Topicality. The topicality of the research is determined by the important role of innovative forms of cross- border cooperation in improving competitiveness of peripheral boundary regions, reducing of regional differentiation between cross border and internal regions, on one hand, and immaturity of theoretical and methodological aspects of studying the cross-border cooperation mechanisms, on the other. The reforming of the system controlling of the regional development involves the implementation of new quality of the regional strategy the aim of which is both to ensure the modernization of the country’s economy and to carry out complex and balanced development of peripheral (boundary) regions.Aim and tasks. The aim of the article under consideration is to offer theoretical and methodological provisions and practical propositions to justify the improvement tools of project planning of the European regional innovative systems with Ukraine as a participant of cross-border cooperation under the conditions of EU enlargement by means of creating transnational cluster systems – network industrial integration institutions – which have become the poles of economical growth and competitiveness of peripheral economic area. The task is to work out the theoretical provisions and methodological principles of strategic planning to create and develop cross-border cluster systems in different sectors of economy taking into consideration their potential role as the systems that are able to fulfil purposes and to tackle problems with a focus on solving the task of modernization of Ukrainian peripheral regions’ economic system.Research results. The objects of strategic planning are cross-border cluster systems looked upon as territorially located socially economic systems formed by a group of independent economic agents from the both sides of the border, by the organizations of bodies of executive power of the countries-actors of the European region and civil society. They consistently interact with each other by means of information, service, human and funds exchange and provide extra efficiency as compared with other, not systematically organized objects. Cross-border cluster systems can become the centers of regional development: investments promotion, diffusion of innovations, creation of human capital of new quality, standard of business relations, development of adequate institutions geared to address the task of the country’s economy modernization. For good reason, to raise the level of innovative economy of a peripheral region it is necessary to integrate educational and scientific infrastructure with power structures and with business environment to increase the layer of development on innovative enterprises. Universities should develop cooperation with the industry, use new approaches in academic research reflecting the needs of regional firms and assisting in strengthening their central role in EU regional innovative system development.Conclusion. Formation of EU regional innovative system considerably transforms the priority of the main siting factors which changes the functions of periphery territory. The latter is transforming from physical basis – the material (resource) production factors siting – into the environment to develop human capital, innovations and providing self-development of EU region. The new postmodern reality includes postindustrial manufacturing together with network building of periphery economic area suggesting the transplantation of the institutions by means of self-organization of hybrid network clusters over the administrative boundaries which become the “growth poles”, factors of uniting and free circulation of funds in European regions. On the way towards the entry into the European Union it is necessary to generalize experience of cross-border cooperation as the previous and complementary phase of integration in regional terms. To form the complete and effective development policy of cross-border cooperation with the active participation of Ukrainian peripheral regions it is necessary to work out theoretical and methodological background of the quasi-integration of economic agents within the boundary of European regions and to justify new forms and mechanisms of its deepening with the benefit of cross-border cluster systems concept.
Cross-border Cooperation in Regional Development – Comparison of the Czech-Saxon and Czech-Slovak Borderland
