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The integration processes taking place in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) are contributing to the sustainable development of this unique territory. Intensive cooperation financed from EU funds under the cohesion policy and the neighborhood policy have provided an opportunity for the development of ethnic and national minorities, who are important but still marginalized stakeholders. The theoretical aim of the article is to identify the attributes of national and ethnic minorities and to indicate key determinants of their sustainable development. The authors seek to answer whether territorial cooperation in the BSR contributes to the development of national and ethnic minorities, and if so, how. In the article, concepts and definitions related to the term "minority" are verified, classifications are developed and a model of sustainable development of ethnic and national minorities is built. Official statistical data are used to present the national and ethnic structure of the BSR countries. Then, 22 national minorities and 17 ethnic minorities are identified and described. Quantitative and qualitative research was carried out on 126 territorial cooperation projects supporting the development of national and ethnic minorities totaling EUR 85.25 million in value and implemented within 38 BSR programs in 2000–2020. The Sami minority were the greatest beneficiaries of the cooperation. Territorial cooperation projects have been shown to contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage and the development of education, social support and political empowerment. Territorial cooperation is a powerful instrument of sustainable development. Unfortunately, it still contributes only moderately to the development of national and ethnic minorities. There is a need to strengthen this issue in future programs of the cohesion policy and the neighborhood policy and to develop systemic solutions enabling national and ethnic minorities to participate more actively in the implementation of territorial cooperation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populations of different ethnicities are forced to live within artificial borders, being separated by fences that mutilate their national feeling as well as their future prospects. In recent years, the European Union has tried to overcome the difficulties of the past, creating real bridges between neighbouring states, which divide regions on both sides of the border. The approach serves the need for balance, peace and relaxation in areas that have been in difficulty as a result of past conflicts. The initiative of the countries in Western Europe initially started in Germany, the area being hardly tried in the last world conflagration. In establishing cross-border collaborations, economic-financial support is essential for raising the standard of living and expectations of cross-border communities. In the contemporary context of cross-border cooperation, Romania presents itself as extremely open to cooperation, in its 12 Euroregions. The economic factor is the most important for the future success of the Euroregions, as a decisive parameter of real integration.

This paper aims to retrace the evolution of Brazil/French Guiana/Surinam cross-border cooperation. Initially focused on questions of border control and surveillance, this cooperation has gradually extended to the economic, social and cultural fields. Through various instruments (Joint Cross-border Commissions, River Councils, INTERREG Amazonia cooperation program), integrating public and private actors operating at different territorial levels, this cooperation aims to promote the process of integration between border territories and contributes to the emergence of a coordinated strategy around the shared development needs of states separated from French Guiana by a common international border.

‘Small schools’, characterized by a low number of pupils and located in ‘difficult’ territories, represent an important phenomenon of Italian school, especially as regards the first cycle of education. They are particularly frequent in mountain areas, small islands and in all those inland areas characterized by low population density, often presenting critical socio-economic situations and difficulties linked to isolation and distance from services. For these territories, they represent an important cultural protection and a wall against depopulation. Small schools often develop close ties with the relevant communities, playing an important role in the formation of place identity. From an educational and organizational point of view, the link with territories allows them to develop innovative solutions able to cope with difficulties. This article presents the results of a qualitative/quantitative survey carried out by INDIRE, Movimento delle Piccole scuole and ANCI pointed at investigating the existing forms of collaboration between small schools, municipalities and economic players in the area and identifying which conditions may favour an effective and sustainable functioning of small schools. A complex picture emerges, not always easy to interpret, where, in the light of evident critical issues, there are encouraging signs for the development of a fruitful dialogue among school, community and territory.

Populations of different ethnicities have to live in different states, separated by borders that mutilate the national feeling and the perspective of the populations. In the relatively recent period, the European Union has proceeded to overcome the sequelae of the past, switching to creating bridges between neighbouring states, which have populations living on both sides of the border The approach serves the need for balance, peace and detente in areas that have been difficult for conflict in the past The initiative came from the West, mainly due to German concerns, the space being severely tested during the last world conflagrations. In the established cross-border collaborations, the most important is the economic-financial support for raising the standard of living and expectation in the poor communities. In this context, regarding the cross-border collaboration in the area bordering the national territory, Romania presents itself as extremely constructive, being part of 12 Euroregions, across all the borders of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy transition is a multi-dimensional process of developing sustainable economies by seeking renewable energy sources, saving energy, and improving energy efficiency. This process follows the rules of sustainable development. The article presents an analysis of energy transition in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) enjoying long-term and intensive territorial cooperation. The region embraces 11 countries diversified in terms of their economic development level and the use of renewable energy sources. The article strives to answer the question of whether territorial cooperation contributes to BSR energy transition, and if so, in what way. Another goal is to identify the transition drivers that arise from the Baltic Sea Region’s unique characteristics. The authors applied the system analysis methodology. The performed literature studies allowed the researchers to identify the attributes of energy transition. Empirical research relied on secondary sources, including the European Union (EU) statistics, The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR), and related documents. The key role in the conducted research can be attributed to the EU projects database (keep.eu), which enabled identifying the 2016–2020 programmes and projects. The research identified 14 BSR territorial cooperation programmes and 1471 projects conducted under the programmes, including 137 energy transition-related projects. The project results were presented in quantitative and qualitative terms.

The article presents a current doctoral research led within the framework of an Industrial Agreements for Training through research alongside four public authorities situated in the Bordeaux Metropolis. The thesis is based on the support of a landscape project aiming to set up the management of a series of parks and gardens grouped under the term « Parc des Coteaux » (The Hillside Parks) – 240 ha. This experience reveals the interrelations in the work between the various stakeholders of this project (elected representatives, department heads, city gardeners, landscape architects, urban planners, ecologists and users). These articles enabled the deconstruction of the underlying representations in landscaping policies and bring to light the necessity of a territorial cooperation based on the long-term implication of the concerned stakeholders and to propose to structure a solutions research plan.

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This article proposes to explore territorial cooperation using a political geographical approach as part of the broader field of “geography of peace.” In line with ongoing paradigm shifts in the branch of political geography concerned with territorial reconfigurations, it examines the scope of territorial cooperation via two emblematic figures: transnational regions, in the form of European macro-regions, and city networks, as exemplified by town twinning. Lastly, it opens new avenues of research on the articulation between the weak and discreet ties of territorial cooperation and the strong ties characteristic of the territorial divisions and administrative structures inherited from political modernity.

The aim of this paper is to assess the contribution of European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) programmes operating in the Mediterranean area as a supporting way to achieve the renewable energy objectives established in European Union Directive 2009/28/EC. It addresses a combination of impact and thematic assessment applied to projects tackling solar energy over the period 2007–13. Observations indicate that although not always measurable, ETC contributions to the use and promotion of solar energy in the Mediterranean represent a key step forward in higher deployment. The paper also suggest alternatives to improve projects’ outputs to be delivered in the new cycle 2014–20.

One of the strategies indicated in academic research on regional development corresponds to geographically concentrated productive agglomerations, based on the organization of network agents to obtain competitive advantages through territorial cooperation practices. In this sense, the article aimed to analyze the social capital and the conduction of local governance in the context of the Cluster of Furniture of the Southwest of Paraná. The present research is classified as exploratory descriptive, with a quanti-qualitative approach, based on the method of documental analysis and structured interviews. The questionnaire was the main instrument of data collection in a research with the set of agents of the productive arrangement, including nineteen cluster business owners, five support agents and local governance. The results of the research pointed to good levels of social capital in the analyzed cluster, with positive indicators regarding the degree of contribution in the relationship, trust and cooperation between the agents, in the quality and usefulness of the information exchanged. The metrics of the social network (density and reciprocity) resulted in median values, while the question of participation in meetings obtained the worst results. Regarding the evaluation of local governance, all elements analyzed resulted in values considered to be weak. In summary, the evaluation of the binomial social capital and local governance has shown that for the effective execution of joint actions in line with territorial cooperation practices, it is fundamental to have a more active local governance in the management of cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the issue of territorial cooperation as a necessary principle and requisite for a better local and regional development. It is argued that as important as the design of policies with the objective of sustainable territorial development is the way in which these are decided, designed and implemented. As important as 'What' is 'How'. The text is divided into three large blocks. The first one deals with cooperation as a transversal category that applies from three approaches: government and State administration, theories of regional and local economic development, and from the point of view of spatial planning and territorial cohesion; at several scales, therefore with multilevel nature and diverse geographical coverage (international, European, Spanish and Valencian). In the following two sections, examples of cooperation experiences and results obtained (at different scales and between different subjects) are presented as a tool for territorial development in rural areas, first, and tourism, afterwards. The text closes with a brief final synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Research Papers of the Wroclaw University of Economics / Prace Naukowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego we Wroclawiu is the property of Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny we Wroclawiu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Dealing with the territorial cooperation, the paper enshrines its political geography perspective in the field of ‘geography of peace’. On the basis of new paradigmatic issues concerning territorial reconfigurations, the author adresses the meaning of the territorial cooperation with two emblematic cases : on the one hand, transnational regions with the specific case of the European macroregional strategies and, on the other hand, city networks through the example of town twnnings. She concludes with a new research agenda on the way to study the weak ties of territorial cooperation in a world of flows and discontinuities where strong ties of administrative structures inherited from the political modernity are still in action.

Historic developments that occurred in the last centuries have affected the barrier effect of national borders in Europe and, consequently, the degree and the intensity of the cooperation between neighbouring countries. However, the establishment of the European Single Market, in the last three decades, has deepened the cross-border cooperation inside the EU Territory. In this respect, the INTERREG-A initiative has played a major role, since 1990. This article intends to shed some light on the progress of the cross-border cooperation in the Swedish-Norwegian border region, and the territorial effects of the INTERREG-A programme in the reduction of the barrier effect along the border in five dimensions (institutional-urban, accessibility, culture-social, environmental-heritage and economy-technology).

In this paper we try to analyze the extent to which economic and social cohesion of the enlarged European Union in order to develop a harmonious, balanced and sustainable community has been achieved with the Funds, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and other financial instruments and how Romania attracts or not such funds. We analyzed using the statistical data, the absorption and implementation of funds in Romania. Consequently, we present only the results. Conclusions outlined the reducing of the economic, social and territorial disparities which have arisen particularly in regions with developmental delays and in relation to economic and social reorganization. The most important benefits of funding (in general) are the growth, the competitive advantage, the employment and improvement of the environment.

This article deals with the cultural actions developed in the context of euroregions and transposes the “creative territories” issue to the European cross border scale. It focuses, in particular, on two contemporary case studies : Pyrénées-Méditerranée euroregion, located at the Eastern franco-spanish border, and Greater Region that comprises Luxemburg and sub-state entities from Belgium, France and Germany. The first part discusses the notion of cultural developement, as well as the parallelisms between the models of euroregional cultural development and more general models : “Creative” vs. “Participatory” City, functional vs. cultural identity in the geo-strategic construction of territories, and the different uses of territories as cultural resources in a context of economic competition and territorial differentiation. Furthermore, the analysis shows how the evolution of cultural development impacts the euroregional cultural action, through a certain renewal of the role of cultural and artistic actions within broader issues : sustainability and environmental responsibility of tourism policies, cultural diversity and multiculturalism, construction of territoriality. Finally, euroregional cultural action relates to the construction of a European cultural and territorial polity.

This paper examines the role and importance of the territorial dimension of EU Cohesion Policy, during its five programming phases (1989‑2020), by relating this implementation process with several territorial elements, and by assessing their constant changes, namely in three main components and related elements: (i) the ‘policy strategy’ designed to include an integrated territorial perspective; (ii) the ‘policy impacts’ in territorial development and territorial cohesion, together with the use of territorial impact assessment procedures; and (iii) the focus on one or several ‘territorial scales’, specifically through the support to multilevel‑governance, territorial cooperation, and place‑based strategies. Paradoxically, despite the continuous attempts to detach EU Cohesion Policy from its initial goals of promoting a more cohesive Europe into a more neoliberalist paradigm type of ‘investment Policy’, our analysis showed that the territorial dimension is still very much anchored with this Policy, and even gaining importance in several territorial related elements, such as the support to territorial cooperation and governance processes, and the use of territorial impact assessment procedures.

This article addresses the concept of Territorial Cohesion, which has been gaining increasing interest within academia and the EU policy circles. In particular, this article examines its relevance and main dimensions, and also suggests a comprehensive definition based on those dimensions. Additionally, this paper proposes a methodology which can be used to measure Territorial Cohesion in a given territory. Furthermore, the article also highlights the importance of the territorial dimension as a key topic in the EU political agenda and, at the same time, gives a contribution to answer several questions for debate expressed in the Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion.

This article deals with the cooperation between regional authorities, or interregional cooperation and is based on the case of the French regions. The main questions are : the influence of the geographical arguments on the institutional initiatives of cooperation ; the concrete impact of these initiatives on the regional development and on the institutionalisation of new territorial forms. The article first presents the issues and characteritics of interregional cooperation and then focuses on the development of this cooperation in France, in particular through the actions of the State services. The analysis emphasizes that interregional cooperation is most of all relevant within a European framework, as shown by the numerous cooperation projects set up in the frame of euroregions, while European law provides new instruments to structure territorial cooperation organizations.

The European Community has provided financial support for cross-border territorial cooperation since 1990. The justification of the European Union (EU)’s current territorial cooperation policy for cross-border contiguous regions lies in its capacity to promote functional economic links between them. This capacity is based on two assumptions, namely that there is a relation between the degree of institutional cooperation achieved and the financial support provided by the EU, and that there is a relationship between the degree of institutional cooperation achieved and the development of functional economic links. This article attempts to measure both the impact of Community support on territorial institutional cooperation intensity and the impact of institutional cooperation intensity on economic functional links. This is done using primary data for EU-15 regions for the period between1992 and 2007.

The Danube strategy can only constitute a step forward regarding the stated intentions, via the Black Sea Synergy program of the European Union towards the boosting of economic development, democratic governance, security etc., in the Black Sea region. Even more, this implies the warranty of sustainable development considering that the purposes of the Danube strategy call for more effective transports and environmental protection. First of all, the advantages for the Black Sea area derive from the complexity and large scale of the strategy plan for the Danube, which implies a surface of over 800.000 km2, a population of over 100 million inhabitants, 10 European countries and 4 European capitals. Although this time, because of the ongoing economic crisis, the European Commission has declared its full support for this cause while unable to cover any of its expenses, we should not forget that the idea of this project has been derived from the success of another macro region project, the Baltic Sea strategy. This model mainly implies the possibility of real benefits for the countries which are included in the Danube strategy and which are also near the Black Sea: Romania, Bulgaria, and, in a broader perspective, Moldova as well as Ukraine. The detailing of this feature is the main objective of the current paper, an objective which, we trust, can be accomplished by the careful extrapolation of the advantages offered by past macro region projects of the European Union, and the theoretical approach of their implementation in the regional context of the Black Sea. The method used is the analysis of official EU Inforegio documents, but the current article also relies on the recent literature on this subject.

The European grouping of territorial cooperation (EGTC) is a new legal instrument of the EU which facilitates the development of cross-border tourism. The EU and state legislation obliges EGTCs to improve economic and social cohesion by indicating four basic objectives. Specific objectives are determined by the EGTCs themselves. Tourism is the most popular objective of all fifty-four EGTCs operating in Europe. Three EGTCs were established in Poland. Self-government territorial units were their initiators. Foreign members come from the following four countries: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden and Hungary. All Polish EGTCs, despite the fact that they have been operating since 2013, have already taken actions to develop cross-border tourism despite legal, financial and political barriers. They have prepared development strategies in which tourism is one of the strategic objectives. They have taken actions concerning the development and promotion of transnational destinations. They implement tourist projects in which they are usually their leaders. A barrier in the development of cross-border tourism is the absence of consent of the Polish government to fulfil a role of an institution that manages the EU programmes as well as the lack of a procedure for accepting non-EU members to EGTCs.

The main aim of the article is to present the results of the analysis concerning the role of territorial cooperation in the development of nautical tourism in the Southern Baltic rim. The Member States of the European Union have the opportunity to obtain financial support for the implementation of various types of projects. Many projects are realized in the cross-border, transnational and inter-regional cooperation. Examples of such projects include activities aimed at popularizing cross-border water areas, building new yacht ports and modernizing and developing existing port infrastructure. The aim is to increase the competitiveness, cohesion and sustainable development of the South Baltic Sea Region, as well as strengthening the integration of people and institutions. The analysis presents two international projects: MARRIAGE and South Coast Baltic implemented by states located in the Southern Baltic rim to develop nautical tourism in this area. The article also highlights the selected aspects of managing European programs and projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to assess the contribution of European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) programmes operating in the Mediterranean area as a supporting way to achieve the renewable energy objectives established in European Union Directive 2009/28/EC. It addresses a combination of impact and thematic assessment applied to projects tackling solar energy over the period 2007–13. Observations indicate that although not always measurable, ETC contributions to the use and promotion of solar energy in the Mediterranean represent a key step forward in higher deployment. The paper also suggest alternatives to improve projects’ outputs to be delivered in the new cycle 2014–20. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article addresses the concept of Territorial Cohesion, which has been gaining increasing interest within academia and the EU policy circles. In particular, this article examines its relevance and main dimensions, and also suggests a comprehensive definition based on those dimensions. Additionally, this paper proposes a methodology which can be used to measure Territorial Cohesion in a given territory. Furthermore, the article also highlights the importance of the territorial dimension as a key topic in the EU political agenda and, at the same time, gives a contribution to answer several questions for debate expressed in the Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focus of the paper are the models and practices of regional spatial planning activated in Italy in the most recent years, in order to evidence the innovation occurred and the challenges that regional planning institutions are facing. Compared to a theoretical and legislative framework that tends to separate the different types of regional planning (spatial, landscape, development planning), the experimental framework is characterized by pluralistic approaches in which a balance between a normative and a strategic nature of the territorial plan is searched, in order to introduce perspectives of economic and social development. In a continuous process of institutional reflexivity and learning, the regional institutions have now achieved that the notion of 'region' has become more about social interaction than geographical location. For that, interesting experiences of intraregional and interregional cooperation are developing, as called Interregional table of PadanoAlpine-Maritime Macro Area in Northern Italy, a place-based approach generating supra-local shared visions that are of a certain interest.

Consideration of the report on the IPA-CBC territorial cooperation programme between the EU and Turkey is the starting point to study about reconstructing the process that brought territorial dimension to the centre of the EU “foreign policy”. At the present time, the Union's relations with the third countries can be classified according to geographic criteria: either as territorial cooperation with neighbouring countries; international cooperation in the other cases. The political process pointing at the regional dimension within the enlargement, integration and neighbourhood policies is analysed through EU documents, thus showing the change in the meaning of “border” due to decentralization, cohesion and territorial cooperation on different scales.

Impact Assessment procedures have gained increasing attention from the European Commission (EC), as fundamental tools in providing evidence of the potential impacts of European Union (EU) financed projects/programmes/policies. Yet, only recently, the Territorial Impact Assessment (TIA) of EU directives and Policies have gained a broader support from the EC, as a result of pivotal contributions from several ESPON projects in producing adequate TIA techniques/tools/methods (TEQUILA, Quick Check, EATIA). In the meantime, these tools are being perfected, alongside others (like the TARGET_TIA), in order to provide a more efficient and broader analysis of the evaluated project/programme/policy territorial impacts. Furthermore, there is a general agreement that TIA needs to take on account the different territorial levels (EU, national, regional, local), and should be applied in specific sector policies/programmes, which require more holistic evaluation procedures, as they have a strong territorial dimension. This is clear in the case of the Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) programmes, due to their large scope of interventions on providing territorial development of the border areas, which in the EU encompass more that 60% of its territory. In light of this, this article proposes an adaptation of the TARGET_TIA technique to assess the territorial impacts of the CBC programmes, by focusing on the evaluation of the components of the CBC programmes specific goals: barrier effect reduction and territorial capital valorisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN HUMAN SETTLEMENTS HAVE AL WA YS EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO LIVR BETTER USING THE CONDITIONS OFFERED BY THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE IDEA OF INCREASING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THESE COMMUNITIES WAS EMPIRICAL AND HAS BEEN STUDIED DURING THE MODERNIZATION OF SOCIETY. FOR A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF THE EVOLUTION OF SOCIETY IN GENERAL AND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS IN PARTICULAR LITERATURE HAS STUDIED SIGNIFICANT STAGES OF EMERGENCE AND EVOLUTION OF THESE SETTLEMENTS FROM THE BEGINNING UNTIL NOW. TOGETHER WITH THE UNDERSTANDING AND PRECISE DEFINITION OF THE PHENOMENON OF DEVELOPMENT OF SETTLEMENTS, DOCUMENTARY SOURCES HAVE BECOME EXTREMELY NUMEROUS, SO THIS PROCESS COULD BE STUDIED IN ALL ITS COMPLEXITY, THUS DEFINING RESEARCH METHODS, DEVELOPMENT MODELS CORRESPONDING TO DIFFERENT STAGES OF HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT AS FUTURE DEVELOPMENT TREANDS. MOST OF THE ISSUE PRESENTATION IS RESEVED FOR THE CHALLENGES CURRENTLY FACED BY MANKIND SUCH AS GLOBALIZATION WHICH LED IN ITS TURN TO A GROWING CONCERN FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW FORMS OF DEVELOPMENT, NAMELY THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, INTEGRATED URBAN DEVELOPMENT, LAND MANAGEMENT AND SPATIAL PLANNING, SUSTAINABLE SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND TERRITORIAL COHESION. THE CURRENT PRESENTATION TACKLES CONCEPTS, PROGRAMS AND MEASURE AND MEASURES ADOPTED WORLDWIDE AND AT THE EUROPEAN UNION LEVEL AND EXAMINES ALSO THE STRATEGIC TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT 'ROMANIA 2030'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we try to analyze the extent to which economic and social cohesion of the enlarged European Union in order to develop a harmonious, balanced and sustainable community has been achieved with the Funds, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and other financial instruments and how Romania attracts or not such funds. We analyzed using the statistical data, the absorption and implementation of funds in Romania. Consequently, we present only the results. Conclusions outlined the reducing of the economic, social and territorial disparities which have arisen particularly in regions with developmental delays and in relation to economic and social reorganization. The most important benefits of funding (in general) are the growth, the competitive advantage, the employment and improvement of the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historic developments that occurred in the last centuries have affected the barrier effect of national borders in europe and, consequently, the degree and the intensity of the cooperation between neighbouring countries. However, the establishment of the european single Market, in the last three decades, has deepened the cross-border cooperation inside the eU territory. in this respect, the interreg-a initiative has played a major role, since 1990. this article intends to shed some light on the progress of the cross-border cooperation in the swedish-norwegian border region, and the territorial effects of the interreg-a programme in the reduction of the barrier effect along the border in five dimensions (institutional-urban, accessibility, culture-social, environmental--heritage and economy-technology). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union has put into place a series of instruments and regulations in order to enhance the cooperation between border regions. This initiative contributes to the European integration and to the construction of the Common European Space. The European instruments and regulations are not only implemented along the internal borders, i.e. between the border countries, but also along the external borders, i.e. between member and third countries. In this paper, we draw the balance sheet of the territorial cross border cooperation between Russia and the Baltic countries. In this part of Europe, cross border cooperation suffers serious setbacks. No projects have been launched between 2007 and 2010, although European cooperation instruments were deeply reformed. The causes of such a failure lie inside and outside EU. Besides, the European Union has not managed to build instruments that could be easily used by project partners and political authorities in third countries. And what was initially presented by the European Commission as a purely technical cooperation programme is seriously hampered by deep political disagreements and tensions between States, and by a lack of vision in the EU. It seems that priority is given to security more than to cooperation by top political stakeholders.

The European territory cannot remain isolated from what happens beyond its borders. Many interactions currently exist with neighbouring countries. However, European institutions have not yet successfully understood the consequences of this reality. It is clear from the official documents relating to cohesion policy reveal a closed vision and inward looking concept of the European territory. Into the 2000s, such a vision, combined with a lack of coordination between the various DGs of the European Commission, has hampered the development of many regions located on the external borders of the European Union. Recently, the Commission has tried to come up with a new modus operandi in terms of better coordination between the cohesion and neighbourhood policies, with new regulations in respect of the structural funds and the financial instruments pertaining to external cooperation. These new regulations introduce real improvements to the previous instruments. However the new instruments still suffer from significant shortcomings. This paper addresses the important issue of territorial cooperation with third countries by raising three main questions. What is the content of the new regulations released by the Commission in December 2006? What kind of improvements did they bring to the former regulations? And, what kind of obstacles to these reforms have emerged?

Cross-border cooperation is not working very well between Romania and Bulgaria. This is not only the general opinion given by international observers, but it is also recognized by national and local politicians, businessmen, teachers and people from different cities of the border. Anyone with experience journey through the lands of the Romanian-Bulgarian border, knows how difficult it is to cross the border, not to mention doing business across the border. So why this? Why is there almost no cooperation, or at least appears to be no cross-border interaction? I will try further to explain the obstacles of cross currently existing between Romania and Bulgaria, and how these might be overcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Romania's accession to the EU in 2007 and the peripheral position within this super-state structure involve redefining the role and the functions of the border state, the functionality degree of the determined border systems and the cross-border interconnection potential. This situation is determined by the existence of two sectors of EU external land border (Balkan and Eastern), which summarizes 1877,1 km, representing 60% of the Romanian state border. This study analyzes Romania within the European Neighbourhood Policy Context, the changing and challenging context -- as EU member state situated at the European eastern border and the Opportunities for Romania in terms of Territorial Cross Border Cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Community has provided financial support for cross-border territorial cooperation since 1990. The justification of the European Union (EU)'s current territorial cooperation policy for cross-border contiguous regions lies in its capacity to promote functional economic links between them. This capacity is based on two assumptions, namely that there is a relation between the degree of institutional cooperation achieved and the financial support provided by the EU, and that there is a relationship between the degree of institutional cooperation achieved and the development of functional economic links. This article attempts to measure both the impact of Community support on territorial institutional cooperation intensity and the impact of institutional cooperation intensity on economic functional links. This is done using primary data for EU-15 regions for the period between 1992 and 2007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Danube strategy can only constitute a step forward regarding the stated intentions, via the Black Sea Synergy program of the European Union towards the boosting of economic development, democratic governance, security etc., in the Black Sea region. Even more, this implies the warranty of sustainable development considering that the purposes of the Danube strategy call for more effective transports and environmental protection. First of all, the advantages for the Black Sea area derive from the complexity and large scale of the strategy plan for the Danube, which implies a surface of over 800.000 km², a population of over 100 million inhabitants, 10 European countries and 4 European capitals. Although this time, because of the ongoing economic crisis, the European Commission has declared its full support for this cause while unable to cover any of its expenses, we should not forget that the idea of this project has been derived from the success of another macro region project, the Baltic Sea strategy. This model mainly implies the possibility of real benefits for the countries which are included in the Danube strategy and which are also near the Black Sea: Romania, Bulgaria, and, in a broader perspective, Moldova as well as Ukraine. The detailing of this feature is the main objective of the current paper, an objective which, we trust, can be accomplished by the careful extrapolation of the advantages offered by past macro region projects of the European Union, and the theoretical approach of their implementation in the regional context of the Black Sea. The method used is the analysis of official EU Inforegio documents, but the current article also relies on the recent literature on this subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the influence of cross-border cooperation and customs unions in the development of the European markets and the reconstruction of the continent following World War II. The author examines the origins of international cooperation in Friesland, Scandinavia and the territory surrounding the Rhine River and their subsequent impact on Europe from 1948-1980. The role of the nation-state and the goals and motivations of the cross-border organizations are also explored. Several examples these European organizations are cited, including the Asociación de Regiones Fronterizas de Europa, the Conferencia de Poderes Locales de Europa and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional.

Copyright of Travail et Emploi is the property of DARES and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)