What are the pros and cons of the amended Commission proposal (COM (2023) 790) for an EU regulation on a cross-border mechanism? ITEM organised a session about details of this initiative, now called “cross-border facilitation tool” The event was organised in cooperation with the Representation of the German Land Nordrhein-Westfalen and took place in Brussels on 26 March 2024.
Experts from the European Commission, the Committee of the Regions, Member States and cross-border researchers were positive about the added value of such a tool: the main task of the Member States would be the establishment of cross-border coordination points in order to collect and analyse cross-border obstacles, to facilitate the search for a solution together with competent authorities. At this occasion, the Dutch Ministry of Interior announced that together with the Dutch Province of Zeeland and the Flemish government, a cross-border pilot coordination point will be established financed by INTERREG. ITEM/Maastricht University and the University of Hasselt will be the scientific partners.
As reported by Member State officials who have access to the Council working party, it is rather unlikely that there will be a final adoption of the EU regulation before the European elections. However, European Parliament Rapporteur Sandro Gozi was positive with respect to the Hungarian Presidency. There could be an agreement between the new Parliament and the Council at the end of the year 2024.
