Cohesion policy 2007-2013: Commission approves first cross-border cooperation programmes

The Commission has adopted a first batch of four cross-border programmes under the new cohesion policy 2007-2013. The programmes concern Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Italy, the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Commission expects to validate about 50 programmes on EU internal cross-border cooperation over the coming months, involving all Member States.

Commissioner Danuta Hübner congratulated the Member States on this launch: «Cross-border programmes are very complex to develop because so many actors are involved, so this launch is a real achievement and tribute to the close cooperation between Member States, regions and Commission services. New projects can now see the light of day.»

The cross-border programmes in 2007-2013 will help to solve local problems:

 Entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), cross-border trade, tourism and culture

 Protection and joint management of the environment

 Better access to transport

 Information and communication networks

 Water, waste management and energy management systems

 Joint use of health, culture and education infrastructure

 Judicial and administrative co-operation

The four programmes now launched are:

 «Italy-Austria»: Total budget: € 80 million. Community assistance through European Regional Development Fund (ERDF): € 60 million.

 «Bavaria-Austria» (between Germany and Austria): Total budget: € 72.1 million. ERDF contribution: € 54.1 million.

 «Euroregio Meuse-Rhine»: (associating Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium): Total budget: € 144.8 million.ERDF contribution: € 72.4 million.

 «Ireland-Wales» (between Ireland and the United-Kingdom) is typical of a sea border and will focus on maritime cooperation. Total budget: € 70 million. ERDF support: € 53 million.

Notes for editors

The new cohesion policy for 2007-2013 is structured around three new objectives (convergence; regional competitiveness and employment; territorial co-operation). The territorial component has been reinforced since 2000-2006 and has become a full objective in its own right in the new period (building upon the experience of the former community initiative «Interreg»). This is projected through three strands: cross-border cooperation; trans-national cooperation; and interregional cooperation.

Cross-border programmes: examples of results achieved in previous round:

 The INTERREG programme contributed to an agreement between Salzburg-Land(Austria) and Oberbayern in Germany leading to the creation of a cross-border transport association: now passengers only need one ticket issued anywhere in the area to travel throughout this Euroregion.

 INTERREG Rhine-Meuse activities, supported by the ERDF led to an integrated approach to flooding. This project involved Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland. One project involved the construction of a new dike in the Bisclicher Insel area, near the city of Xanten in Germany. As a direct result of this project, around 13 000 people now have more effective protection against flood damage.

In total, 50 cross-border cooperation programmes will benefit from investment worth € 5.4 billion for 2007-2013. Eligible regions are those along the land-base borders or along maritime borders, separated by a maximum distance of 150 km. The list of these regions is notified in Commission’s decision C(2006) 5144.

Explanatory Memos will follow shortly.

Further information about European Regional Policy:

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm

IP/07/1371

Brussels, 21 September 2007

Source : Europa