The fact that 183 European Border Region could be observed in 2000 shows how important role the idea of border region plays in the European politics and diplomacy. The idea itself already more than 30 years old as the first professional organisations can be dated back that time. In July 1971, the first existing border regions established the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) as well. Today its permanent office is situated in Gronau, Germany.*

Let us take a look at the Picture 1!

Red circles sign Border regions with membership of AEBR, non-members are circled by green. The large scales cross border co-operations are indicated with orange. It can be seen on this map, that the Hungarian and the Romanian parties of the Euroregion Danube-Cris-Mures-Tisa (DKMT) are members of the AEBR, and the DKMT Euroregion is a member of a larger scale cross border cooperation entitled: Community of Countries along the Danube.

Picture 1. European Border Regions

The European Charter on border and cross-border Regions was worked out in 1981 in cooperation with the Council of Europe. After creating several different organisations regarding to the field, the first budgetary heading for cross-border cooperation appeared in the EU budget in 1987/1988. By 1990, the basic principle, criteria and project outline were delivered for the implementation of the Interreg Programme, owing to the intensive contribution of the AEBR, at the request of the European Commission.

 In 1995, the Revised edition of the European Charter of Border and Cross-border Regions was worked out - including the development of Eastern and Central Europe. In the next year, 1996, the LACE-Phare Programme has started encouraging border and cross-border cooperation in Eastern and Central Europe. This programme provided technical assistance and promotion for cooperation, particularly with reference to the common initiative INTERREG II A (1996-2001). 1997 could overview 59 INTERREG IIA programmes.

In 2000 many new supporter appeared:

- INTERREG III A (2000-2006) programme

- LACE-PHARE (for handbook, position statement and action plan)

- LACE-TACIS (Russia, Byelorussia, Moldavia and Ukraine)

As for the latest news: the Council of Euroregions of the V 4 countries is going to be established according to the Neszmély Appeal (4 July, 2003)

      At Table 1., please recognise some possible supporters for the DKMT Border Region collected in three main groups according to the level of interest.

Table 1. Possible supporters for the DKMT Border Region

Some may be surprised that the Visegrad Fund can be read in this table. The reason of it is that the Visegrad Fund according to its home page (www.visegradfund.org) supports co-operation of Border Regions with one member involved from the V4 countries.

Others may find interesting why municipalities are present here as supporters. Of course municipalities are suffering from the luck of financial sources in many cities within the DKMT Euroregion. The reason why municipalities can be seen here is that of the own source what is necessary for applications in most of the cases. Own source can be non-financial offering as well, and the municipalities should not forget about the human resources and the technical resources that they can invest into the development of the Euroregion.

AEBR's recommendations

(According to its Annual Conference, 2002)

After analysing the possible financial sources of the DKMT Euroregion, it seems to be useful to consider what kind of project could be successful in having grant by the mentioned organisations? What are the characteristics of a successful project? The AEBR developed several recommendations at its Annual Conference in 2002. Just to have a picture of this long list, let us examine several important and basic points.

1. Focusing on the citizens. While the European integration process and EU enlargement offer a wide range of new opportunities for markets, companies, firms and other organisations, some ordinary people are worried by these developments. What is the real advantage of the EU enlargement for ordinary people? The request would find that the citizens in the EU experience the united Europe first of all when travelling within the Union and using the joint currency. Nevertheless, there still exist a number of obstacles, which weigh on everyday life, particularly in the border regions.

2. Understanding is the basis for appreciation and trust. The coming together of all people - and not only an elite - helps to promote mutual understanding. It is essential to remove all existing barriers in terms of social and economic aspects, education and labour market issues. Instead, it would be desirable to have joint schools, school excursions, scientific excursions and to establish joint hospitals, fire brigades, communication networks, supply and waste management systems, industrial zones, etc.

3. EU internal policy. National governments often do not pay sufficient attention to the needs of peripheral areas. Promoting the border regions is the responsibility of EU internal policy - and the support of cross-border co-operation should be one of the EU's main objectives. Certain Euroregions that are governed by public law could serve as examples. Taking these aspects into account, special assistance programmes, and INTERREG in particular, should be continued after 2006 so that the border regions can work out reliable long-term plans.

4. Politics should ensure sufficient scope for subsidiary. Solutions for problems between nations must be sought at those levels that have the necessary organisational and legal structure. The closer this is to the people and their individual problems, the easier and quicker it is to come up with solutions. This is why cross-border co-operation needs to be put into practice at regional and local level where the actors are close to the citizens. Thus, the national level should make sure that the "lower" administrative levels have sufficient scope to promote cross-border co-operation.

5. Euroregions provide services for the benefit of cross-border co-operation. They organise the co-operation of all actors on both sides of the border: schools, businesses, sports clubs, churches, chambers of commerce, trade unions, parties, cultural associations, libraries, etc. The establishment of Euroregions should not lead to more bureaucracy. Instead, Euroregions should provide additional services and inspire all actors involved.

6. Networks - exchange of experiences and joint enforcement of interests. Co-operation between countries is practised for various periods of time, with different models of financial and organisational assistance being employed. To learn from the experiences made in other regions is the objective of a large network. This involves commitment on the part of the advanced regions and new opportunities for the new members. For instance, the experiences made with direct cross-border co-operation (INTERREG A) can help to ensure the success of measures in interregional co-operation (INTERREG C). At the same time this network of border regions is able to efficiently represent the interests of border regions at national governments, European institutions, groups and organisations.

7. AEBR is a possible partner for all European border regions, because of its aims:
- to maintain and intensify relations to the border regions in the countries that are not or not yet members of the European Union;
- to promote, with the assistance of the EU, a sustainable development of these border regions in order to solve existing problems and to prevent the coming up of additional problems in the future.

Who Co-operates with Whom?

Another important issue at working on applications that co-operation should be established with partner organisations. Before seeking for partners for the DKMT Euroregion, it is advisory to have a clear picture about who can be a partner? Have a look at Table 2!

Table 2. Possible Partners for Co-operation in a Border Region

This table aims to introduce that one kind of organisation or structure can co-operate with many other different kinds of organisations. Municipalities can co-operate not only with other municipalities, but with institutes, networks, and governments on different levels as well. Actors of cultural industry can co-operate not only with other players of cultural industry, but with state tourist agencies, funds and networks as well. And the situation is similar to this in the case of foundations. As an argument it might be stated that co-operations could be established not only on the same level of the society but between structures on different levels (municipalities, EU organisations, networks, cultural industries, agencies) too.

The Role of Border Regions in the Development of Tourism

Finally let us think about what tourism can benefit from border regions? Instead of giving a deep investigation here, 4 core benefits are pointed out by me, as follows:

-                   PR function. The programmes realised in the Euroregion could help to break down negative stereotypes among ordinary people.

-                   Audience development. Inviting VIP persons (from government and private sphere) could raise public attention to the Euroregion and more people will attend to programmes.

-                   Programme development. Co-operation on geographical (border) basis could lead joint projects, joint programmes which will be better and better basis for lobbying

-                   Infrastructure development. Using the power of diplomacy the Euroregion could help to develop at least an acceptable infrasctucture for touristic purposes in the counties and province involved into the DKMT Euroregion.

RelATED sites

AEBR c/o EUREGIO: www.aebr-ageg.de

DKMT Euroregio: www.dkmt.hu

INTERREG III: www.europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/interreg3/index_en.htm 

PHARE:  www.europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/pas/phare/

About REGIONAL, INTERREGIONAL AND CROSS-BORDER DEVELOPMENT: www.lrdp.co.uk/

Balkankult: www.balkankult.org/bk/

Autonomous Province of Vojvodina: http://vojvodina.srbija-info.yu/ingles/index.html