Pannon EGTC

On 23 June 2026, the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) organised an online strategic workshop on cross-border environmental cooperation, building on the experiences of the b-solutions initiative. The event explored how environmental governance can be strengthened in border regions where natural resources, river basins, and environmental challenges extend beyond national borders.

During the workshop, experts from across Europe presented the legal and administrative barriers that hinder joint natural resource management, climate adaptation, and cross-border environmental cooperation. The event was the third session of the b-solutions four-part strategic workshop series, which draws on real cross-border cases and the lessons learned from them.

One of the speakers at the international event was Dr Péter Merza, Director of the Pannon European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (Pannon EGTC). In his presentation, he outlined the legal and administrative challenges affecting the establishment of cross-border energy communities along the Hungarian–Croatian border and shared the practical experiences gained through the Pannon EGTC b-solutions project. The initiative aims to identify solutions that enable municipalities, public institutions, and local communities on both sides of the border to jointly participate in the production and use of renewable energy.

Olivera Antić presented experiences related to water resource management and climate adaptation, Sónia Antunes introduced the cooperation model of the Rio Minho EGTC operating along the Portuguese–Spanish border, while Catherine Christiaens presented the Eurometropolis Blue Park initiative implemented in the border region of France, Flanders, and Wallonia.

The workshop confirmed that the shared challenges related to environmental protection, water management, energy, and climate adaptation require coordinated, cross-border solutions.

The source of the news is available at this link.