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Added Value

Generally speaking, the adoption of this binding regulation constitutes a major step for territorial cooperation, as it provides public actors at different levels (Member States, regional and local authorities mainly) with a strong legal tool for developing and implementing a territorial cohesion policy, at cross-border, transnational and interregional levels.

The EGTC and INTERREG/European Territorial Cooperation Objective Programmes

Currently, only 6% of the INTERREG IIIA programmes are managed by a cross-border structure, acting as Managing Authority, Paying Authority and/or Joint Technical Secretariat. Most programmes are actually managed by local, regional or national authorities. Several cases can be encountered:

• "Concentrated" management: a single authority is in charge of managing the programme, acting on behalf of the other partners, on the basis of a convention signed by all partners.
• "Decentralised" management: the functions of MA, PA and JTS are ensured by several authorities (on one side or on all sides of the border), or the authority in charge of these functions uses intermediate bodies to implement part of these functions in the other country.

Probably one of the main challenges that joint structures have to face is connected with their legal personality. This has implications e.g. on the power to hire international staff or to be bound to a national legal framework. The EGTC should be a tool to step over these difficulties as well.

Different types of involvement in an INTERREG programme

Despite the limited involvement of cross-border institutions in programme management as such, one should consider the variety of other possible types of involvement

• as project owner,
• as information office of the programme in the border area
• as responsible for a Micro-project Fund (also called Small Project Fund or People-to-People)
• etc

Different types of cross-border structures

The variety of functions to be performed by a cross-border structure in an INTERREG programme is also combined with a variety of existing cross-border structures:

• in terms of names: Euregio, Euroregion, Working Community etc
• in terms of legal status:
  • public, created by a national law or an interstate convention (Openbare Lichaam (NL), Zweckverband (DE), Consorcio (ES), Groupement d’Intérêt Public (FR) etc)
  • private: association, foundation etc.

The EGTC appears as a unique, harmonised and adapted solution to foster programme management by cross-border structures.

Nevertheless, according to the different national laws, the EGTC will be developed under a wide range of models.

More information, statistics, tools and recommendations are to be found in the INTERACT Study "Study on the Organisation of Cross-border INTERREG Programmes - Legal Aspects and Partnerships", which is available for download from the Studies Section as well as in paper version, to be ordered at: ip.tb@interact-eu.net.

See also INTERACT Presentation: EGTC for European Territorial Cooperation – Programme and project management 26112007

Page updated on 29.04.2008