scholarly journals Polarization of Living Standards among Administrative Units Engaged in Cross-Border Cooperation—The Example of Polish Municipalities of Euroregion Baltic

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 680
Author(s):  
Marcin Janusz

The present work examines the standard of living among the Polish municipalities of the Euroregion Baltic—an institution engaged in cross-border cooperation which is striving to improve the standard of living in border areas. The time span of the study extended to the first full year after Poland’s EU accession (2004), and to the 15th anniversary of the accession and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Euroregion Baltic (2019 in both cases). All 38 Polish municipalities (NUTS 5) of the Euroregion were covered by the study. Using a synthetic index of standard of living based on Hellwig’s development pattern method, the municipalities were grouped into four classes according to their index value. Hierarchical methods were used to identify which municipalities had the most similar standards of living. The highest standard of living was recorded for the small, tourism-oriented town of Jastarnia and for strong urban centers (Gdańsk, Gdynia, Olsztyn, and Elbląg). Rural municipalities, especially those situated near the Polish-Russian border (Kaliningrad Oblast), had lower standards of living. The results show a progressing polarization in the standard of living, manifested by a widening gap between first-class municipalities and the other classes. This stratification was attributed to multiple factors, including the endogenous potential of the communities.

2004 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 497-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiana Zhurzhenko

Let us now have a closer look at the Kharkiv-Belgorod (potential) cross-border region as a case study of Ukrainian-Russian cross-border cooperation. Not only is the case of Kharkiv-Belgorod special because of the historical and cultural specificity of the region, which provides additional symbolic resources for its “reinvention” as a borderland (this will be discussed in the last section of the paper); it also represents an interesting combination of (remaining) cultural closeness and (growing) social and economic differences between the two bordering territories; significantly, these two administrative units became the initiators of the cross-border cooperation between Ukraine and Russia and see themselves as pioneers whose experience can be used for the other parts of the border.


2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Yoder

On 21 December 2007, the German-Polish border became a "Schengen" border. Passport controls and other limitations to the movement of people and goods were abolished, removing one more obstacle to European and, perhaps, German-Polish integration. Several years earlier, Poland introduced territorial and administrative changes that moved it closer institutionally to western European states. Forty-nine subnational administrative units were replaced by sixteen self-governing voivodships. This article explores the implications of this new institutional context for German-Polish border relations. It finds that, despite the expansion of the opportunity structure for greater German-Polish cross-border cooperation, interaction still tends to be among elites. The development of linkages at the societal level lags behind for several reasons, including lingering institutional impediments and cultural differences, but also the failings of political leadership.


Baltic Region ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 6-19
Author(s):  
Tadeusz Palmowski ◽  
Gennady M. Fedorov

Until 1991 ties between entities located on either side of the Russian-Polish border were virtually non-existent. There were, however, favourable physical, geographical, economic, social, and ekistical conditions for the development of a cross-border region. Since the early 1990s, cooperation between administrative units and municipalities, businesses, and non-governmental organisations has been developing on an institutional basis. Euroregions and cross-border cooperation programmes have become major contributors to cross-border region-building. On either side of the border, there are socio-economic nodes between which axes of cross-border interaction are emerging. The most powerful axis is the Tri-City (Gdansk-Gdynia-Sopot) — the Kaliningrad agglomeration. A systemic approach is used to analyse a variety of relationships, reflected in a map showing the diversity of geographical areas of cooperation. The University of Gdansk and the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University are playing an important role in the development of Russian—Polish relations. Although the intensity of cross-border ties has decreased in recent years amid tensions between Russia and the West, there is hope that bilateral socio-economic benefits will encourage the restoration and development of collaborations and the Russian—Polish cross-border region will continue to evolve.


2020 ◽  
Vol 159 ◽  
pp. 05008
Author(s):  
Viktor Sapryka ◽  
Larisa Shmigirilova ◽  
Andrei Vavilov ◽  
Alexander Pastyuk

The article discusses one of the burning issues of increasing the efficiency of local self-government, namely, the introduction of effective practices for sustainable development of border zone cities. The study actualizes the concept of social chronotope in the context of the study of sustainable development of small and medium-sized cities of the Russian-Ukrainian border region, which allows us to understand the nature of sustainable development of cities, the prospects for cross-border development and interaction. Based on the interpretation of the results of the questionnaire survey, an assessment was made of the standard of living of the population in medium and small cities of border regions, a management system in small and medium cities of the border region. The foundations of the integrated and sustainable development of medium and small cities of the border regions were also identified, the main directions and projects of cross-border cooperation were identified. A group of researchers concluded that, while ensuring the sustainable development of small and medium-sized cities of the Russian-Ukrainian border zone region, it is necessary to take into account the asynchrony of social processes in a single territory in the past, the formation of a special culture with relatively independent values and attitudes, as well as the possibility of using the potential of border zone territories.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-83
Author(s):  
Alexander B. Sebentsov

Cooperation across the Russia-EU border has been drawing much attention in recent years. The majority of studies point out programs’ efficacy, high density of border institutions and resistance to geopolitical risks among other factors. These advancements can be explained by the theory of multilevel collaboration which implies that diverse and multiple cooperation institutions can effectively distinguish matters of high politics from practical issues concerning interests of those living along the external borders.The article aims to analyze the impact of cross-border cooperation programs (CBC Programs) on the thematic, institutional and spatial structure of the cross-border relations.The research is grounded in the overview and analysis of a large volume of empirical data including reports and descriptions of cross-border cooperation programs, data provided by the regional governing agencies, as well as 76 semistructured interviews obtained from regional experts as part of several research expeditions by the Laboratory of Geopolitical Studies of the Institute of Geography RAS taken place over the period from 2011 to 2018.Main characteristics and long-term trends of the cross-border program approach are examined as follows: growth in governmental coordination on various agency levels aimed at development and implementation of mutually beneficial partnerships, creation of joint program management bodies, development of uniform policies and joint funding sources for projects, and interest in maintaining an equal level of collaboration.It is revealed that gradual rise of the programs’ role in cross-border cooperation in the area contributed to the restructuring of its institutional systems, launching selection process for the existing border institutions (euro-regions, crossborder regional councils, and others), as well as triggering the synergy effect among them and the transborder forms of cooperation.The main characteristics of spatial partnership structures are identified. These include those consisting of high concentration of project activities taking place within large urban centers along the external borders and those asymmetrical to cross-border interactions. The former is especially pertinent to the Russian side of the border where just a small number of such centers are involved in up to 70-80% of project activities. Even fewer number of Russian cities initiate their own collaborative projects. A gradual spatial shift of cooperative projects toward the areas immediately proximate to the borders, as well as the decrease in asymmetry of transborder cooperation are identified as the new trends by the author. 


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Janis Balodis

The European Territorial cooperation is important part of the EU regional policy. It examines the relationships between countries and territories. Cross border cooperation is an institutional and a political oriented cooperation between two or more administrative and sovereign units. In this paper cross border cooperation was analysed as an institutional process of interstate cooperation and cross border cooperation between administrative units in Belarus – Latvia’s borderland. European integration and cross border cooperation are linked by 1) integrated economic space across the member states by Henk van Houtum, 2) the intersection between the history of European integration and the more general research field of border studies by Birte Wassenberg and 3) more gradual process and impact on border locations after the Second World war by Steven Brakman, Harry Garretsen, Charles van Marrewijk and Abdella Oumer. The theoretical approach of cross border cooperation includes - 1) the relation between core and periphery, 2) the division of exogenous and endogenous factors and 3) types of borderlands (alienated borderlands, co – existent borderlands, interdependent borderlands and integrated borderlands). Further theorethical concepts are drivers of cross-border co – operation (economic, political leadership, identity/cultural and geographical drivers). The research question is - ‘’How cross – border cooperation can influence the integration and cooperation between Latvia and Belarus? How far cooperation with an EU neighbour takes on hegemonic traits or not? Which are the cross border cooperation forms between Belarus and Latvia which ‘’makes’’ the integration between Belarus and Latvia’’.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patryk Brambert ◽  
Iwona Kiniorska

Abstract Polish rural areas face various social, economic and ecological problems. These processes greatly affect diversification of the standard of living in rural areas. The goal of the study was to assess spatial diversification of the standard of living in rural areas in Poland. It focused on all rural gminas as well as rural parts of rural-urban gminas. In the analysis, the standard of living was evaluated with Perkal’s synthetic index, with 12 variables concerning demographic and economic issues. The time span for the analysis was the period of 2003-2013. The highest standard of living was reported for rural areas located in the vicinity of urban agglomerations. The lowest standards of living were in typical rural gminas with poorly developed service functions. These were mainly depopulated areas from the outskirts of voivodeships. The Vistula River marked the dividing line in the standards of living in rural areas of Poland.


Author(s):  
Valentyna Bohatyrets ◽  
Liubov Melnychuk ◽  
Yaroslav Zoriy

This paper seeks to investigate sustainable cross-border cooperation (CBC) as a distinctive model of interstate collaboration, embedded in the neighboring borderland regions of two or more countries. The focus of the research revolves around the establishment and further development of geostrategic, economic, cultural and scientific capacity of the Ukrainian-Romanian partnership as a fundamental construct in ensuring and strengthening the stability, security and cooperation in Europe. This research highlights Ukraine’s aspirations to establish, develop and diversify bilateral good-neighborly relations with Romania both regionally and internationally. The main objective is to elucidate Ukraine-Romania cross-border cooperation initiatives, inasmuch Ukraine-Romania CBC has been stirring up considerable interest in terms of its inexhaustible historical, cultural and spiritual ties. Furthermore, the similarity of the neighboring states’ strategic orientations grounds the basis for development and enhancement of Ukraine-Romania cooperation. The authors used desk research and quantitative research to conclude that Ukraine-Romania CBC has the impact not only on the EU and on Ukraine multi-vector foreign policy, but it also has the longer-term global consequences. In the light of the current reality, the idea of introducing and reinforcing the importance of Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) sounds quite topical and relevant. This research considers a number of explanations for Ukraine-Romania Cross-Border Cooperation as a key element of the EU policy towards its neighbors. Besides, the subject of the research is considered from different perspectives in order to show the diversity and complexity of the Ukraine-Romania relations in view of the fact that sharing common borders we are presumed to find common solutions. As the research has demonstrated, the Ukraine-Romania cross border cooperation is a pivotal factor of boosting geostrategic, economic, political and cultural development for each participant country, largely depending on the neighboring countries’ cohesion and convergence. Significantly, there is an even stronger emphasis on the fact that while sharing the same borders, the countries share common interests and aspirations for economic thriving, cultural exchange, diplomatic ties and security, guaranteed by a legal framework. The findings of this study have a number of important implications for further development and enhancement of Ukraine-Romania cooperation. Accordingly, the research shows how imperative are the benefits of Romania as a strategic partner for outlining top priorities of Ukraine’s foreign policy.


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