Last month, the European Commission published an important communication: The road to the next multiannual financial framework (MFF). This document outlines the priorities for the future EU budget post-2027, including greater flexibility to better respond to crises, overall simplification, and investments that are more in line with EU priorities.
On December 20th, 2024, after more than ten years of negotiations, the European Union and Switzerland concluded a set of agreements aimed at strengthening their bilateral relations. These agreements, which have yet to be approved by the Swiss parliament, will have repercussions for Franco-Swiss cross-border cooperation and freedom of movement. Relations between the EU and Switzerland are governed by more than 120 bilateral agreements.
On December 16th, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the new BRIDGEforEU instrument aimed at removing administrative and legal obstacles in border regions, representing a major step forward for Europe's border territories!
At the 163rd plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions, several opinions on the future of territorial cooperation, and more specifically on cross-border cooperation, were adopted. In particular, they propose doubling its funding!
As part of the Hungarian Presidency of the EU, the MOT took part in the ‘Art of Cooperation’ conference held in Budapest from November 13th to 15th. Dedicated to the future of European territorial cooperation, it was the occasion for the official launch of the ‘European cross-border platform’, an initiative of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and its partners CESCI, AEBR and the MOT, designed to bring together all those involved in cross-border cooperation at European level.
To prepare the future of territorial cooperation, the Commission launched a process of consultation with citizens and stakeholders at the end of 2023. These consultations, which will take place throughout 2024, will be carried out by each Interreg program.
To influence the debate on the future of EU policies after 2027, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) organized a conference on May 14th in Croatia, in cooperation with the INTERACT program, to draw the attention of decision-makers to the new challenges facing regions and cities, and to discuss the role of European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) in helping to meet these challenges.
The MOT was in Brussels on April 11th and 12th for the “Cohesion Forum” organized by the European Commission. What place for European Territorial Cooperation in future cohesion policy? How can the specific characteristics of cross-border territories be taken into account?
The independent Group of High-Level Specialists on the Future of Cohesion Policy - set up in 2023 by Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira - presented its report on 20 February 2024.
On December 12th, 2023, the Commission adopted its amended proposal for a regulation, formerly known as "ECBM", renamed "FCBS" ("Facilitating Cross-Border Solutions"). Its aim: to relaunch the creation of this European tool to "facilitate the use of cross-border solutions" by "helping Member States to remove obstacles that affect the daily lives of citizens living in cross-border regions of Europe".
The European Commission has launched discussions on cohesion policy after 2027 within an independent high-level group of experts, which will publish its conclusions and strategic recommendations in early 2024.
An opinion from the Committee of the Regions, voted in plenary session on November 29, focuses on EU regions' cooperation with neighbouring regions and countries.
The 14th episode of the Beyond Borders: Breakfast Debate Series, organized by the Border Focal Point Network, held on November 9th 2023, focused on the future of EU border regions within the post-2027 Cohesion Policy.
In Santiago, the Commission launched a consultation of citizens and stakeholders to discuss the future of territorial cooperation. A "toolkit" dedicated to the implementation of public consultations, to which the MOT contributed, was thus created by DG REGIO. It can now be consulted online.
Stalled for three years in the Council, the legislative proposal for a "mechanism to remove legal and administrative obstacles in a cross-border context", initiated by the European Commission, has now been relaunched. The Parliament asks the Commission to present a revised legislative proposal. The Commission has three months to respond.
This online course, featuring videos, expert interviews, toolboxes, quizzes and more, covers the origins of territorial cooperation, European policies and major themes such as health, regional planning, the environment, culture and mobility.
Introduced by Elisa Ferreira, European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, the group of experts on the future of cohesion policy met for its 5th session on the theme of "Strengthening territorial cooperation and meeting the challenges of European integration".
On the border between France, Germany and Luxembourg, the cross-border territory hosting the MOT’s general assembly on June 27th and 28th, 2023, in Metz is a hub for cross-border news, projects and issues. Joint interview with Patrick Weiten, president of the department of Moselle and former member of Parliament, and François Grosdidier, president of Metz Eurometropolis and mayor of Metz.
At the beginning of May, the European Commission published its report on the programming of the cohesion policy 2021-2027. It foresees the creation of 1.3 million jobs in Europe by the end of the programming period, with an increase of 0.5% of the EU GDP and up to 4% in some Member States.
A joint initiative of the European Committee of the Regions and European territorial associations to shape the future of cohesion policy: only one week left to participate!
Six years ago, the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) started the Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) initiative.
Marie-Antoinette Maupertuis, President of the Corsican Assembly and member of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), answers our questions following the publication of her report to the CoR on regions with "geographic and demographic handicaps". What about border areas?
The 12th Platform of EGTCs of the European Committee of the Regions was organised on the 24th and 25th of November 2022, within the framework of the Czech Presidency of the EU, in Liberec (CZ) close to the triple border point between Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland.
