[CROSSGOV] - Governance mechanisms for cross-border functional areas
Projects
July 2024 – January 2026
EUR 725,130.00
The cross-border integration and socio-economic convergence has been supported by different tools ranging from economic ones (e.g. the single market, Interreg programs), institutional ones (e.g. EGTCs, Eurodistricts), to functional ones, aiming to solve obstacles linked to sectoral policies (e.g. efficient provision of cross-border public services). However, a recurring theme across studies is the need for effective governance mechanisms. While progress has been made in this direction, including the recommendations to the Commission on amending proposed mechanisms to resolve legal and administrative obstacles in a cross-border context and advocating for a bottom-up multi-level governance approach, there are still research gaps and paths to be explored in this realm. Moreso in a context where border regions usually face a combination of legal and administrative obstacles and the administrative reality differs across the EU, requiring more than a 'one size fits all' approach in order to resolve the current obstacles. Additionally, it should be noted that, for cross-border regions, the obstacles and challenges are not only legal and administrative nature, but also cover economic, political, cultural, cognitive, and even interpersonal aspects.
Working on cross-border functional areas can serve as a potential efficient instrument, through which further reduction of cross-border obstacles can be achieved, along with easing flows of people, goods, materials and knowledge. And although different types of cooperation models have created/ mapped different types of cross-border functional areas, these remain inadequately explained in their practical daily operations by both public and private entities. Furthermore, integration for cross-border regions encompasses both dimensions of interaction and convergence, with divergent processes occurring across different types of territories. This yields two primary dimensions of integration: (I) first, the existence of interactions between territories based on flows and barriers; (II) second, the convergence of spatial characteristics driven by both homogeneity and discontinuities.
The aim of the European research project is to offer a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted nature of cross-border functional areas, including on the policy implications, across the ESPON space. Investigating both the status-quo and the potential of the functional cross-border integration, the following steps are required: (I) examine in-depth the concept of a functional cross-border area and its relation to territorial governance mechanisms, taking into consideration / synthesizing key theoretical frameworks, and results of empirical studies, and (II) conduct a detailed territorial analysis by looking at the spatial, economic, social, cultural, and multi-level governance dimensions of functional cross-border areas. Given the diversity of borders, of geographical/territorial and of national contexts (scale, decentralisation level and competences, for instance), cross border territorial governance models could be built on the bottom-up, specific, approaches, fostering multi-level cooperation. Within this context it is, therefore, important to understand the drivers, obstacles / bottlenecks, as well as opportunities and development trends determining the origin and evolution of such new functional territories and, also, to look at the applicable territorial governance mechanisms.
Policy questions
Thus, the project should support EU, national, regional policies in answering the following key policy questions:
Building on a territorial sensitive approach and responding to the variety of territorial cross border typologies (mountain, river, maritime border areas) how to define cross-border functional areas in a way that common definition(s) (at the European level) correspond(s) to actual policy processes contributing to cross border integration, addressing measures to improve citizens' daily lives? How to calibrate the theoretical definitions with the actual realities of functional cross-border areas that people live/work in?
Which methodologies should be used to define and monitor the development of the different cross-border functional areas, given both the available accumulated territorial evidence, the variety of policy practices and the lack of harmonised/appropriate, territorial, datasets?
What are the main challenges and drivers fostering the development of cross border functional areas, at the European level? What types of persistent obstacles / bottlenecks can be mapped out and that hamper the effective governance of cross border functional areas? Are there any untapped opportunities, originating from the local levels and interactions?
What governance structures are in place and how to capitalise on the great potentials of different cross border type of regions taking into account their institutional and territorial specificities and ensure their sustainability? How to take into account/or how to reflect the evolution of cross border interaction and dynamics in functional areas into in the governance structures/mechanism (e.g. lessons learnt after the Covid pandemic)? How to ensure vertical and horizontal policy coherence to plan and manage the different categories of cross border functional areas?
Geographical Coverage
The project shall encompass the entire ESPON programme area, including internal and external borders.
More information
Contractor: Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)
Joint Partners:
Austrian Institute for Spatial Planning (ÖIR)
Central European Service for Cross-Border Initiatives (CESCI)
The Association of European Border Regions (AEBR)
Politecnico di Torino (POLITO)
Technische Universität Wien (TU Wien)
University of Helsinki
University of Luxembourg
Palacký University Olomouc (UPOL)
Contact:
Andreea China (Research and Policy Manager) / [email protected];
Ramona Tanasa (Financial reporting manager) / [email protected]