Welcome to the Committee of the Regions

1. European Union The EGTC in the EU: Current trends and perspectives under the next programming period 2014-2020 Alpeuregio Summerschool 9 July 2012 Christian Gsodam Advisor to the Secretary General Committee of the Regions of the EU Welcome to the Committee of the Regions

2. The European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation

3. What is an EGTC? EGTC – European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation • Created by Regulation (EC) 1082/2006 • Public entities from different Member States can get together under an entity with Europeanlegal personality. • The EGTC has its own organisation, budget and staff. • It may implement programmes and projects of territorial cooperation, with or without EU funding. • Entered into force on 1 August 2007, the Member States adopt national provisions.

4. What for? Missions of an EGTC • Art. 1 (2) “To facilitate and promote cross-border, transnational and/or interregional cooperation between its members with the aim of strengthening economic and social cohesion”. • Art 7 (3) Tasks of the EGTC: • Implement ETC programmes co-financed by ERDF, ESF or Cohesion Fund • Implement ETC projects […] • Other specific cooperation actions with EU funding • Other cooperation actions without EU funding • Limits: Powers of the State such as police, regulation, justice or foreign affairs.

5. Who can participate? Who can be a member? • Basically, entities of Public Law (reference to the Directive 2004/18/EC on public procurement) and associations • Participation of entities from third countries: • 2 EU Member States needed (minimum 2 EU + 1 non EU) • The third country adopts similar legislation or signs an agreement with the country of seat of the EGTC • The EU Member States involved authorize it

6. How to set up an EGTC The basic procedure • Location of the registered office  The seat determines the applicable Law • Drafting of a convention and the statutes of the EGTC • Authorisation by the Member States  The Regulation says 3 months • Publication in the national journal and in the OJEU • Notification to the CoR • Launching of the EGTC

7. EGTC trends and developments

8. Examples of EGTC • Grande Région • First EGTC to become management authority of a programme • Involves FR, DE, LU, NL, BE • www.interreg4a-gr.eu

9. Examples of EGTC • Amphictyony • Twinning 53 cities of the Mediterranean • More than 39 non-EU cities associated • www.amphictyony.gr

10. Examples of EGTC • Archimed • Cooperation structure among Mediterranean islands • Joint defence of commoninterests

11. Examples of EGTC • Eurometropolis Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai • Conurbation between Belgium and France, 3 regions, 2 languages, 1.7 Mo inhabitants • www.eurometropolis.eu

12. Examples of EGTC • Galicia-Norte de Portugal • Big euroregion with more than 20 years • of co-operation History • Projects: • Transport: Guide, study on interoperativity • Cooperation between technology centres and campuses • Sectors: Sea, automotive, creative and cultural industries • TOURISM: Project ‘One destination, two countries’ www.gnpaect.com

13. Examples of EGTC • Duero-Douro • Rural development: 187 municipalities with an average population of <500 inhabitants • Projects: • Econometric model for investments • Goat livestock to prevent forest fires and create jobs • Culture, education • TOURISM VITAL: Turn the border area into a touristic destination of excellence www.duero-douro.com

14. Examples of EGTC • West Vlaanderen / Flandre - Dunkerque - Côte d’Opale • Integration of a highly urbanised border area • Projects: • Interreg IVA project 'Cross-border cooperation‘ • Project ‘Coast to coast’ and ‘Tourism without borders’ • Public transport and recreational mobility • Health cooperation • Training and employment • Cross-border GIS • Culture

15. Examples of EGTC • Abaúj az Abaújban and Bodrogközi • 2 different Groupings between HU and SK municipalities • Mainly oriented to rural tourism and development. www.abauj.info www.bodrogkoziek.com

16. Examples of EGTC • Duero-Douro • Rural development: 187 municipalities with an average population of <500 inhabitants • Projects: • Econometric model for investments • Goat livestock to prevent forest fires and create jobs • Culture, education • TOURISM VITAL: Turn the border area into a touristic destination of excellence www.duero-douro.com

17. Examples of EGTC • Cerdanya cross-border hospital • Service to 60,000 inhabitants in the Pyrenees • www.hcerdanya.eu

18. EGTC trends and developments Advantages of the EGTC • An EGTC may implement a whole programme • An EGTC is visible, is flexible, is permanent, is accountable and empowers peer local and regional authorities • The EGTC facilitates the obtention of funding for projects • The EGTC is a good instrument to pool public expenditure or public services • An EGTC may grant the future sustainability of a project, and can be foreseen in a project proposal or in an operational programme • The EGTC can materialise bottom-up initiatives at macro level

19. EGTC trends and developments Source: INTERACT handbook ‘The European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation’

20. EGTC trends and developments • Factors Vision Trust Negotiation Choice

21. EGTC trends and developments • Figures • 29 EGTC set up, one of them pending notification • More than 600 LRA involved • A reality in 15 Member States, • Impact on the life of 26 Mo Europeans

22. EGTC trends and developments Some trends about the implementation of EGTC • National implementation varies, but also approach and perception • There is only one EGTC for programme implementation, and structural funds are not the main object • Although ‘laboratory for multi-level governance’, most of the EGTC group public entities of the same level • Although it is ‘territorial cooperation’, EGTC are mainly CBC • Main areas: Axis Benelux-FR-DE, around HU-SK-CZ and Med • Precedent cooperation started in the 90s. • Need of awareness among LRA, public and EC services

23. Engagement of the CoR • The role • of the Committee • of the Regions

24. 2009 Engagement of the CoR 2010 Legal basis: • Treaties (art. 306 TFEU)  Consultative remit in cross-border cooperation • Regulation (EC) 1082/2006, Art. 5  The new EGTCs must notify the CoR Political action: • The EGTC is strategic for the CoR • Inter-institutional cooperation • Political proactiveness 2011 2012 2013 24

25. 2009 Engagement of the CoR 2010 Political support: • 4 opinions on EGTC in 2002, 2004, 2008 and 2011 Shared experience: • Expert Group, EGTC Platform Information and debate: • Consultation in 2010 • Workshops and stands during the Open Days • 3 studies and annual report from 2011 on. Registry of EGTC: • Art 5 of the Regulation (EC) 1082/2006 2011 2012 2013 25

26. CoR opinion on EGTC 2011 • Own-initiative opinion, adoption the 27/01/2011 • Rapporteur: Mr Alberto Núñez Feijóo, (ES/EPP) President of Galicia. • Contituity with the opinion of Ms Bresso (IT/PES) in 2008 • New scenario: Treaty of Lisbon and new financial perspectives • Importance of the EGTC • For programmes and projects of ETC • For Europe 2020 • For Multi-level governance • Defence of the EGTC as “preferential instrument for cooperation”. 26

27. CoR opinion on EGTC • Contents: • Substantial measures: Legal status; harmonisation of national regimes; staff; participation of private entities; clarifications. • Procedural measures: Reduction of the delays, hearing the promoters of the EGTC; common act for autorisation; publication in section C of the OJEU. • Financial measures: Consider the EGTC automatically as transnational partnership; suppress obsolete methodes of management; autonomous pole of cooperation. • Participation of entities from Third countries on the basis of Title V of the Treaty; allow 1+1 bilateral EGTCs.

28. CoR opinion on EGTC 2012 • Opinion on the legislative proposal, to be adopted on 15 February 2012 (COTER 5 Dec) • Consultation to the EGTC Platform • Rapporteur: Mr Michel Delebarre, (FR/PES) Mayor of Dunkerque, President of COTER and coordinator of the EGTC Platform. • Support to the proposal, in particular simplification, staff, larger tasks, territories of 3rd countries. • Other ideas proposed: to allow companies of services of general economic interest, clearer criteria to reject proposals (including participation of 3rd countries), use of EGTC in other sectors, procedural improvements. 28

29. The revision of the EGTC Regulation ___________ __ ___________ __ ___ • ______ __ ___ __________ • __________ __ ___ _______ • __________ __ _________ __ _______ • ___________ __ ___ ________ • __________ • ___ __________ ________ ______ ____ __ __________ • ___________ ________

30. Analysis – the ETC proposal 30

31. Analysis – the ETC proposal 31

32. Analysis – the ETC proposal 32

33. Analysis – the ETC proposal 33

34. Analysis – the EGTC proposal 34

35. Analysis – the EGTC proposal 35

36. Analysis – the EGTC proposal 36

37. Analysis – the EGTC proposal 37

38. Analysis – the EGTC proposal 38

39. The EGTC Platform • of the CoR

40. The EGTC Platform • Its it integrated by all the EGTCs existing, the EGTCs in constitution, experts and different organisations of support (including INTERACT). • Open to other cross-border structures. • Launched the 28 January 2011 in Brussels • Online forum www.cor.europa.eu/egtc • Contact: egtc@cor.europa.eu

41. The EGTC Platform • Mission of the Platform • Legislative monitoring What’s going on? • Peer exchange of experiences, advice and practices  How do we do it? • Dissemination and visibility of the EGTC  What can we do? • Explore the opportunities and challenges of the EGTC  How to do it better? • Contribute to the consultative works of the CoR providing factual input about cross-border aspects of the EU legislation and policies  What happens at cross-border level?

42. The EGTC Platform – Conferences and meetings January 2011  Launching conference October 2011  Open Days 29 March 2012  Interinstitutional conference in Brussels 9 October 2012  EGTC workshop during the Open Days

43. The EGTC Platform – Resources and publications Sources available in www.cor.europa.eu/egtc Go to ‘EGTC Platform’ and find them in ‘Publications’

44. The EGTC Platform – Online community • > 150 registered contacts • Peer-to-peer support • Forum online • Social networks • E-mail: egtc@cor.europa.eu • Twitter: @EGTCPlatform • FB group:EGTC

45. Conclusion: Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity. Declaration of the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Robert Schuman, 9 May 1950

46. Eυχαριστώ πάρα πολύ! Grazie! Merci! Committee of the Regions Direction of horizontal policies and networks Alfonso Alcolea Martínez Administrator EGTC & territorial cooperation URL:www.cor.europa.eu/egtc E-mail: egtc@cor.europa.eu Twitter: @EGTCPlatform FB group:EGTC