Cross Border Cooperation

Cross Border Cooperation (CBC) is a key element of the EU policy in the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) towards its neighbours. It supports sustainable development along the EU’s external borders, helps reducing differences in living standards and addressing common challenges across these borders. It was first recognised as such in the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) regulation for the period 2007-2013. This was confirmed for the period 2014-2020 in the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) regulation.

Cross Border Cooperation promotes cooperation between EU countries and neighbourhood countries sharing a land border or sea crossing. Funding can also be provided for a programme between several EU and neighbourhood countries which, for example, are part of the same sea basin.

CBC is designed on the principles of the EU’s territorial cooperation model, but adapted to the specificities of the EU external cooperation. What characterises the CBC programmes and makes them a unique cooperation mechanism is the participating countries’ strong commitment and ownership based on:

• balanced partnership between the participating countries on either side of a border: Member States and neighbouring countries have an equal say in the programme decisions and projects receive funding only if implemented by partners on both sides;
• management entrusted to a local – or national – authority in a member state, jointly selected by all countries participating in the programme;
• common legal framework and implementation rules: For the future ENI period, rules established for the ENPI CBC have been simplified and adapted based on previous experience.

CBC has three main objectives:

• promoting economic and social development in border areas
• addressing common challenges (environment, public health, safety and security)
• putting in place better conditions for persons, goods and capital mobility