European perspective

The study published by Spatial Foresight in 2012 in German examines the potential uses of the EGTC instrument in transnational and cross-border cooperation. The central chapter of the study summarizes the experiences related to the EGTC instrument, which at that time had been in force for six years.

In addition to the legislative framework, the authors specifically addressed issues related to the establishment and operation of EGTCs. The study also discusses experiences concerning EGTCs that were already operational at the time, as well as those still in the founding phase. In collecting these experiences, the authors complemented the analysis of the relevant literature with focus group consultations and telephone interviews.

According to the authors’ findings, at the time of writing, cross-border cooperation–based EGTCs dominated among the 31 EGTCs that had already been registered. Interregional cooperation EGTCs were far more marginal, while no registered EGTC of a transnational nature could be identified. The authors also examined in detail the reasons behind the success or failure of the various EGTC models. The document further outlines arguments both in favor of and against the establishment of EGTCs, and, based on the accumulated experience, proposes a general decision-making model for cooperation initiatives considering the establishment of an EGTC.