increasing the attractiveness of the programme area, by supporting projects that contribute to the protection, development and promotion of the natural and cultural heritage of the border region. The other priority axis in connection with the SPF is priority axis number 4 (PA4), which has the specific objective of improving the level of cross-border inter-institutional collaboration and broadening cross-border cooperation between citizens.

The projects supported the development of the following areas: broadening cross-border cooperation and an intense exchange of experience between citizens; developing the capacity for cooperation between organisations and increasing their interest in cross-border activities; improving mutual understanding and approaching ethnic groups in the region closer to each other. The developments further include elements, like increasing the number of long-term inter-institutional cooperation activities; ensuring the high levels of social engagement in cross-border activities; increasing the number of sustainable cross-border events and activities; along with improving the level of bilingualism. In addition, they also received support for the organisation of joint conferences, workshops, exchanges of experience; the implementation of activities aimed at the preservation of cultural and natural heritage; the development of joint strategies and studies; and the implementation of activities to strengthen cooperation between schools, churches, municipalities, etc.

EGTC as lead beneficiary of the coordination and communication of the Slovak-Hungarian employment action plans

The Territorial Action Plan for Employment (TAPE), developed in 2014 within the Slovakia-Hungary INTERREG V-A programme, is a new tool and a novel solution for the implementation of integrated cross-border development. The tool was developed in accordance with the third priority axis (PA3), and its main goal is to create an integrated plan by the actors on both sides of the border. This should consist of at least 3 and up to 8 projects, supporting the employment situation and cross-border labour mobility, based on the endogenous resources and potential of the region. This tool, which was highlighted as a good practice by the Interact office, allows actors of the border region to work together on a long-term basis in line with strategic objectives, instead of implementing one-time or ad hoc developments.

During the first round of selection, which was closed in December 2018, the applicants had to submit a comprehensive development plan, called a Territorial Action Plan for Employment (TAPE), defining their main objectives and planned activities. After selecting the best TAPEs, project owners were asked to elaborate and detail their ideas in 3 to 8 project proposals that complement or reinforce each other. At least, one project in each action plan had to be a coordination and communication project (CCP), which aims to coordinate the project implementation of all the project partners throughout four years.

Under the call for proposals and within the framework of CCP, the EGTCs were listed among the eligible applicants to receive funding. In the case of five out of the nine action plans that received funding, both the role of Lead Beneficiary (LB) and CCP project partner was undertaken by one respective EGTC. In order to successfully implement the above mentioned 5 TAPEs, the EGTCs carried out the overall coordination and communication activities of the respective consortium as beneficiaries.

The details of action plans implemented with the assistance of the EGTCs are provided in the chapter on economic development activities.

Beneficiary status on the other side of the border

The Ister-Granum EGTC, which operates in the Slovak-Hungarian border region, plays a specific role in the Building cross border ferry connection and necessary infrastructure between Neszmély and Radvaň nad Dunajom project (Ferry in Neszmély-Radvaň nad Dunajom, SKHU/1601/2.2.1/362). The total project value is EUR 5,366,124.90, and remarkably, the Hungary-based EGTC is responsible for the implementation of the investment on the Slovak side with a total value of EUR 1,894,066.4. The project will utilize the EGTC’s advantage to enjoy legal capacity in both member states. The Slovakian Radvaň Nad Dunajom did not have sufficient self-financing at its disposal to implement the project and could not pre-finance it under Slovak rules, subsequently, the EGTC took over the management of the project from its member municipality. According to the Hungarian regulations, the EGTC has access to the full 10% of national co-financing (which Hungarian applicants receive as pre-financing) and 50% of the ERDF budget. Without this innovative solution (which also required the support of the competent national authorities of the two member states), the ferry service, which will start in 2023, cannot be implemented.

Another example for an EGTC to implement an INTERREG project as a sole beneficiary is that of the Arrabona EGTC’s Builcogreen project.

Preparing, supporting and managing proposals

As shown in the EGTC project register, the activities of the groupings are only partially covered by the projects in which they participate as direct beneficiaries. There is also a relatively high proportion of projects in which they are not involved as beneficiaries, but as external managers supporting the implementation. In terms of number of projects, 45% of all projects in the register fall into this category, while in terms of aggregated budget, more than 25% of all projects fall into this category.

As for the budget of proposals not managed as partners by the EGTCs, 2020 was really exceptional. However, no linear tendencies are shown regarding the number or the budget of the projects.

The period between 2013 and 2022 indicates a wide variation in the budgets of proposals where the EGTCs did not participate as project partners. In 2014 and 2016, none of the EGTCs carried out service management activities; in 2013, only the Arrabona EGTC carried out such projects, with a value of EUR 2.7 million; in other years however (2018, 2019 and 2020), up to 6-7 EGTCs provided such services. Not surprisingly, these latter are also the years with the highest overall project budgets with EUR 11.5 million, EUR 8.7 million and EUR 10.5 million respectively.

As illustrated in the graphs, the proportion of this type of activity is not fairly shared between the EGTCs, since for some EGTCs this is a strongly emphasized activity compared to the other EGTCs. For example, 54% of these projects are linked to the Arrabona EGTC, which is also 43% of the overall value of such projects.

Although the following graph shows that the Arrabona EGTC has by far the highest number of proposals (98) which they did not manage as a project partner. This correlates with the highest budget (EUR 22.9 million), but there are also 7 further EGTCs with a total budget of more than EUR 1.5 million. However, the number of projects and their budgets do not always correlate: the Pontibus EGTC runs only one such project, but its budget is the second largest (EUR 6.7 million), while at the other end of the scale, the MURABA EGTC has 30 such projects (second largest) but its total budget is only EUR 479,008, which is the third smallest amount.

Participating in breaking down legal and administrative barriers regarding cross-border cooperation within b-solutions

The Hungarian EGTCs were also actively involved in the b-solutions pilot action of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO), which was managed by the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR). The projects supported under the call for proposals, launched by the Commission communication with title Boosting growth and cohesion in EU border regions, aim to identify and remove legal and administrative obstacles of cross-border cooperation by making the necessary recommendations. The results will be summarized in document collections, which will be disseminated widely among the regional actors, in order to raise awareness and improve capacities.

In the first call for proposals launched in 2017, two EGTC-related projects were submitted for funding. The Hungarian-Croatian-Slovenian Pannon EGTC argued that different standards hindered Croatian and Hungarian local farmers from selling their products across the border within the cooperation area. As the first step of the pilot action, the needs, expectations and practical difficulties of local farmers were profoundly analysed. In order to further facilitate cross-border trading of local farmers, the Pannon EGTC compared the current Croatian and Hungarian legal and administrative provisions to identify problematic areas that need to be addressed in the future. The main objective was to achieve conditions that facilitate the cross-border trade of local products. Policy recommendations were made in order to raise awareness among the parties involved and to draw attention to the need of introducing new legislation in the field of cross-border food trade.

The Hungarian-Slovak Arrabona EGTC carried out a survey on the legal-administrative possibilities for the joint management of public maintenance machines. Thanks to a more detailed analysis involving an expert, the obstacle was proved to not be of legal-administrative nature, so the grouping moved closer to finding a solution. It was agreed upon, that the promotion of better coordination between the two national police authorities is important, and so is to improve capacity building in relevant cross-border cooperation cases in order to facilitate the joint management of maintenance machines.

The first b-solutions compendium (2020)

For the second round of the call for proposals, even more Hungarian EGTCs submitted an application. The barrier presented by the Slovak-Hungarian Via Carpatia EGTC was concerned with clarifying the legal status of the branch office established in the partner country. Identifying the EGTCs as autonomous actors in a neighbour country is a complicated process, especially when it comes to financing. The root of the problem is the fact that Via Carpatia was registered in Slovakia but it has a Hungarian member, which could only receive financial support from the competent Hungarian authority if it had set up a non-profit branch or subsidiary in Hungary. However, ever since a legislative amendment was accepted, which made EGTCs not registered in Hungary eligible to receive national funding.

In case of the Hungarian-Slovak Ister-Granum EGTC, the focus of the examination was on difficulties related to cross-border employment, as the application of social security and health insurance regulations were found to be ambiguous in these two countries. This issue was analysed through two case studies, in which they involved two employees trying to navigate through the administrative requirements of social security schemes. This study proved that a coherent and unified solution is needed regarding the HR-matters of cross-border employment. The EGTC intends to contact the responsible national institutions in order to share the expert report, thereby promoting the coherent application of the provisions.

Within another b-solutions project, Arrabona, which is also active on the Hungarian-Slovak border, was working on facilitating the coordination of social security schemes to support the free movement of cross-border workers and pensioners. Thousands of people commute daily between the two countries, and there are also thousands of pensioners with Hungarian citizenship in Slovakia. The EGTC sought to address the issue that the process of transferring a worker’s social security or pension from one country to another is rather long and complicated. To outline a possible way to find a solution, an analysis of the current social security legal environment and the compliance of national procedures with EU requirements was carried out, along with producing a collection of good practices.

In the framework of b-solutions initiative, the Gate to Europe EGTC, operating on the Hungarian-Romanian border, which is a particularly important agricultural production border area, focused on analysing regulatory obstacles of employment, primarily labour mobility in the agricultural sector. As a large proportion of farmers, sole proprietors and small family farms face many difficulties in selling their products across borders. The project aimed to support a fair access to local products without geographical constraints. The proposed activities were developed along a threefold strategy. Firstly, a comprehensive legislative and administrative analysis was carried out regarding the cross-border trade of local products. Secondly, leaflets were created in Hungarian and Romanian languages for farmers and producers in order to promote cross-border trading. Thirdly, thematic workshops and open markets provide opportunities for Romanian and Hungarian farmers.

One of the initiatives of Mura EGTC, operating on the Hungarian-Croatian border, was also highlighted by the AEBR. The project was based on the fact that water tourism activities on the Mura river are accompanied by a complicated authorisation process. Moreover, not only complex cross-border problems have arisen, but they have also occurred at the Schengen external border. The EGTC also sought to find a solution for the lack of water tourism regulation complicating the work of tour operators. They explored the differences between the training of tour operators in the two countries, as well as the differences in the licensing processes. Within the framework of the pilot initiative, a number of proposals were made for the development of cross-border water tourism services, such as mutual recognition of certificates of related trainings (with a list of training courses automatically accepted by both national legal environments), organizing joint trainings, facilitating stronger cooperation between national authorities through regular meetings, workshops, etc., one-stop-shop for tour permits, issuing permanent and non-seasonal permits, water tourism infrastructure development and local business development. The EGTC seeks to improve the conditions for Croatian and Hungarian training programmes and licences in the future.

The second b-solutions compendium (2021)

Actions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the emergence of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the EGTCs along the Hungarian border had to face several challenges. For example, the borders were closed, border control was reintroduced, social distancing was obligatory and the commuting between borders became more complicated. All of these new and special challenges were addressed by the EGTCs, namely they actively helped to ensure the free movement and livelihoods of the residents of border regions.

The Gate to Europe EGTC, along with the Hungarian-Romanian border, conducted a survey in May 2020, involving the mayors of the member municipalities to assess the direct and indirect impacts of the first epidemic wave. The assessment was considered successful, as the survey was filled out by more than 70% of the mayors concerned. As this data shows, the EGTC addressed a relevant question even for local decision makers. The evaluation showed that the quarantine affected hundreds of people in spite of the small number of reported cases. The assessment also examined the impacts of border crossing restrictions, introduced as part of the virus control, on cross-border social relations and the economy. It also showed that according to two thirds of respondents, businesses were adversely affected by COVID-19 protective measures and that 70% of the respondents reported increasing unemployment.

The Banat Triplex Confinium EGTC, which operates in the area of the Hungarian-Romanian-Serbian trinational border, did not shut down its activities when the borders were closed. Instead of the closure, it distributed face masks and hand sanitizers among the Romanian municipalities.

In light of the subsequent epidemic waves, the Tisza EGTC team, operating in the Ukrainian-Hungarian border region, prepared packages of cleaning products for social institutions on the Ukrainian side to maintain their hygiene standards during times of temporarily softer measures. The arranged packages then were distributed to the old people’s home and social care homes for disabled people, as these institutions were often found to be at higher risk of coronavirus due to the age or chronic illnesses of the residents. Furthermore, medicines, cleaning and disinfectant products and contactless thermometers were delivered to an old people’s home in the district of M. Uzhhorod, Ukraine.

European study on the impacts of border restrictions on citizens

The Tisza EGTC’s humanitarian work to aid Ukraine

Without losing sight of its original regional development activities and objectives, the Tisza EGTC has been using all its resources and contacts to provide as much assistance as possible to the Transcarpathian population and to the internal Ukranian refugees since the first days of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The President of the General Assembly of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, who is also the President of Tisza EGTC, was among the first to assure the President of the Transcarpathian County Council, the co-chair of EGTC, Volodymyr Chubirko, of his support. With the participation of the EGTC President, a coordination centre for Transcarpathian and Ukrainian refugees was established on 25 February 2022, with the Transcarpathian House as its base. One of the managers of the coordination centre in Kisvárda is the director of the Tisza EGTC. From the donations collected in the Transcarpathian House, the first humanitarian aid consignment, which consisted of several fully loaded cars, arrived to Ukraine on 2 March 2022. Between the outbreak of the war and 12 April 2022 alone, the Tisza EGTC’s managers and aid workers made nearly 50 visits to Transcarpathia, delivering a total of 150 tonnes of humanitarian aid to numerous settlements and institutions in need.

Thanks to the local knowledge of the director of the Tisza EGTC, Andrea Szabóné Cap and the deputy director in Uzhhorod, Judit Jevcsák, the Tisza EGTC can facilitate material and financial donations from Hungarian municipalities and foreign donors to reach their destinations.

In addition, with the support of UNICEF, the Tisza EGTC, in cooperation with the Municipality of Záhony, organized a free summer camp for sixty Ukrainian refugees temporarily staying in Transcarpathia and sixty further children from Hungary. The main goal of the camp was to get to know each other and each other’s present life circumstances. The Tisza EGTC played a significant role in both the children’s transportation to Hungary and in other organisational tasks.

EGTC projects divided by topics and sectors

The cumulative bar chart based on the project database of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade shows the thematic distribution of the projects by the number of projects and their budgets. The projects were assigned into thematic categories by CESCI employees based on the project descriptions. Eight categories were identified based on the type of the projects. Some projects may fall into more than one categories, in which case, a secondary theme was also determined apart from the primary thematic category.

Taking into account both the primary and secondary data, it is clear that most of the EGTC projects were or are being implemented within the following categories: culture (31), economic and regional development (27) and tourism (21). However, the EGTCs did not participate in any health care projects directly, as project partners. Tourism and employment policy are the two most frequent secondary (indirect) topics. This order is almost entirely reflected in the project budgets, although it needs to be added, that the specific budgets of projects related to transport infrastructure development, social services and elderly care are higher, while projects related to the environment are lower.

The primary thematic classification of projects, divided by the EGTCs, indicates that the first three most popular themes (culture, economic and regional development, social services and elderly care) are dominated by the Via Carpatia EGTC. However, in case of certain topics, such as culture, many EGTCs are involved at least at a modest level, while in case of other topics (such as transport infrastructure, or education) only a few number of the EGTCs find them relevant enough to dedicate a project to them. It is also shown that most of the EGTCs focus and specialize in two or three topics and only a few number of the EGTCs have the possibility to be active in more (even seven) topics. These EGTCs are the Pons Danubii and the Via Carpatia EGTC.

The survey conducted among the EGTCs also covered the themes to which the groupings are committed. Almost all the EGTCs claim to operate in tourism development, economic and regional development, as well as cultural issues, but surprisingly only the Ister-Granum EGTC deals with the issues of cross-border commuters and people moving across the borders. Out of ten predefined themes in the questionnaire, the EGTCs mostly focus their activities only on three to six topics.

Social services, elderly care

Due to the peripheral location of border regions, the demographic trends and the financial circumstances of their population are often more disadvantageous than of those regions that are located in the middle of the country. The social inclusion of the disadvantaged and elderly people can also be supported by the EGTCs, which includes seeking to provide social services in accordance with the local needs.

The development of social services is also supported by projects aiming to implement Local Programs for Equal Opportunities (such as in the case of Arrabona EGTC, Mura region EGTC and BTC EGTC), which promote equal opportunities and easier access to public human services. In order to improve the quality of life of the disabled people, the BTC EGTC contributed to collect international good practices. Meanwhile, the Ipoly-Valley EGTC contributed to improve the participation in sport and creative activities of residents of social institutes by supporting the Hand in Hand Regional Festival (Kézenfogva Regionális Fesztivál). In connection with the social services, project YES (Young Europeans are in Solidarity) of Via Carpatia EGTC focused on the social integration of the young people with disadvantaged backgrounds. It is worth highlighting that the projects aim to improve the quality of public canteen meals, as well as the quality of kitchen appliances. Moreover, such projects include the purchase of buses for the villages – improving the mobility of local residents – which means they were able to use new services (thus accessibility improved). The Arrabona EGTC, as well as the Ipoly-Valley EGTC, have projects regarding both aforementioned activities.

The EGTC is a suitable tool to utilize the economic potential of people over 50, as well as to organize the supply services they need. The concept of silver economy refers to this market gap, it aims to support older generations and to facilitate their life in a changing world. Several EGTCs with Hungarian origin recognized the role of the elderly along with the possibilities and resources they could provide. The projects will focus on training and educating the elderly, providing opportunities to learn digital tools, electronic administration or learning certain foreign languages. Furthermore, occasionally they will focus on supporting the reintegration of the elderly to the labour market. The Silver economy project of the Rába-Danube-Vág EGTC, supports sharing this knowledge through free conferences, presentations, webshops, which provide an opportunity to have a clearer image of the older generation, as well as to learn about the products and services of the silver economy. The EGTCs also focus on exploring businesses and organizations related to the target group, as well as on building networks between the involved parties, along with organizing round-table discussions. In order to improve the social situation of the elderly, EGTCs can improve their quality of life beyond the economic aspect. For example, the project of the Ipoly-Valley EGTC – titled as IpOLD – will carry out the development of municipal kitchens. At the same time, the quality of life of the elderly is improving as a result of the MOTIVAGE project in the MURABA EGTC region, by establishing home care and preventive healthcare services. The Arrabona EGTC is a great example of how an EGTC can contribute to promote a work – private life balance, especially for those people who work beside of the responsibilities to take care of their elderly family members. It is key to apply smart solutions in order to spend the elder years with quality and to preserve the independent lifestyle of the elderly. For developing such solutions, the EGTCs provide a solid framework. I-CARE-SMART – the project of Via Carpatia EGTC – can be mentioned regarding the above since it seeks to support smart elderly care with the creation of an innovative ecosystem, so that people in need can utilize elderly care innovations in their own home. The project of the Via Carpatia EGTC, the HUSK Ambassadors, is aiming to preserve the physical and mental health of the elderly by establishing two “Active Ageing Centres”, and one “social favour trading system”.

The action plan of the Pontibus EGTC, titled as RE-START (Creating Needs Based Employment in the Lower Ipel Valley), operates with a budget of EUR 4,736,219.80. It takes measures to utilize the potential of the unskilled workforce and elderly generations, paying special attention to the working-age population outside the labour market. Of the seven projects in the project package, the RE-BOOT (Social service and network development for elderly) project is concerned with building a cross-border social and elderly care network. The network includes the coordination of elderly care activities, the creation of a bilingual database, the development of a mobile health service and the organisation of a remote monitoring system. Moreover, it also provides training to ensure that the inactive population over 59 years can find employment, with a particular focus on the early retired or long-term unemployed. The RE-NEWAL (Development of Local Shared Services) project will facilitate the operation of social services by setting up a kitchen and a laundry and organising transportation. The RE-CREATION (Portfolio of new services) project aims to create new leisure services for the elderly. The investment will create services supporting health promotion activities such as salt rooms, fitness rooms, therapies, Nordic walking, e-bikes, pet therapy or outdoor exercise equipment. The RE-STRUCTURE (Modernisation and transformation of social services infrastructures) project aimed to transform unutilized buildings into social and elderly care centres. At the end of the project, some of the buildings that were involved in the works were converted into daytime social services centres and residential care facilities, while others were extended with a social kitchen, laundry, and rooms for language and other educational training. This will be complemented by the RE-HABILITATION (Education programme for social workers and carers) project, which will increase the number of social workers and carers in the region with theoretical and practical training. The project developed a standardised curriculum and training programme. The participants will receive a certificate at the end of the project. The last project of the action plan, called RE-BIRTH (Active ageing), provides social and educational opportunities for the elderly in order to support active ageing. The elderly can take part in club activities, excursions, IT training or craft activities.

Economic Development

One of the main advantages of the EGTCs is the ability to create a platform for all the economic actors of the region, connecting local businesses with potential customers. The BTC EGTC’s business partner finding portal and EXPO, connecting SMEs of the region, also aims to promote networking. The EGTCs can also contribute to the economic development of their region by elaborating strategic documents, development plans, databases, forums and conferences. In order to catch up with international market trends, boost entrepreneurship and develop competitive businesses, the projects of the BTC EGTC (CBD Strategies, SME Network) and the Pannon EGTC (INTER VENTURES) enhanced the economic potential of small and medium-sized enterprises by creating strategies and development plans. Within the AutoRegion project, the Rába-Danube-Vág EGTC created a cross-border regional database to support political and economic decision-making, providing a comprehensive picture of the current situation and future potential of the region for newly established automotive companies. The Tisza EGTC improved its partner network and created projects by organizing international trade conferences and forums.

As for the agricultural sector, the EGTCs mainly help to promote local producers and their products, as well as facilitating their entry to the market, thus improving the situation of those who earn their living from agriculture. Moreover, to increase the attraction of the rural territories in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way, along with improving the employment level. For supporting local producers, the EGTCs developed multiple methods.

The Gate to Europe EGTC supports the collaboration of farmers by regularly organizing farmer clubs, trade fairs and field trips. These events provide a great opportunity to exchange their experiences. The Pannon EGTC’s CrossMarkets project emphasised the elimination of legal and administrative obstacles regarding local products, hence them available on both sides of the border. As a result of the collaboration a support instrument was created, which gathers the most important requirements of selling agricultural products. Apart from this, the EGTC can support the work of the local actors with asset acquisition. The Arrabona EGTC and the Gate to Europe EGTC supported farmers and municipalities by establishing a marketplace, farmers’ market, the construction of a processing plant (wine, pellet) and a storage building, as well as by purchasing other equipment (wood chipper, tractor) organized by externally managed tenders. Beside supporting the actors of the agricultural sector, the EGTCs also play an important role in reshaping the technical background of agricultural production. The Rába-Danube-Vág EGTC promoted organic farming and ecological approaches among young entrepreneurs through training, conferences and thematic forums.

The Ister-Granum EGTC developed a database of local producers, organized trainings for improving legal and marketing knowledge of farmers and also provided a clean-cut image (trademark) for their products. The project, A storehouse of local delicacies, supports the market entry of local producers by publications, events, and coherent communication strategy. This way, the projects not only support the quality and professional work of the producers, but they also make them noticeable and attractive for customers.

The local products programme, launched in 2012, was further strengthened by the Ister-Granum EGTC through its IG Heritage employment action plan. Ister-Granum EGTC‘s action plan – with a budget of EUR 2,400,044.53 – is part of the IG Heritage (Re-discovered heritage. Employment development through cross-border networking of local producers), which will increase employment in the region by rediscovering local heritage and developing a network of local producers. The projects planned in the context of an action plan will provide developments starting from the production, until the sale of the products. The Delivery project (Development of regional processing and retailing capacities) will not only improve the quality of honey and fruit processing plants (by the purchase of a production line and a pasteuriser), but also improve the market access of the products by creating three collection points. These investments are supplemented by workshops on customer awareness, which will increase the demand for local products. The WINE_LAB (Development of services supporting local wine markets in the region) project will develop new services related to wine production, including the renovation of an old shop building, a presser and a wine cellar. The new laboratory will allow local producers to bottle and label their wines. The newly built weather stations will provide an opportunity to reduce environmental casualties. Moreover, the acquired knowledge can be shared through product displays and exhibitions. The CB Sales (Development of sales infrastructure of local products) project aims to create a shipping and commercial centre for local products. On one side of the border, an information and promotion centre was established, which is a suitable place to promote local products with an event hall and a wine tasting centre. On the other side of the border, a collection point and an awareness-raising centre was established. Here, apart from the awareness-raising events, it is also possible to purchase local products. In close relation to that, the CB_Sales_2.0 project focuses on developing three outdoor marketplaces. One of the renewed markets will be applied with a renovated public health unit, the second one with a showroom for traditional trades and the third one with a multifunctional facility for social events. The CB_Brand (Cross-border brand building) project dealt with the branding of products which were created within the framework of the project package. As a result, a unified trademark, an online marketplace and exhibition stands were established.

Among the TAPEs, managed by the EGTCs, the Via Carpatia EGTC can also be mentioned with its project package of EUR 4,417,494.36 for the Cserehát AP (Employment Cross-border Action plan of the Cserehát micro- region). Each of the seven projects in this action plan aim to reduce unemployment in Cserehát region by boosting local production. The purpose of the BrProLoc (Build and promote local) project is to improve the competitiveness of local producers along with creating successful marketing plan for their products. The investment will create a new database gathering regional brands and local producers. Furthermore, the development of an online application will help to improve the rapport between producers and customers, but the organisation of fairs, EXPOs and other agricultural events also aim to promote the matching of supply and demand. The Find your way project (Find your way to the labour market) provides trainings and workshops for the long-term unemployed in order to facilitate their integration to the labour market. The DeLo+1 and DeLo+2 (Development of local) projects aim to improve the productivity of local processing plants, as well as to increase the added value of local products. The prior project included the development of three plants: a seed roaster, a juice presser and a pumpkin seed oil presser plant. In the case of the latter, a cabbage pickling plant was created alongside a demonstration site for the production process. The MeLoNee (Meet the local needs) project contributed to supplying some of the missing functions in Cserehát. To this end, the project implemented a training and coordination centre, a marketplace, educational programmes and events to promote employment, with a particular focus on the inclusion of the disadvantaged people. In addition, a network of local producers’ markets was created, linking producers of the region across the borders. Another project of the action plan is Renovate & Educate (Through renovation to the education). Through the development of vocational education institutions, it will create an education and training centre on the one side of the border to meet the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises. Meanwhile, on the Slovak side, the local vocational school will be equipped with new laboratory equipment and the classrooms, as well as the service rooms, will be renovated.

As for the innovation and high-tech industries, EGTCs can mainly play a determining role in supporting the development of industrial and innovation parks, along with reinforcing knowledge sharing. During the management of these projects, the EGTCs acted mostly as external actors rather than project partners. The Pons Danubii EGTC contributed to the development and enlargement of industrial parks in Hurbanovo and Komárno, similarly done by the Arrabona EGTC in Győr and Halászi. The Banat-Triplex Confinium EGTC promoted sharing knowledge, gaining professional experience, networking and sharing innovations through its scholarship program. The Arrabona EGTC likewise implemented the above by establishing the Knowledge-Park of Győr (Győri Tudás-Park). Digitalisation plays a key role in the innovation sphere, thus, the Tisza EGTC participated in the organisation of an event regarding the development of digital entrepreneurship clusters in the framework of external management. This assembled Transcarpathian experts and entrepreneurs from this field. Among the employment action plans involving EGTCs, TAPE of the RDV and the Pons Danubii EGTCs are closely linked to the development of the innovation environment.

The action plan of the Rába-Danube-Vág EGTC Food industry (Cooperation of food industry, scientific and professional institutes to increase rural employment) will support the development of the local processing industry and the agricultural sector with a value of EUR 2,343,334.85. The entrepreneurs, supported by the action plan, will be able to achieve higher quality by acquiring new producing technologies, thus healthier local products with higher added-value will be produced. With the improvements of Research and Development, it is possible to process locally produced raw materials, as a result of which, new workplaces will be created in the region. The action plan includes two projects that do not deal with communication or coordination. The Co-innovation project provides newly developed innovations for the local SMEs from agriculture and food industry. This facilitates the market entry of natural food products produced in a healthy and environmentally friendly way. The technologies and practices implemented within the project will be collected on an online platform, where SMEs can request further professional consultation. Another project of the action plan is Local Product processing, which, in addition to the acquisition of new technologies and equipment, will enhance the skills of the local workforce.

NOVUM DANUVIUM (Complex innovation program for creating jobs in the Pons Danubii Region) is an action plan of the Pons Danubii EGTC implemented from a budget of EUR 2,702, 237.07. The TAPE aims to ensure the long-term competitiveness of technology and automotive sectors by improving the skills of the workforce, developing services and assuring high added value activities. The AUTOTECH INFRA (Infrastructure development for key automotive suppliers and technology companies of the Pons Danubii region) project implemented within the framework of the project package focuses on supporting local automotive and technology enterprises, as well as on keeping the qualified workforce on board. As a result of the project, modern technology equipment and a range of IT tools for demonstration purposes, which will increase the knowledge and opportunities for professionals. Furthermore, job interviews, virtual job fairs and career guidance events were organised through a visualisation application. The INNOCENTRE (Complex innovation centre for automotive and technology companies and education institutions of the Pons Danubii region) project aims to establish an Innovation Centre. The new location is a suitable place to pursue research, educational and entrepreneurial activities, thereby increasing the ability to retain the highly skilled workers and attract them to the region. The centre has an incubator house, a fabrication laboratory and a community space. It is also ideal for organizing dual education and professional events. The third project is called WORKFORCE PIPELINE (Sustainable workforce pipeline for the automotive and technology sectors in the Pons Danubii region), which focuses on harmonizing and approaching institutional knowledge and the requirements of market actors (automotive and technology companies). The project created a new internship site with a material testing laboratory and with other learning tools, complemented by the development of career guidance services and job rooms. The newly created online services include an information exchange platform, an alumni program, e-newsletter and internship recruitment system. An orientation day, a factory visit and a job fair were also organized within the framework of the project.

The circular economy – based on a cyclical economic system where no waste is created, only new products, which can be used for other economic activities – plays a major role in transforming the current economy, which constantly relies on new resources. This approach can be also promoted by the EGTCs. The Rába-Danube-Vág EGTC aims to disseminate knowledge about the concept of circular economy in schools, so that the young generation can learn about the practical examples and advantages of the new economic model already during their early studies. Meanwhile, the Via Carpatia EGTC plans to create a circular economic hub through the CITYCIRCLE project, which will be suitable to create a circular economic value chain.

Tourism development

One of the main means of EGTCs for enhancing economic development activities and social cohesion of the border regions is tourism development. The EGTC is a suitable instrument to bring together regional tourism stakeholders on a common platform, including many partners from both demand and supply side, the various municipalities, as well as individual service providers from both sides of the border. The EGTC can play an active role in the development of tourism products, attraction and infrastructure development, as well as in the field of tourism information systems and marketing. It is able to provide a framework for the shared and complementary, natural, built and intangible heritage on both sides of the border area, while promoting them as one single product.

The product and attraction development is the most utilized tool of the EGTCs. To this end, they create and renovate tourist attractions, create thematic itineraries, develop joint tourism discounts and product packages and they organize joint promotional activities. The Mura Region EGTC’s Two Rivers One Goal project aims to boost water tourism, which includes the improvement of water tourism infrastructure (boat mooring, changing rooms, wet recreation areas, etc.). The Ipoly Valley EGTC, as co-organiser, contributes to the tourism potential of the border region by developing the Palóc Trail. Meanwhile, the Pons Danubii EGTC (not as project partner) contributes to the renovation of the Komárno fortress system through the KOMFORT project. The Arrabona EGTC mostly supported the renovation of the region, not as a project partner, by creating an environmentally friendly beach, reconstructing a folklore museum and building a pilgrim recreation area. The Rába-Danube-Vág EGTC contributed to the development of tourism in the area by promoting herbalism and related attractions, as well as by acting as an external operator in the development of the EuroVelo6 and EuroHorse routes, creating a new section and additional infrastructure, which are also used for tourism purposes.. Additionally, its contribution also included the creation of an exhibition area, a playground, craft workshops and watchtowers to revive the heritage of the former Roman Limes. The Via Carpatia EGTC also supported the reinforcement of local tourism as an external party (project writer) with a special focus on equestrian tourism (SKHU HORSE NETWORK) and the protection of built heritage (SKHU GO&SZI). The former involves the creation of a cross-border network and product line connected to horse riding, the latter includes the renovation of the historic buildings of Gombasek and Szilvásvárad. The WaVE project, in participation with the Ister-Granum EGTC, made it possible to create thematic paths, which unite the water-related architectural and intellectual assets of the region. The EGTC acted as an external party to enhance the attractiveness of the region’s municipalities by creating a lookout tower, a theme park and a playground. The BTC EGTC is a great example of establishing one single sales system, by launching a common ticket in order to improve the rapport of the two thermal baths of the region, enabling the entry to both thermal baths with only one ticket.

The EGTCs also provide a framework for the development of the region’s tourism services by contributing to the improvement of the capacity and quality of its hospitality and accommodation facilities. The above mentioned SKHU GO&SZI project of the Via Carpatia EGTC serves the same purpose by facilitating the creation of an apartment building, a café and a yurt camp among other things. The Arrabona EGTC managed a project as an external party, which also expanded the range and quality of locally available services by developing a yurt camp, a tourism centre and a fishing centre. The Pontibus EGTC introduced new water-related tourism services on the Ipoly river with the construction of kayak and canoe docks.

Informing potential guests and tourists is an important segment of tourism development. To this end, several EGTCs conducted successful marketing activities, including the development of a joint website, creating an application, an event calendar, as well as active participation at fairs and advertisement campaigns. The tourism platform created by the Arrabona EGTC (within the framework of CultacrossM+ project) gathers cultural programmes, attractions and hiking trails of Szigetköz and Žitný ostrov, providing not only an overview of the region’s attractions, but also the possibility to write reviews and plan hiking trails. The Muraba EGTC leads the “Preserving of our values in the XXI. century” project and the “In the pursuit of values” project as an external party, with the purpose of promoting the attractions of the region to the tourists as well as to the locals by short films and publications. The Pons Danubii EGTC Town and Twinning project also produced a cycling map of the region and a QR code tourist map of Komárno, which will make it significantly easier to get to know the region and the city.

Successful tourism development requires bringing together tourism stakeholders, organising meetings and conferences, developing tourism offices and a joint image, along with ensuring the exchange of knowledge and experience. To this end, the EGTCs also take part in organizational development. The examined EGTCs focus mainly on deepening partnerships and attracting new partners. The project of the Via Carpatia EGTC (Building up the partnership through thematic path Via Carpatia) or the initiative of the Pons Danubii EGTC, DANUrB+, are in line with the above mentioned. The latter targets bringing together and educating the parties involved in this field, to establish a common trademark and to collect their data and cultural assets online. The Pannon EGTC organized an exchange of experiences regarding heritage protection and the impact of pandemic on tourism within the SHARE project, through which the EGTC was able to learn new practices, concepts and ideas from its European partners. The Ister-Granum EGTC, in the framework of the WaVE project, set up a working group of regional actors involved in the maintenance and presentation of water-related cultural heritage elements.

Joint planning and monitoring activities are closely connected to organizational development, as the EGTCs are suitable actors to organise cross-border data collection, strategy development and monitoring. The Arrabona EGTC within its own developed project, called Protour, initiated a professional cooperation in the Slovak-Hungarian tourism region of Szigetköz and Žitný ostrov in order to map tourism actors and to create joint projects. In addition, a cultural action group and an action plan was set up within Cultacross project to expand the region’s tourism services and enhance its reputation. The Ister-Granum EGTC also has several running projects that aim to prepare a tourism strategy for the region. For example, the Active IG project aims to preent the active tourism destinations of the region, as well as creating unified tourism packages. Apart from forming strategies, the above mentioned WaVE project created a partner network involving multiple countries, which aims to develop policy instruments through joint action plans. The Pons Danubii EGTC also developed a tourism strategy with the help of the INSiGHTS project, which aims to increase the tourism potential of the area and, at the same time, protect its natural and cultural values within the spirit of eco- and health tourism. The DANUrB+ project, with a similar purpose, developed a strategy to utilize the unexplored cultural values of municipalities by the Danube.

Culture

The role of cultural projects in cross-border cooperation is essential, as they are the most ideal tool to deepen the connection between people living in border regions. Apart from organising cultural events (exhibitions, festivals, performances, etc.), the EGTCs provide an opportunity to create cultural institutions, to develop strategies, to demonstrate and revitalise local values, to build partnerships and to strengthen existing relations. However, the most successful projects are those that generate further projects, activities and partnerships through regular events and new partnerships, exceeding the limits of one-time events. Due to the large number and diversity of cultural projects implemented by the EGTCs, the following section aims to highlight good practices and successful examples.

To support creating new traditions and joint planning, the European Border Cities EGTC CultDialogue and Kultaction projects were implemented in order to address similar cultural challenges. The CultDialogue took steps to increase the capacity of cultural organisations and to establish a methodology for cooperation in the field of culture, while Kultaction has been active in organising new traditional events, strengthening cooperation between institutes, increasing the range of programmes and creating the possibility for exchanging experience. In the case of the Arrabona EGTC, it undertook the planning and implementation of the Local Community Development Strategy of Győr, the CLLD work organisation as well as the organisation of related events. Additionally, within the framework of the previously mentioned Cultacross project, it contributed to the expansion of the cultural offer of Dunajská Streda and Győr through a cultural action group. It also took part in the development of a hiking trail connecting the folk tales and local historical values of Győr through Actively together for the values and heritage of Győr (Közösen, aktívan a győri értékekért, örökségekért! ) project.

Furthermore, the EGTCs can take part in the creation of cultural locations, thus the Arrabona EGTC set up an outdoor stage in Horný Bar, and also provided it with the necessary technical equipment for events. Through externally managed projects, the grouping also contributed to the development of libraries, community centres, to the purchase of a mobile stage and tents and to the publication of local history documents.

The BTC EGTC targeted to present folk traditions and musical values, which was achieved through the Dance and Music without Borders project. In addition to the organised international folk dance festival and concerts, the Mayors’ Forum was established as the basis for future cooperation. The Kolo Serbian Cultural Centre was established in the area of the EGTC, in Mórahalom, and the BTC EGTC is also involved in filling it up with cultural content.

The various cultural events and meetings, such as traditional activities, sports events or agricultural exhibitions, can also provide a platform for exchanging experiences and ideas between the EGTCs’ member municipalities. The Cooperation in the Ipoly Valley project was created for this exact purpose by the Ipoly-Valley EGTC, which resulted in network expansion and cultural enrichment of the municipalities. The Ister-Granum EGTC provides a cultural program for the three municipalities of the subregion every year, through organizing an important all-embracing art festival, called Szikince Festival. The EGTC also facilitates deepening of the relationship between the twin settlements as an external party, mainly by organising and visiting cultural events. The MR-EGTC Heritage project of the Mura Region EGTC likewise aims to broaden the relationship of the settlements and present their cultural heritage through organizing gastronomical thematic events. The Rába Regional Repository of Values, created by the MURABA EGTC, also serves the purpose of presenting local values, as well as gathering the cultural treasures of the region in one place. This will be complemented by a community-building cultural event implemented by the MURABA EGTC, which aims to build a gingerbread table, thus presenting the towns of Szentgotthárd and Lendava. The Pons Danubii EGTC actively promotes local heritage through the creation of theme parks. The Cultplay project, supported by EGTC as an external partner, presents the cultural values of nine cities in the region in nine EGTC municipalities (each park presents one attraction) in the form of a playground. The Rába-Danube-Vág EGTC and the Via Carpatia EGTC support small-scale cultural programmes through the management of the Small Projects Fund, which aims to enhance social and regional cooperation. The COMMON HERITAGE project is mentionable, in which the RDV EGTC, as an external partner, facilitated the presentation of the cultural values of the municipalities of Martovce and Neszmély, by building new infrastructure (event park, stages) and organising thematic workshops.

Infrastructure

In addition to the above, infrastructure investments, especially those aiming to improve the infrastructure of transportation, are of essential importance. The EGTCs have a particularly important role in the development of cross-border transport networks, as they deal with the border municipalities as one single functional system. Infrastructure investments include the construction of road sections, renewal of road surfaces, building bridges, as well as the preparation of planning documents or the acquisition of machines for road maintenance. It is also worth to highlight the coordinating role of the Pontibus EGTC in the construction of the bridge between Ipolydamásd and Chľaba. Although, the EGTC is not involved in the project, it has great merits regarding the preparation work. Similarly, the Mura Region EGTC targets bridge-building with the MuKoBridge project, which includes the design of the bridge between Murakeresztúr and Kotoriba as well as the associated road sections.

The EGTCs, as external parties, can also support the construction and rehabilitation of road sections within municipalities, as exemplified by the Arrabona EGTC. In addition to these works, the Arrabona EGTC helps small villages to purchase machines for road maintenance and to set up bicycle parks in Abda, Vámosszabadi and Jánossomorja.

The development of the cycling path network needs to be highlighted within the transport infrastructure. The construction and design of cycle paths for commuting and tourist use, managed by the EGTCs, can create a coherent and real cross-border network, equipped with complementary infrastructure (rain shelters, information panels) and a mobile application. The Bike Paradise project of the Ister-Granum EGTC includes the design and execution of a 16 km long bicycle path between Štúrovo and Chľaba, as well as between Ipolydamásd and Letkés, while the Mária Valéria Bike project includes the establishing of a cross-border community bike rental system between Esztergom and Štúrovo. Additionally, thanks to a previous project, the Ister-Granum EGTC has a cycling strategy in place which ensures the prudent and systematic development of the region’s cycle path network. The achievement of the Pons Danubii EGTC, regarding cycle path development, is also exemplary. Its KOMBI project made it possible to set up a cross-border community bike rental system, where electric and conventional bicycles are available for hire in thirteen locations in nine municipalities. The Komárom-Komárno-Kolárovo cycle path project connected the existing cycle path sections in the region to the international EuroVelo6 route, thus ensuring the networking of local cycle paths. This prudent development process is proved by the planning documentation for the cycle paths connecting Komárno, Hurbanovo and Nové Zámky, which was also developed with the participation of the Pons Danubii EGTC. The Rába-Danube-Vág EGTC’s Bike and Horse riding project seeks the development of the Danube cycle path network, with new sections and additional infrastructure along the EuroHorse and EuroVelo6 routes. The cycle path will connect Kravany nad Dunajom with Štúrovo (18 km) and the horse riding path will connect Esztergom with Pomáz (39 km). Among the cycling infrastructure developments, the project of the Via Carpatia EGTC contributed to the preparation of the planning documents for the cycling paths in the Košice Self-Governing Region, covering sections of the EuroVelo11 and Zemplén cycling paths. The Arrabona EGTC contributed to the extension of the network through externally managed tenders, covering the section between Gönyű and Győrszentiván and the inner areas of the municipality of Pér.

On top of individual methods of transport, EGTCs can also have an impact on the development of cross-border public transport systems, thus generating further increase in the interoperability of borders. An interesting example of this is the new ferry service between Radvaň nad Dunajom and Neszmély, with the Ister-Granum EGTC participating in its development as a partner on the Slovak side. Another good example is the E-Transport project, externally managed by the BTC EGTC, which provides passenger transport between Jimbolia and Mórahalom using e-buses. The Pons Danubii EGTC, also not as a project partner, managed the KN-KN Impro Trans project, which improved public bus transport between the two cities of Komárno by purchasing e-buses. In addition to the purchase of the vehicles, the investment also contributed to the development of bus stops, digital passenger information displays and a transportation facilitating app.

Environmental Protection

Given that the environmental effects have impacts regardless of the borders of states, they can only be managed at an international level. Consequently, EGTCs are considered a suitable tools to organize environmental protection activities in the border regions. To address the problems caused by air pollution and poor air quality, the European Border Cities EGTC elaborated the CrossBordAir project. The investment focuses on the cities of Nyíregyháza, Satu Mare and Uzhhorod, where the target is to reduce pollution caused by domestic heating and urban transport. The project includes the installation of measuring stations, IT development, tree planting and social awareness-raising.

Another important area of intervention is the management of surface and groundwater. The purity of water in cross-border rivers is of common interest, since Hungary, as a downstream country, has a strong interest in the proper water management of its neighbouring countries. The REVITAL project was set up by the Tisza EGTC to address the environmental risk posed by the salt mines in Solotvyno. The target of the activities is saving the water resources and wildlife of the Tisza, so the project will conduct hydrogeological studies and a status assessment, followed by a monitoring system and a Regional Development Plan.

Besides water pollution, extreme weather and climate change also require a response. The BTC EGTC participated as an external partner in the Adaptation to Climate Change in the Homokhát sub-region project, which aims to improve water management and upgrade the existing water network system for adequate water supply and drainage. The Arrabona EGTC also participates in flood protection, riverbed rehabilitation and rainwater drainage as an external party.

In many areas, the protection of water quality in bodies of water is closely linked to proper waste management. Such cross-border cooperation is of particular importance, for example in the Tisza river basin. For example, in 2018, Tisza EGTC was awarded with EUR 5 million under the first call of the HUSKROUA cooperation programme to implement the Zero Waste project. The main objective of the project is to establish a solid waste landfill, sorting and processing plant in Yanoshivska, Ukraine. For example, the Tisza EGTC contributed to the development of the waste management strategy for the Transcarpathian region up to 2030, which now meets the requirements of the European Union. In order to promote environmental awareness and selective waste collection, both the Arrabona EGTC and the Via Carpatia EGTC contribute to create a more sustainable and cleaner environment. The Arrabona EGTC promotes sustainable waste management in municipalities as an external partner, while the Via Carpatia EGTC aims to raise awareness of waste management among primary and secondary school students through educational materials.

Another important area of environmental protection is the management of green areas and the preservation of biodiversity. The Gate to Europe EGTC implemented the IRIS project in the Carei and Nyíradony area, which aimed to reinforce the Hungarian iris material. To measure biodiversity and the sustainability of green spaces, the MURABA EGTC produced a digital map of good practices and an e-book in the framework of the AGARE project. The botanical garden in Győr was renovated, while an educational trail was established in Dunajská Streda, which was complemented by professional meetings and exchanges of experience.

However, the EGTCs can also play a role in many other areas related to the environment. As an external partner, the BTC EGTC contributed to the development of a risk management strategy for cross-border disaster management; the Pons Danubii EGTC helped with the development and implementation of an environmental strategy; the Tisza EGTC assisted with preparing the installation of a cross-border hail damage mitigation system; and the Arrabona EGTC contributed to the energy modernisation of public buildings.

Health care

In the field of health care, the groupings do not have projects of their own implementation or projects which are under implementation in the reviewed period, although, they have been indirectly involved in the implementation of several initiatives. The EGTCs seek to raise awareness regarding the importance of healthy eating and regular sport activities through organizing health-preserving and awareness raising programs, as well as other local actions. The Arrabona EGTC participated as an external party in the organization of a project for promoting sports among young people. Meanwhile, the Via Carpatia EGTC participated in the fight against juvenile obesity and cardiovascular diseases.

The EGTCs can support the change to healthy lifestyle and higher quality in health care by asset acquisition and infrastructure investments. As an external partner, the Arrabona EGTC contributed to the construction of an outdoor sports field and to the development of a polyclinic. Meanwhile, the Gate to Europe EGTC contributed to the construction of an ambulance station, to the renovation of health care buildings, to the purchase of ambulances and CT scanners, while the MURABA EGTC contributed to the construction of general practitioners’ offices. Moreover, the Rába-Danube-Vág EGTC contributed to improve the quality of health care by involving new health care techniques and robot technology, especially for the treatment of stroke and other brain injuries.

Education

The competitiveness of the border region is also defined by the quality of local education, locally available trainings, the infrastructural status of education and training institutions, as well as by the level of education and professional skills of the population. In order to implement developments in the field of education, the EGTCs participated in multiple projects, whether as a project partner or as an external party. The most important activities are the projects supporting the professional education of young people, which promotes finding employment in the region by training in accordance with the local needs. The BTC EGTC participates as an external partner in supporting a scholarship program together with SCHOLAR-SME project. During the program, young people can gain professional experience and expand their professional relationships in the neighbouring country. The Pons Danubii EGTC improves the quality of education institutions by involving automotive companies which create opportunities for several training and scholarship programs. The Arrabona EGTC organised a series of competitions for secondary school students to test their knowledge, skills and creativity in the fields of sport, culture and creative economy. Through the SKHU IT EDUCATION project, the Via Carpatia EGTC aims to accelerate the digital switchover of primary and secondary schools in the region by providing IT training and purchasing digital tools. Moreover, the Tisza EGTC contributed to the cross-border extension of the Digital Wellbeing Programme 2.0.

Apart from the students, the training of local producers and professionals is also important, so that they can utilize the new knowledge immediately in the labour market. The Ister-Granum EGTC provided legal and marketing training for the local producers.

Aside from employment, it is also the key issue to conduct trainings that help with everyday activities. The chess courses, organized by the MURABA EGTC, the language and digital training for the elderly managed by the Rába-Danube-Vág EGTC, and a Hungarian language course for the Ukrainian refugees organised by the Tisza EGTC all serve the above mentioned purpose. Besides all, the BTC EGTC seeks to enhance the skill of sharing knowledge and good practices by establishing a people’s academy as an external partner, while the Arrabona EGTC will externally facilitate the renovation and expansion of the region’s nurseries and kindergartens.

Labour market policy

The economic success of an area greatly depends on the size and quality of the population that can be locally employed. Because of this, it is essential that the potential workers with working age and who are currently inactive in the labour market, as well as the older people who support active ageing have the possibility of entering into the primary labour market. This effort is complemented by the retention of the young people, so they can use their skills in their home countries when they finish their studies. Reconciling family and work is challenging, which is why the Arrabona EGTC became an external partner in a project that provides services for workers with young children or elderly family members, thus enabling them to continue working. Another challenge that has to be addressed is inequality in employment in the border regions. In the spirit of non-discrimination in the labour market, the Pons Danubii EGTC set up the Workmarket project, which promotes cooperation between cross-border labour markets through professional training, job fairs and a bilingual website for jobseekers.

Several EGTCs manage projects that aim to retain and employ young people and provide them with the necessary professional skills. The Ister-Granum EGTC aimed to identify the needs of those working or aspiring to work in the agricultural sector by contacting students graduating from agricultural vocational schools and agricultural entrepreneurs, thus facilitating the employment of the new graduates. The Pons Danubii EGTC also connected vocational schools with employers, creating opportunities for factory visits, interview simulations and career planning services. There is also significant potential for re-including the inactive population of working-age in the labour market through training and assistance. The action plans of the Pontibus EGTC and the Via Carpatia EGTC serve this purpose, including the development of adult education opportunities and strategies for reintegration.

The potential of the EGTCs in the context of cross-border, regional labour market policies is well illustrated by the employment action plans in the Slovak-Hungarian border region. The application of the Territorial Action Plan for Employment (TAPE), which is a novel solution for the implementation of integrated cross-border development, created in 2014 within the Slovakia-Hungary INTERREG V-A programme, was also accepted. The employment action plans involving the EGTCs are described in the sections corresponding to their themes.

Sources

Databases

Project registers of EGTCs based on the MFA datasheets (2022)
Survey conducted among EGTCs (2022)

Previous publications

Go to EGTC Monitor’s literature section…

Source of photos

Name of Photo	source of photo
Pontibus EGTC: RESTART	http://restart-skhu.eu/egeszsegugyi-szurobusz-a-hatarmenti-tersegben/
Pontibus EGTC: RESTRUCTURE	http://restart-skhu.eu/jol-halad-a-szobi-szocialis-otthon-epitese/
RDV EGTC: Silver Economy	http://www.skhu-silver.eu/#/news
Via Carpatia EGTC: YES – Youth Engage in Solidarity	https://www.viacarpatia.eu/jovo-utja-hu
Ister-Granum EGTC: IG Heritage (CB_Sales)	https://felvidek.ma/2022/07/parkanyban-megnyilt-az-uj-piac/
Ister-Granum EGTC: IG Heritage (WINE_LAB)	https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=195820990493980&set=a.5375262969216397
Pannon EGTC: Inter Ventures	https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=614530350480185&set=pcb.614532393813314
Pons Danubii EGTC: NOVUM DANUVIUM (INNOCENTRE)	https://it-it.facebook.com/PonsDanubiiEGTC/
RDV EGTC: Food industry (LPP)	http://tape-foodindustry.eu/
RDV EGTC: Food Industry (LPP)	https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=479653687539478&set=pcb.479656714205842
Via Carpatia EGTC: Cserehát AP (Local+ 1)	https://www.viacarpatia.eu/novinka-11-may-2022-12-33-45
Via Carpatia EGTC: Cserehat AP (MeLoNee)	https://tape-ap.eu/hu/a-szepcserehat-hataron-atnyulo-foglalkoztatasi-akcioterv-a-vegehez-ert/
Arrabona EGTC: Cultacross	https://ujszo.com/regio/folytatodik-a-csallokoz-es-szigetkoz-kozotti-egyuttmukodes
Mura Region EGTC: Two Rivers one Goal	https://muradrava.eu/md2/hu/esem%C3%A9nyek/2-foly%C3%B3-egy-c%C3%A9l-2.html
Mura Region EGTC: Two Rivers one Goal	https://muradrava.eu/md2/hu/esem%C3%A9nyek/2-foly%C3%B3-egy-c%C3%A9l-2.html
Via Carpatia EGTC: GO&SZI	https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/skhugoszi
Arrabona EGTC: Actively together for the values and heritage of Győr	https://arrabona.eu/megvalosultak-a-helytorteneti-setak/
European Border Cities EGTC: CultDialogue	http://www.viacarpatia-spf.eu/–9-101-europai-hatarvarosok-ett-sk
Ister-Granum EGTC: Szikince Festival	https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=470428575123363&set=a.470428521790035
Pons Danubii EGTC: CULTPLAY	https://it-it.facebook.com/PonsDanubiiEGTC/
BTC EGTC: E-Transport	https://budapest.cesci-net.eu/en/the-btc-egtc-e-transport-project-has-arrived-at-a-new-charging-station/
Ister-Granum EGTC: Mária Valéria Bike	https://www.skhu.eu/news/maria-valeria-bike-press-conference
Ister-Granum EGTC: Neszmély-Radvaň	https://nif.hu/projektek/2018/12/neszmely-radvan-nad-dunajom-dunaradvany-kozotti-osszekoto-ut-es-rev/
Ister-Granum EGTC: Neszmély-Radvaň	https://nif.hu/projektek/2018/12/neszmely-radvan-nad-dunajom-dunaradvany-kozotti-osszekoto-ut-es-rev/
Mura Region EGTC: MuKoBridge	https://www.zalamedia.hu/vezeto-hirek/kozter/megkezdodott-az-uj-mura-hid-tervezese
Pons Danubii EGTC: KN-KNImproTrans	https://hu-hu.facebook.com/PonsDanubiiEGTC/
Pons Danubii EGTC: KOMBI	https://hu-hu.facebook.com/PonsDanubiiEGTC/
Pontibus EGTC: Bridge of Ipolydamásd	https://magyarepitok.hu/utepites/2022/07/mar-szerkezetkesz-a-22-eve-arvizben-elveszett-most-ujjaepulo-hatarhid
European Border Cities EGTC: CrossBordAir	https://nyir-szat.eu/crossbordair/#
European Border Cities EGTC: CrossBordAir	https://nyir-szat.eu/crossbordair/#
Tisza EGTC: REVITAL	https://dunaregiostrategia.kormany.hu/aknaszlatinai
Tisza EGTC: REVITAL	https://dunaregiostrategia.kormany.hu/aknaszlatinai
Arrabona EGTC: Construction of a health centre in Győrújbarát	https://www.gyorujbarat.hu/new/palyazatok/egeszseghaz-epitese-gyorujbaraton/
Gate to Europe EGTC: Ambulance centre in Nyíradony	https://magyarepitok.hu/mi-epul/2021/10/veszhelyzetben-segit-igazan-mentoallomas-letesult-nyiradonyban
MURABA EGTC: Procurement of medical equipment in Alsószölnök	https://muraba.hu/hu/projekt/orvosi-eszkozbeszerzes-alsoszolnokon/
RDV EGTC: Robot-Assisted Rehabilitation	https://www.nspnz.sk/2021/11/03/rehabilitacia-pacienta-po-mozgovej-porazke/
Arrabona EGTC: 750 contest	https://egtcmonitor.cesci-net.eu/hu/hirek/dijaztak-a-750-es-vetelkedo-nyerteseit/
BTC EGTC: Scholar SME	https://scholar-sme.rs/gallery/gallery21/
BTC EGTC: Scholar SME	https://scholar-sme.rs/gallery/gallery25/
Via Carpatia EGTC: SKHU IT EDUCATION	https://gymmi.edupage.org/a/skhu-it-education
Ister-Granum EGTC: Professionally ahead	http://profahead.eu/vsaktivity.html
Via Carpatia EGTC: Find your way to the labour market	https://www.viacarpatia.eu/novinka-17-may-2021-08-58-26-en-gb