€UROPROJE(C)TS: The European Union across borders

EGTC West-Vlaanderen-Flandre-Dunkerque-Côte d’Opale

The establishment of an area of peace and stability has been the aim of the building of Europe since its beginning after the Second World War, which has particularly affected the continent. The biggest steps forward are the launch of a common market in 1957, the opening up of the internal borders (Schengen area) during the 1990s and the introduction of a single currency, the euro, in 2002. The main objective remains the free movement of persons, goods, services and capital.

In cross-border region

On a regional scale the cross-border cooperation has taken shape through different initiatives over the years. Here is an example with the former French region Nord-Pas de Calais and its neighbours in Belgium and in the UK.

Euroregion

The Transmanche Euroregion between the English County of Kent and the French region of Nord-Pas de Calais was set up in 1987 in link with the building of the Channel Tunnel. The Belgian regions of Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels-Capital took part in this initiative in 1991. The Euroregion becomes “Bruxelles-Capitale, Vlaanderen, Kent, Nord-Pas de Calais, Wallonie Euroregion” which is a European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG). The aim is to strengthen cooperation between the five regions thanks to the implementation of common projects throughout the area.

Considering the development of the INTERREG programmes within the cross-border region, the dissolution of the Euroregion was agreed in 2003.

INTERREG

In 1990, a new initiative known as INTERREG has been launched to foster cooperation between cross-border regions. The main objective is to seek solutions to common issues by overcoming the barrier effect of the border. Projects on the cross-border territory are co-financed thanks to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The INTERREG programmes have changed over time. For the 2014-2020 period these are split into three different strands:

A: cross-border cooperation;
B: transnational cooperation;
EUROPE: interregional cooperation.

The current INTERREG programmes for the French region Hauts-de-France / Nord-Pas de Calais-Picardy are:

INTERREG V A France-Channel-England;
INTERREG V A Two Seas;
INTERREG V A France-Wallonie-Vlaanderen;
INTERREG V B North-West Europe;
INTERREG EUROPE.

European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC)

Since 2006 the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) has its own legal personality in order to make cooperation easier between regional and local authorities, public bodies and not-for-profit organisations within the same cross-border area.

A EGTC may be appointed as a managing authority for an INTERREG programme. It may be involved in a EU project as a partner or the project leader. Its main mission is the implementation of joint projects in health, transport, economic development or culture sectors for instance.

There are two EGTCs in the French region Hauts-de-France:

West-Vlaanderen-Flandre-Dunkerque-Côte d’Opale;
Eurométropole Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai.

Practical examples within the French region Hauts-de-France / Nord-Pas de Calais-Picardy

TRANSPORT: The West-Vlaanderen-Flandre-Dunkerque-Côte d’Opale EGTC published a cross-border and multilingual map for public transport, available for free download;
HEALTH: Cross-Border Healthcare areas (ZOAST) enable Belgian and French patients to be treated on both sides of the border thanks to formalities that has been made easier;
CULTURE: “Out of the Blue-Waide” project was supported by the INTERREG IV A France-Channel-England programme. From 2013 to 2015 the project put together partners from Brighton in the UK and Amiens in France with the aim of organising cultural heritage and creation events on both sides of the Channel;
EMPLOYMENT: “Emploi sans Frontières/Grenzeloos tewerkstellen” project is supported by the INTERREG V A France-Wallonie-Vlaanderen programme. The project partnership includes public employment services from France, and Flanders and Wallonia in Belgium. The main objective will be the development of cross-border employment.