The territory of the European Union and its immediate EFTA neighbors cover 40 internal borders, representing 30% of the population, which generates almost a third of the GDP. These cross-border regions have been covered by a specific program, Interreg, since the 1990s, but this cross-regional cooperation policy still faces significant interstate obstacles. This is why the report entitled “Stimulating the growth and cohesion of the EU’s border regions”, adopted today in Strasbourg in plenary session of the European Parliament received the full support of ALDE.
The ALDE shadow on the report and the chair of the Committee on Regional Development Iskra MIHAYLOVA (Movement for Rights and Freedom, Bulgaria) said: “There is a massive potential in boosting growth in border regions. As this report shows, this is one of the areas where the European Union can really make a difference. The cross-border regions are incubators of Europe, places of exchange and brewing and in these difficult times for the European spirit, they are an asset not to be neglected”.
Matthijs VAN MILTENBURG (D66, Netherlands), ALDE spokesperson on the Parliamentary Committee for Regional Policy (REGI), continued: “This report is a first step towards stronger and more well-functioning border regions. As the parliament’s rapporteur on the new legislative proposal “the European Cross Border Mechanism” that seeks to make cross border cooperation easier and reduce red tape, I really look forward to taking the points made by the report and doing my best to make them a reality. Today, cross-border workers and companies face penalising administrative obstacles in terms of recognition of diplomas, the complementarity of transport services and the interoperability of public services. The European Cross Border Mechanism could really change this and make the lives of many of business and people easier”.