scholarly journals EU-Russian cross-border cooperation between (de-)securitization and paradiplomacy: In search of new approaches towards cross-border governance

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-181
Author(s):  
Gleb Yarovoy ◽  

For almost 30 years, cross-border cooperation between Russia and the European Union has been balancing between cooperation and control, geopolitics and paradiplomacy. In different periods of relations, the dominance of one or another logic of development is noticeable. In the “post-Crimean” period of international relations in Europe, cross-border cooperation remained one of the few spheres of interaction between Russia and the EU which showed somewhat positive dynamics, or at least had not degraded significantly. The Karelian section of the Russian state border attracted close attention from both Russian and Western researchers in the 1990s due to the rapid pace of institutionalization of cross-border cooperation. The creation of Euregio “Karelia” in 2000 and the launch of cross-border cooperation programs within the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy helped to maintain research interest. In recent years, the negative dynamics of relations between Russia and the EU has led to a noticeable decrease in the research interest to some issues of EU-Russian cross-border cooperation. At the same time, cross-border cooperation projects continue to have a positive impact on the development of border communities, and the cross-border governance system continues to develop and transform. Thus, the study of the dynamics of cross-border cooperation in the Euregio “Karelia” is still of scientific interest. It makes it possible to answer specific questions about the peculiarities of interaction between Karelia and Finland, as well as more general questions related to EU-Russian relations. Based on the analysis of discursive cooperation practices inherent to different participants of the cross-border cooperation in the Euregio “Karelia”, the article shows why positive interaction of actors is still possible, and what vector of development can be expected for the regional cooperation between Russia and the EU in the medium-term perspective.

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 35-43
Author(s):  
Elena Grad-Rusu

Since the beginning, the European Union has believed and promoted the idea that an increase in cross-border cooperation contributes to enhanced European integration. This means that cross-border cooperation supports sustainable development along the EU’s internal and external borders, helps reduce differences in living standards and addresses common challenges across these borders. The aim of this paper is to examine the cross-border initiatives between Romania and Hungary with a special focus on the INTERREG projects, which have provided new sources of funding for cross-border activities and regional development in the RomanianHungarian border area. In this context, the cooperation has intensified in the last two decades, especially since Romania joined the EU in 2007. The research proves that cross-border projects and initiatives represent an important source of funding for this type of intervention, when no similar funding sources are available.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-68
Author(s):  
Aleksandar Maksimović ◽  

The European Union in different ways and through the structural funds, helps countries to develop in the Western Balkans. Decision of the EU, the total amount that will be available in Turkey, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the period since 2007. 2013. is 4 billion. One of the priority measures under the IPA Cros-border coopertion (CBC) programme is the development of tourism. These measures should help and contribute to the development of tourism. How and in what way to access and become a user of these programs can help or helps? Cross-border projects involve regional cooperation and require financial resources in the preparation of the project. Trained staff is needed for this job. Local communities, along with their capacities should take on the preparation of these projects, and as partners include the tourist industry (workers) and encourage and inspire other tourist capacities in their local community.


2010 ◽  
Vol 56 (No. 6) ◽  
pp. 292-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Husák

The paper is focused on the problems of the cross-border cooperation and the regional policy of the European Communities and the implementation of theoretical issues in the South Bohemia Region. The main aim of this paper is to compare the cross-border cooperation and its influence on the regional development of the South Bohemia Region between the 2004–2006 programming period (after the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Communities) and the 2007–2013 programming period. The paper also provides the typology of the realised cross-border projects from the perspectives of the number of projects and also their financial allocation. The results document the increasing importance of the cross-border cooperation and its highly positive impact on the social and economic development of the South Bohemia Region.


2010 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 41-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilia Bogacka

Cross-Border Cooperation on Security in Europe The aim of the article is to present cross-border cooperation on security. For this purpose, various problems in the European Union with respect to criminal policy must be described. The article consists of three parts. The first presents selected European institutions established to prevent and fight crime. The second concentrates on the control of external EU borders, quoting people's opinions on this matter and describing one of the EU programmes, the European Neighbourhood & Partnership Instrument: Cross-Border Cooperation. The third part focuses on security of the Polish borders as those which in recent years have witnessed serious political changes - Poland's accession to the European Union and the Schengen zone. The paper finishes with conclusions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-53
Author(s):  
Tatiana Shaban

Cross-border cooperation among the Eastern neighbours of the European Union can be understood as a new approach to public policy and border governance in the region. There was no border cooperation strategy between communist and European countries during Soviet times. The question of the management of the Eastern border of the EU, especially with Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova, came on the agenda in 1997, when accession to the union was finally opened to Eastern and Southern European candidates. With the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement that came into force in 1998, Ukraine signalled its foreign policy orientation as European, asserting that Western integration would help modernize its economy, increase living standards, and strengthen democracy and rule of law. The European Commission required “good neighbourly relations” as a further condition for accession and in conjunction, the concept of “Wider Europe” was proposed to set up border-transcending tasks. The Carpathian Euroregion was established to contribute to strengthening the friendship and prosperity of the countries of this region. However, the model was not fully understood and had only limited support of the national governments. This article uses the Carpathian Euroregion as a case study to show that overall Ukraine and the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood presents more opportunities for effective cooperation with the EU rather than barriers or risks.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. 47-53
Author(s):  
E. I. Haydanka

The former post-socialist countries have become examples of the institutional transformation of public administration systems. An indispensable element of optimising public administration is intensification of cross-border cooperation and implementation of joint sustainable development programmes in the cross-border regions.It has been found that an efficient cross-border cooperation model in Slovakia was introduced after joining the European Union. The financial support within the Interreg EU programme, implemented during 2007–2013 (Interreg IV) and 2014–2010 (Interreg V), has played an essential role. It has been proved that the most effective model is the cross-border cooperation model in Trnava Region, territorially implemented with the neighbouring regions of Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic. It has been determined that the main directions of cross-border cooperation in the Trnava self-governing region are realization of joint socio-economic programmes (strategies of economic growth and regional employment, cultural and educational projects, transport system, etc.) as well as cooperation between municipal administrations on the issues of administrative systems optimization. It has been proved that the vast share of European financial resources (for instance, the European Regional Development Fund), aimed at the development of regional cooperation, should, above all, bridge the administrative resource gap between urban and rural areas and ensure that local communities have free and equal access to administrative resources.The traditions of effective cross-border cooperation between the Trnava self-governing region and respective cross-border regions of the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary have been prolonged in the format of the European Interreg V Consolidation Programme for the period of 2014-2010. Cross-border projects are usually implemented for a period of 1–2 years, being aimed at fortifying intercultural ties on the neighbour territories. In Trnava Region it is strategically important to intensify cross-border cooperation in order to increase inter-institutional cooperation at the level of municipal administrations as well as strengthen cross-border ties at the level of population.The correlation of strategic goals with the outcomes of cross-border cooperation with Euroregions, while retaining substantial financial support from the EU structures, is among the priority tasks.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yurii Maslov

The attention of the supranational level to transboundary regions increased with the development of regional policy. The reform of the European structural funds, the concepts of equalization and identification of the endogenous potential of regions led to the intensification of cross-border cooperation. Of course, this is not only the merit of the European Union; the growth of Euroregions stimulated financial support, and this led to a new round of growth of Euroregions in the EU territories. The purpose of the article is to determine problems of transformational aspects for elaborating and improving the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region up to the condition of its possible implementation, as well as propose specific measures for its step-by-step implementation until 2020. The European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) is another initiative created in the zonal field of Euroregions for greater cohesion with the supranational level. Most of the EGTC members are located in Eastern and Southern Europe. Moreover, if on the early stages EGTC were projects for the implementation of exclusively cross-border cooperation, then since 2012 they began to be created as platforms for cooperation between cities of different EU member states. EU regions are very diverse from a cultural and historical point of view and have different levels of socio-economic development. In the Danube region over the past two decades, fundamental changes have occurred, taking this into account, the article highlights several strategic directions of development. 1) Geographical association of Europe and the East. There is a huge potential for the development of existing transport and trade links. 2) The developed infrastructural architecture of the education system. Including different universities, but the quality of training varies. Education and training should be linked to the needs of the labour market, along with supporting student mobility throughout the entire Danube region. 3) The presence of millennial traditions of cultural, ethnic, and natural diversity. The presence of large cities and world heritage sites, including the concentration of capitals and cultural centres. This requires a modern approach to tourism offers and infrastructure so that both the guest and the host can get profit from this activity. 4) The ability to optimize and improve the use of renewable energy sources, such as water, wind biomass, thermal springs. There are also wide opportunities for improving energy efficiency by enhancing the efficiency of energy demand management and modernizing building and logistics. These measures will facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy. 5) Availability of natural wealth: unique fauna and flora, the most valuable water resources and unique landscapes (for example, the Danube Delta, the Carpathians). They must be in constant preservation and recovery. Each designated area contains priority recommendations in various fields of activity. The transformational optimization strategy proposed by the author provides a stable framework for the policy of integration and cohesive development of the Danube region. It establishes priority areas aimed at creating the EU Region of the 21st century.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 57-65
Author(s):  
Oleksandr Sokolovskyy

The research is based on the features of the influence of interethnic relations on the development of cross-border cooperation. It is noted that, provided effective ethno-national policies are implemented, multi-ethnic border regions have the advantage that national communities facilitate cross-border cooperation, and they often act as intermediaries in inter-regional relations. It has been proven that interethnic relations have a significant impact on the development of cross-border cooperation, in particular the importance of local authorities and national governments, which have a significant role to play in the issues of inter-ethnic relations in the region. It is argued that in the development of cross-border cooperation, greater emphasis should be placed on programs and projects aimed at improving the coexistence and development of national minorities in the border regions where they are most often living compactly, in particular representatives of national minorities; as a factor of European integration. For the successful development of cross-border cooperation, it is important to understand the needs and interests of the ethnic communities of a particular region, and to take into account historical, cultural factors. It is noted that the integration model is effective in the development of cross-border cooperation, since it enables different ethnic groups and national minorities to maintain their national identity, as well as to participate in regional and inter-state cooperation. Each interethnic community in Europe has its own peculiarities, and therefore the general list of recommendations included in the European Charter does not list the granting of large permits to municipal regions. However, these documents formed the basis for cross-border cooperation in European regions, and the provisions contained therein strengthened activities in this field. An important fact is that most inter-ethnic cooperation activities are within the structures of the European Union. The most common term is "territorial cooperation" or "cross-border cooperation", which are understood as different types of cooperation programs. These programs support the promotion and implementation of joint projects of an international nature throughout the European Union and its neighbors. A specific form of cross-border cooperation is Euroregional. Its characteristic feature is the institutionalization of cross-border cooperation structures. These structures may be: interethnic associations, councils, secretariats, committees, working groups, etc. Euroregional cooperation is carried out within the Euroregion. The Euroregion can be seen as a formal structure of cooperation, adopted on the basis of agreements between interethnic local and regional authorities in order to deepen economic and social cooperation. It is emphasized that the European experience of using the opportunities of cooperation with national minorities in multiethnic regions is of great importance for Ukraine, in particular, the work of the Council of Europe, the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), the Association of European Border Regions, which receive considerable attention, is useful. national minorities in the development of cross-border cooperation. European experience demonstrates that, with proper organization of state policy and historical experience, the involvement of ethnic groups in cross-border cooperation can have a positive impact. Interethnic cooperation promotes political stability and reduces tensions in border areas, and has a positive impact on economic cooperation, development of education, science and culture. It is proved that cross-border cooperation must take into account the nature of ethno-political relations in the border regions, promote the provision of conditions for the development of ethno-cultural characteristics of national minorities and develop mechanisms of interethnic interaction, cooperation of local authorities and public organizations of national minorities.


Europa XXI ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 119-137
Author(s):  
Martin Guillermo Ramirez

The European Union (EU) territorial development and cohesion have been supported by European institutions for decades, but they currently face a critical moment: the COVID-19 pandemic and European coordination gaps have to be added to previously-existing difficulties, such as the growing climate-related and demographic challenges, and the wave of Euroscepticism, nationalism and populism. Viruses do not recognise borders, but the EU is still divided between those thinking that the economy should prevail over politics and those thinking otherwise. European citizens living in border areas know very well that we need a common approach (and a stronger commitment) to the preservation of our values and rights, as well as to the definitive positioning of the EU as a global player. Integration starts at the bottom and moves across borders. The legacy of cohesion and territorial stability that the EU leaves for future generations will depend on how it protects and strengthens cross-border cooperation at this stage.


Author(s):  
Elżbieta Kacperska

The cross-border cooperation is an element of international cooperation allowing border areas to develop. Polish border areas are very much diversified , in respect of the development, especially weakly developed are terrains situated along eastern border. The chance of the development of those regions is to cooperate, especially in the aspect of using financial resources form programs of cross-border cooperation of the European Union. The aim of the study is to point benefits and barriers of border areas development caused by the cross-border cooperation on the example of eastern regions, taking into consideration euro regions: Neman, Bug and Carpathians.


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