Cross border cooperation under the Phare and Tacis Programmes

Nick Maddock, UNDP BRC

Objectives

Similar to INTERREG, but embraces CBC involving non-Member States

Types of intervention

Stress on heavy infrastructure (60% of expenditure), especially roads, rail and waste-water treatment

Smaller interventions through Small Projects Funds & Joint Small Projects Funds

Implementation arrangements

Extensive use of Euroregions in programming and implementation

…but with substantial oversight and control by the European Commission

Lessons of experience

• Heavy demand for SPF & JSPF

• Trends away from infrastructure (especially given provision under ISPA)

• Economic interventions and soft actions

• Cross-border partnerships for SPF/JSPF take time to build

New Neighbourhood Programme Background and objectives

• new instrument: builds on INTERREG, & Phare and Tacis Cross-border programmes

• similar objectives: economic & social development, border management, ‘common concerns’

• will include Western Balkans, even though not covered by ‘Wider Europe’ initiative

Eligibility

Must involve a Member State

(cannot only include CBC between non-Member States)

Process

• resolution, and ensuring compatibility, of the different instruments and preparing for new financial instrument after 2006

• allow for single projects operating on both sides of a border (single application process)

• funding of the MS component from Structural Funds

Cross border cooperation across the internal borders of former Yugoslavia

the role of UNDP in cross-border cooperation

Context

New international borders where there was previously free movement of people, goods, services and capital

New international borders have resulted in marginal border areas

Efficacy of support enhanced by establishing cross-border partnerships early

Objectives of UNDP support

Building cross-border partnerships in advance of EU assistance

Add value to the work of LEDAs and local and regional development programmes

What can donor-funded support to cross-border

cooperation do?

….which (working) free trade agreements and WTO membership cannot

Donor-funded support to economic cross-border cooperation is appropriate when….

market response is:

• unlikely in the foreseeable future

• likely to be unduly delayed relative to accompanying market-based actions

• prevented or heavily constrained by structural and other factors