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Cross-border
economic
development 10 Practical guide : building partnerships
Clarifying and rationalising
governance for economic development
Configurations involving too many players may lead to inertia or inefficiency. Identifying several circles of partnership
makes it possible to combine efficiency and the need to bring together all the relevant players.
Three circles may be
identified: a “core group” of
public authorities, associate
partners and private-sector
economic players .
• The “core group” is made up
of public authorities that have
competence in the area of
economic development and a
strategic vision of the priorities
that need to be focused
on. The task of this circle of
players is to define policies to
promote cross-border economic
development, leadership, and
even finance development
strategies.1
• Associate partners are
structures such as development
agencies, chambers of
commerce and industry,
employer and employee
organisations, public
employment services, etc.
These actors have in-depth
knowledge of the field and
play a key role in supporting
economic players. Associate
partners should be consulted in
the drawing-up of development
strategies and policies and then
involved in the implementation
of actual work.
• Lastly, private-sector
economic players, whose
business is at the heart of the
development of cross-border
territories, are the ultimate
beneficiaries of the strategies
and policies. Consultation,
dialogue and awareness-raising
mechanisms for economic
players must therefore be
strengthened.
Configurations involving too
many players may lead to inertia
or inefficiency. Identifying
several circles of partnership
makes it possible to combine
efficiency and the need to bring
together all the relevant players.
E x a m p l e :
Players in the Upper Rhine
Trinational Metropolitan
Region (TMR) are grouped under
four pillars (political, economic,
scientific and civil society). Each
pillar has its own coordinator and
is charged with implementing one
component of the TMR’s strategy.
The aim of this set-up is to better
coordinate players and create links
between the four components.
The political pillar brings together
the public authorities in the four
institutional cooperation bodies
(the Upper Rhine Conference,
the Upper Rhine Council, the four
Eurodistricts, and the network of
cities). The economic pillar is made
up of the chambers of commerce
of the three Upper Rhine areas:
French, German and Swiss. The
scientific pillar brings together
higher education institutions,
research organisations and players
that promote innovation and
technology transfer.
Sharp lines of demarcation
continue to exist between the
different types of players and
hamper a more integrated
approach to cross-border
economic development.
Consequently, it is important
to strengthen the links
between different types of
partners, especially when
they play complementary
roles. Connections must be
developed especially between
territorial authorities and
economic players, between
the worlds of research and
business, and between public
employment services and
businesses .
E x a m p l e s :
The cross-border PAMINA
Business Club is made up of
development agencies, territorial
authorities and French and German
chambers of commerce and
industry. The aim of this business
club is to improve its members’
cross-border advisory activities and
relay information from economic
players.
There are over 20 EURES
cross-border partnerships in
Europe. Their task is to address
information and coordination
needs in the area of cross-border
professional mobility. EURES
cross-border partnerships are
valuable points of contact between
employment administrations and
the social partners. The scopes of
partnerships vary depending on the
territory, but generally encompass
public employment services
and professional development,
employer organisations and
trade unions and local authorities
(municipalities or government
departments).
EURES Cross-Border PED
(FR-BE-LUX)
EURES-T Upper Rhine
(FR-DE-CH)
http://www.eures-t-oberrhein.eu
Eureschannel
(FR-BE-UK)
http://www.eureschannel.org
It is essential to clarify the
division of powers, comparable
functions on either side of the
border and interactions between
players. This may be done for
example through dynamic
mapping of players and their
areas of competence.
The aim is to identify which
public, semi-public or private-
sector players must consult one
another, and on which topics.
1 For a comprehensive analysis of the role of the various public and semi-public sector players involved in cross-border economic development, see the Introduction.