Cross border cooperation

ABSTRACT Border studies posit that twin cities represent aspirations to proactively and deliberately become one entity resulting in fundamental changes to the social, economic and political identity of the two communities involved. While some twin cities in the EU and between EU and Russia do follow this pattern, this is not the case in the Russian Far East. The cities of Blagoveshchensk (Russia) and Heihe (China) claim to be twin cities even though they have deliberately confined their twinning activities to trade and tourism and specifically excluded any change that may involve administrative boundaries or national security. Based on interviews and examination of public documents and relevant studies, we argue that the case of Blago and Heihe can be characterized as ersatz in the sense that their city twinning effort is deliberately compartmentalized. We argue that this approach is the local officials’ response to obstacles generated by nationalism, history, vast divergence in economic trajectory and population trends, and close scrutiny by respective national governments. In spite of these, the two cities regard twinning as a valuable marketing tool and have progressively, though asymmetrically, adopted this brand. We further argue that pursuing the rhetoric of city-twinning allows the officials to advance claims to opportunities in trade and tourism and potential access to additional national resources without tackling the difficult questions of more comprehensive cross-border interactions.

The study examines potential investment opportunities for cross-border value chains in the economic corridors of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). offers an investment perspective that is grounded on extensive interviews with company representatives and public sector officials. Qualitative and quantitative-based surveys were conducted over a six-week period by the study team that interviewed 70 companies distributed over 20 industry classifications or divisions in six BIMP-EAGA corridor states and provinces. It presents the results of three approaches to identifying and rating corridor value chains based on (a) provincial and state development priorities along the corridors; (b) business perceptions about corridor-wide opportunities; and (c) mapping the comparative advantages revealed by the exports from corridor provinces and states into different types of industry classifications. Overall, the study finds that opportunities fo...

The rapid development of contemporary Polish-Ukrainian relations and the emigration of Ukrainians to Poland and EU countries require more and more lawyers to provide cross-border legal services. However, the emerging barriers between the countries effectively limit the possibilities for cooperation. It is particularly important to determine the extent of involvement of Polish lawyers in Ukraine and Ukrainians in Poland and to explain the reasons for their lack of involvement. It is also important to determine the consequences of the observed problem and the development strategy for the future.

The present research is part of a larger study on the internationalisation of the Polish justice system and the provision of cross-border legal services. Methodologically, the study has been performed through structured interviews among representatives of Polish lawyers and questionnaires among all Polish lawyers. It was supplemented by non-reactive methods: an analysis of statistical data, an anthropomastic analysis, a content analysis of websites, and a functional analysis of legal acts.

The results of the study show that Polish lawyers do not practice in Ukraine at all, and no more than 20 Ukrainian jurists work in Poland. The reasons are the border barriers and the lack of demand for mutual legal services, as well as cultural differences. The low level of involvement of the Polish and Ukrainian Bar Associations also contributes to the low level of provision of cross-border legal services. Nevertheless, Ukrainian immigrants to Poland are increasingly becoming Polish lawyers. Currently, the involvement of Ukrainian lawyers in the Polish legal services market is slowly increasing. This confused situation will likely change later this decade.

The new territorial structures for the governance of the borderlands between Portugal and Spain (Eurocities) constitute a novel and exciting example of a local commitment to cross-border cooperation (CBC). The Eurocities are feasible institutions in very close cities and municipalities, and have always had intense relationships. With different speeds, formats and intensities, Eurocities have been forming along the European Union's internal borders. Compared to other types of cooperation entities created mainly at regional or sub-regional scales (Euroregions and Eurodistricts), Eurocities are created at the municipal or local level, which are the most relevant protagonists of cross-border flows and relations. These new institutions are established based on different common objectives, such as economic dynamism, tourism, mobility, sustainability and access to funding, among many other fields of common interest. The present research deals with the geographical and institutional fra...

Resumen:La gestión coordinada de las fronteras y el funcionamiento eficaz de los sistemas de tratamiento de datos de circulación de personas pueden servir como mecanismo de alerta temprana frente al riesgo de ataques terroristas. Puede fortalecer la capacidad colectiva de los Estados para detectar, prevenir y combatir el terrorismo al facilitar el intercambio oportuno de información, permitiendo así adoptar de forma responsable decisiones cruciales.Este trabajo analiza los concretos instrumentos de gestión de datos en fronteras que pueden ser útiles en la lucha antiterrorista, porque el primer paso en inteligencia reside en la obtención de información, que luego será analizada y tratada para convertir esa información en conocimiento. Como tendremos oportunidad de comprobar, muchas de las bases de datos en fronteras se crearon para controlar la entrada de inmigrantes en las fronteras europeas, pero la información que ofrecen dichos sistemas puede servir también para luchar contra ese...

The Romanian-Hungarian border has evolved in time from a closed, guarded border to an open one after 1989, a period when the success of cross-border cooperation models in Europe were taken on by the two nations, either as an Eurometropolis, or as Euroregion, operating with a series of instruments and institutions that facilitated cooperation within various areas of cross-border interest; these instruments have been gradually adapted until the present days when new ones replaced the old ones, the latest instrument being the EGTC.

The political crisis and subsequent civil conflict within Ukraine has raised a number of important questions in Europe. The idea that security is a problem dealt with in and around the EU has had to be rethinked. Also the growing power of Russia and the leadership characteristics that stem from that power has created opportunity for significant geopolitical changes at the EU's external borders. The paper addresses the issue of political leadership from a multidimensional perspective in an effort to understand what each side really wants. With a conflict that has not stopped growing we find ourselves determined to understand the power struggle in and around Ukraine.

For several decades, pundits and critics have predicted the end of borders, envisioning a globalized world that ushers in a new era of collaboration and cooperation (Friedman 2005). Yet despite these proclamations and significant advancements in communication technology, as well as the explosion of social media, we have not seen significantly greater collaboration, even between partners as close as those along the United States-Mexico border. This is especially true in academic research. Perhaps communication technologies have taken more time to be fully integrated into the often age-restricted fields of academia. Maybe the very nature of academic collaboration needs far greater contact than is achievable through online and technological resources. Whatever the cause, intense debates in recent years about the safety of working in northern Mexico have complicated research efforts and created a huge divide between Mexican and US colleagues, as many institutions have banned official travel to Mexico.1

Officially at peace since 1994, Israel and Jordan have since established multiple cooperation schemes with the aim of transitioning from a described cold peace to a self-sustaining warm peace. One cooperation scheme that is particularly interesting from the point of view of Border and Urban Studies is the case of Eilat, Israel and Aqaba, Jordan. These tourist cities, located in the Arava Valley, are both physically isolated and strategically placed on the Red Sea coast. Since 2001 they have been considered as a potential bi-national city, and so far remain as the only one studied in a cold peace setting. Yet doubt persists as to whether a bi-national city can actually exist under such conditions. The purpose of this article is to firmly establish the place of Eilat–Aqaba as a bi-national city through the use of a unique analysis of the region that updates and elaborates findings dating from 2001. This concludes in modeling the Bi-national City Process of Eilat–Aqaba.

Th e present-day relationship between Europe and China, emerging from past centuries of Chinese hegemony in East Asia, European colonial infl uence, and recent decades of ever-increasing global economic interdependence, is a complicated one. Th is article is an attempt to clarify the current state of EU-China relations based on a critical analysis of recent developments and emerging trends within a framework of international relations (IR) theory. It compares Chinese attitudes to the EU with European attitudes towards the People’s Republic of China, in order to highlight areas in which the approaches of the two sides tend to be at cross purposes. A clearer understanding by each side of the other’s perspective can pave the way to improved relations and avoid impasses, confusion and head off potential confl icts of interest before they appear.

This article deals with the topic of the border status and cross-border cooperation in Czechia in the last 30 years. Special attention is paid to the EU integration process and its impact on the Czech borders and borderland and to the COVID-19 pandemic, which revealed the durability of state borders despite the widely promoted idea of a borderless Europe. The text is theoretically based on the concepts of de-bordering and re-bordering and perceives borders as dynamic and socially constructed phenomena.

Abstract Nowadays, cross-border cooperation (CBC) is an undeniable reality in the space encompassed between European borders. This contributes to economical and social sustainable development, as well as to cohesion for trans boundary areas, which include administrative and territorial units from neighboring countries. A correct conceptual basis for the methodological approach to connectivity lies in the fact that the development of transportation systems, as integrated networks at different scales, is deeply changing their operation and the way they induce urban and regional development patterns. Overloaded transport corridors in the context of changing transportation flows are becoming an important issue for accessibility, impacting CBC indirectly, but harshly. Different modes of transport create different patterns of accessibility, with different influence in CBC accordingly. Throughout the present research, CBC European case studies, where connectivity-movement between cities, has been identified as a key factor for their territorial success, were assessed, described and analyzed. In the period of 2001–2006, improvements and further imbalances have occurred in accessibility development across regions and modes. Some signs indicate that the core-periphery pattern is slowly changing which leads towards an upgrade on the accessibility of places, regions and cities.

Macro-prudential measures implemented in individual Member States may have cross-border or cross-sectoral repercussions. This special feature discusses cross-border spillover channels. To limit negative spillover effects, macro-prudential instruments should be applied consistently across countries, and reciprocity agreements must be applied transparently. JEL Classification: G00

In the following article, an example of a construction of the history between myth and reality after World War II in the Finnish-Russian border region will be presented. Nowadays, this is a border between EU and non-EU. During World War II, all the major battles between Finland and the Soviet Union took place in Finnish Karelia and in Soviet Eastern Karelia. For this reason, Karelia became particularly important in the Finnish memory culture. Nowadays, the “Karelia issue” mostly refers to the question of the areas annexed by the Soviet Union in World War II. Finns have started to talk about “lost Karelia”, but not about the question of creating Greater Finland through the incorporation of Eastern Karelia. In the following article, the example of the Finnish-Russian border will provide evidence of how changeable borders are, and how many myths have been constructed in connection with borders. This border region is exemplary in demonstrating the development of Eastern European borders, because even today, in spite of cross-border interaction, it continues to represent a hermetic border between Eastern and Western Europe.

Abstract Border interactions have reached unprecedented levels in recent decades, not only due to their potential for territorial integration but also considering their role in supranational processes, such as infrastructure construction and planning activities all over the world. These interactions gained increasingly more emphasis when we know that in several countries more than half of the population lives across the border, tending to be more affected by common policy-making, and by the gaps that plague such policies. This scenario is particularly evident in European countries. In this regard the identification of influential factors of territorial success in cross-border areas is considered to be critical to achieve sustainable development through Cross-Border-Cooperation (CBC) Strategies, which lead to a consequent improvement in quality of life of the population living in these regions. This study explores expert attitudes and perceptions towards the identification of a set of critical factors for success of CBC projects. Throughout the present research 20 CBC European case studies were assessed, described and analyzed, enabling the identification of 14 critical factors to achieve success in development projects based on Cross-Border-Cooperation principles. These factors were briefly explained considering the goals of this research and their influence for success statistically described, and individually analyzed both by case study and by factor. From the identified critical factors, the research pointed out that there are 3 of utmost importance to promote territorial success in CBC projects: (i) the definition of clear common objectives and master plans; (ii) the promotion of political transparency and commitment towards the decisions related to the CBC project; and (iii) the promotion of connectivity and movement between cities.

Twenty-five years ago, the governments of Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia agreed to jointly promote the city-state, the state of Johor in Malaysia and the Riau Islands in Indonesia. Facilitated by common cultural references, a more distant shared history, and complementary attributes, interactions between the three territories developed quickly. Logistics networks have proliferated and production chains link firms based in one location with affiliates or transport facilities in the other territories. These cross-border links have enabled all three locations to develop their economies and enjoy rising standards of living. Initially economic in nature, the interactions between Singapore, Johor, and the Riau Islands have multiplied and grown deeper. Today, people cross the borders to work, go to school, or avail of an increasing range of goods and services. New political, social, and cultural phenomena have developed. Policy-makers in the various territories now need to reconcile economic imperatives and issues of identity and sovereignty. Enabled by their proximity and increasing opportunities, families have also begun to straddle borders, with resulting questions about citizenship and belonging. Using the Cross-Border Region framework – which seeks to analyse these three territories as one entity simultaneously divided and bound together by its borders – this book brings together scholars from a range of disciplines. Its 18 chapters and more than 20 maps examine the interaction between Singapore, Johor, and the Riau Islands over the past quarter-century, and seek to shed light on how these territories could develop in the future.

The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked numerous unintended social and political consequences, especially for border regions as many European states decided to temporarily close their borders. This decision had a tremendous effect not only on the work of various actors in border towns, but also on the lives of borderlanders, whose daily practices are embedded in cross-border spaces. By applying a strategic-relational approach (Jessop [2001]. Institutional Re(Turns) and the Strategic-Relational Approach.

2 The second longest border section of Hungary is with Romania (453 km) and the second longest of Slovakia is with Poland (541 km). (Sources: Statistics 2009; Wikipedia 2013.) Abstract Nowadays, effi cient development of regions and settlements is unimaginable without utilization of opportunities from tender or project sources. This is especially true for settlements in border areas, which regarding to their location near to the border and far from centralized industry and community in the centre of the state are mainly featured by bad economic and social situation. In order to support the development of borderlands, cross-border co-operation programmes were founded by the European Union and its predecessor organization in 1990s. In this study, the theoretical issues of cross-border co-operation are introduced, focusing on the Hungarian-Slovak border region. Also discussed are projects (and their applications and outputs) which were implemented in that area. It is focused on success...

This paper intends to go through the main issues about the role of the Phare Crossborder funds in the development of the economy in the border area. The specific approach is linked to the Neighbourhood Programme Romania-Ukraine. The paper starts with the European view about the external borders aims, describes the framework of the Neighbourhood Programme focused on the aspects with relevance on economical improvement of the border areas and presents few financial marks. There are reviewed the most important lessons learned during the implementation of the programme and there are listed some of the results that marked an economical change and could have long term economical impact. The paper concludes the main ingredients needed for a future cooperation in terms of crossborder economical projects between two different countries, at the external border of the European Union.

The present thesis offers a set of theoretical reflections on postmodern and postcolonial territorial restructuring. It is mainly based on fifteen years of scientific research on the demarcation processes at local and provincial levels in African contexts (South Africa, Morocco and Niger) and at intermunicipal level in France. A broad international bibliography on the issues of demarcation and territorial engineering is also used. Chapters deal with specific entries: the arguments on the choice of new provincial capital cities and county-towns; territorial solutions and innovations introduced in borderlands institutional and local government design; the evolution of the optimal territorial pattern in the public policies of spatial planning and devolution. Lastly some laws and trends arising from this work are applies to territorial restructuring beyond local and national political clouts.

This article aims to underline how the Western Balkans are an area of fundamental geo-strategic interest for the security inside and outside Europe. Its geostrategic importance was even more evident when, since 2015, the Western Balkans havebeen crossed by one of the most impressive migratory routes to Europe, the socalled “Balkan route”, showing the political instability of both the region and the EU. The massive flow of asylum seekers led the EU institutions to recognize in April 2015 the exceptional nature of the situation, calling unsuccessfully for the adoption of solidarity measures to overcome the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the so-called "frontline Member States". In this framework, the article intends to briefly investigate the limits of the existing regulatory framework, which was unable to offer an adequate response to such a situation, as well as of the proposals of the EU Pact on migration of asylum in order to find a solution to a crisis that is no...

The idea of a smart city is widely discussed in literature but is associated to a lesser extent with the idea of mov-ing towards a green smart city. Authors debate the critique of this type of approach and are of the opinion that climate change forces the construction of green models Like businesses, municipalities must be systematically assessed to identify assistance in terms of specialist advice or financial aid. The aim of this article is to develop the concept of a green smart city model, which may become a new development paradigm for municipalities. The article introduces the term eco-transformation in relation to the evolution of changes in the green smart city idea and proposes a tool to measure the action taken by municipalities in their pursuit of ecological maturity. The proposed models are universal in nature, i.e. they can be used to study other areas of a municipality’s activ-ity. Many areas in the model are debatable and difficult for municipalities to incorporate wi...

Within European territories, exists a large number of borderlands comprising several Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) projects and strategies. However, these CBC relationships are known by a high level of complexity. Therefore, the study of all the variables and factors that could influence the success or failure of these CBC projects and strategies are critical to reaching long-lasting territorial sustainability. Contextually, the present paper analyzes the border cooperation of eight CBC projects (seventeen European cities) focusing on the political engagement and transparency. Furthermore, the study allows us to identify and isolate the four main critical factors to consider from a political perspective: (i) Connectivity - Movement between cities; (ii) Political transparency and commitment; (iii) Common objectives and master plans; and (iv) Young and talented people magnet.

Political commitment and transparency have been previously identified as critical factors for territorial success, as well as factors which allow the achievement of stronger cohesion and sustainable growth of cross-border cooperation projects and strategies. The present study is aimed at a more thorough analysis of these factors. Throughout the analysis and assessment of the European CBC case studies, where political commitment has been defined as a critical factor, political and economic transparency plays a key role. This analysis, which incorporates public and technical opinions , provides a better comprehension on how these factors influence the European panorama. It includes the key messages for policy-makers when designing and implementing development strategies specifically tailored to the needs of these places.

The cross-border region of Oresund is one of the areas in Northern Europe where the largest concentration of highly educated people reside. Other authors argue that the integration process of the region has seemingly come to a halt due to a lack of interest from the inhabitants. This thesis argues that the young citizens of Oresund offers a shift in tendency towards the region and does so by taking full advantage of the existing institutions, infrastructure and possibilities that are available. Through these processes, the young people of Oresund strengthens the integration process of Oresund through bottom-up regionalization. The European Union funds various projects which aims to strengthen the integration process through top-down Europeanization. These two simultaneous processes contribute to the on-going territorial field of tension which exists in Oresund. The European Union and the Oresund region draws attention away from the national state and breaks the long bond that the na...

This paper examines two contrarily complementary EU cross border city-region case studies by applying the 5-System City-Region analytical framework discussed at the RSA 2013 Winter Conference (Calzada, 2013). On the one hand, the case of the Basque Country (OECD, 2013) nationalistic city-region (Calzada, 2011) in between Spain and France nation-states reflects surprisingly low cross border territorial development strategic synergies. On the other hand, in contrast, the case of the Oresund non-nationalistic cityregion (OECD, 2013) shows a highly cooperative and fluent cross-border dynamic that started in 2000.

Key Ideas on the Singularity of the Town “La Linea de la Concepcion” in the light of International Law and European Law - Preliminary Report DEL VALLE GÁLVEZ, A; GONZÁLEZ GARCÍA, I; VERDÚ BAEZA, J: «Claves sobre la singularidad de La Linea de la Concepción a la luz del Derecho Internacional y del Derecho europeo - Informe Previo», Cuadernos de Gibraltar–Gibraltar Reports, num. CUADERNOS DE GIBRALTAR – GIBRALTAR REPORTS Num 3, 2018-2019 ISSN 2444-7382DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.25267/Cuad_Gibraltar.2019.i3.14053, 2018-2019. ___________________ Claves sobre la singularidad de La Linea de La Concepción a la luz del Derecho Internacional y del Derecho europeo - Informe Previo Se solicita opinión por el Alcalde de La Línea de la Concepción, Excmo. Sr. D Jesús Franco Rodríguez, sobre las posibles particularidades y singularidades del Ayuntamiento a la luz del Derecho Internacional y del Derecho Europeo, a los efectos de poder determinar con objetividad su condición diferenciada de cualesquiera otros Municipios españoles y europeos. Una aproximación previa permite identificar diversos aspectos que podrían singularizar de forma única al Ayuntamiento de La Línea en los planos internacional y europeo.