News

ECBM relaunched at European level

Sandro Gozi MEP's report adopted

Sandro Gozi's report on the simplification of this mechanism was adopted by the plenary session of the European Parliament on September 14th. On this occasion, the MEP declared that this new proposal, renamed "BridgEU "*, illustrates the efforts made "to relay the aspirations and needs of 150 million European citizens living in border regions, and to break down the invisible but omnipresent bureaucratic wall that affects their daily lives. Ignoring the barriers that stand in the way of these territories has a high cost: 400 billion euros and four million jobs lost every year, not to mention the deprivation of access to their fundamental rights for these citizens. Parliament has demonstrated its unity and used its constitutional prerogatives to call for the adoption of a legislative proposal. We now call on the Commission and Council to reopen negotiations as soon as possible". More info
Further information on the Parliament's website
Read our article on the report

European Committee of the Regions (CoR) opinion also adopted

The CoR opinion "European Cross-Border Mechanism 2.0" (rapporteur Magali Altounian) was also definitively adopted on October 10th, 2023. In the opinion adopted at its 10 October plenary Session, "the CoR calls on the European Union and Member States to step up their efforts to reduce these barriers and to address the specific needs of citizens living in cross-border regions and seize the full potential of the European single market. Regional and local leaders also demand to establish cross-border coordination points in all Member States and to be properly involved in the shaping and implementation of new measures".
More info

Position of the European Commission

During the European Parliament’s debate on the amended regulation, Commissioner Elisa Ferreira stated the European Commission's position:

• "The Commission is actively considering to amend its 2018 proposal, to simplify it, strengthening the voluntary and case-by-case approach of the mechanism, clearly defining its scope to specific cross-border projects,building on the European Parliament's support to this mechanism, as well as addressing the difficulties raised in the Council, so that negotiations can be revived as soon as possible.
• The Commission shares your view that a new off-the-shelf, voluntary tool, alongside existing cooperation structures, would facilitate solutions to cross-border obstacles, and therefore, reduce costs and administrative burden.
• The Commission also shares your view that the designation of coordination points in each Member State could create an efficient network to share knowledge and develop capacities."
  More info

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

In the context of the legislative procedure, the European Commission is publishing a "call for contributions" to its "Facilitating border solutions" initiative: stakeholders are invited to provide relevant evidence of the need for a European legal tool to resolve obstacles. The MOT invites all stakeholders to support the European Commission in feeding and finalizing its work. The call is open from October 19, 2023 to November 16, 2023.
Click here

Further information  

- DG Regio organized its 13th Beyond Borders Breakfast Debate on the topic: "How would a new European legal tool solve cross-border obstacles?". The replay has been posted: click here.

* Border Regions’ Instrument for Development and Growth in the EU.

Photo: all rights reserved