Expert panel organised by Maastricht University (ITEM) and the Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
Details evenement
Closed event
Solving Cross-Border Problems with the “Cross-Border Facilitation tool”?
The implications of the amended Commission proposal on the regulation of a cross-border mechanism (ECBM)
The expert panel will bring together academics, legislators and practitioners in order to assess the quality of the amended proposal. On 12 December 2023 the European Commission has put forward an amended proposal of the European Cross-Border mechanism (COM (2023)790) as a response to the concerns and recommendations made by the two co-legislators Council and European Parliament.
How is the new version assessed from an academic point of view when compared to proposals in the past? From a practitioner’s point of view, what type of coordination points do already exist in the Member States that can be compared to the coordination points described in the regulation? From a legislator point of view, how do the European Parliament, the Member States and the Committee of the Regions read the new version?
The background
Cross-border projects and cooperation face a multitude of administrative and legal obstacles. The Commission’s amended proposal was a reaction to the European Parliament resolution of 14 September 2023 emphasizing the importance of the adoption of an amended proposal for border regions. Council and European Parliament have started their work on the regulation that includes also a change of the title. The new proposed name is “Regulation on Facilitating Cross-Border Solutions” and instead of “cross-border mechanism”, the term “cross-border facilitation tool” is introduced.
In essence, the Commission proposes that Member States set up Cross-border coordination points, which will assess requests submitted by border stakeholders on potential obstacles and act as a liaison between them and the national authorities. The proposal would ensure that stakeholders receive a response after the assessment of each request. The initiated process to solve border problem is called “Cross-Border Facilitation Tool” that is described as a “voluntary standard procedure” to resolve administrative and legal obstacles in cross-border regions. The decision on whether or not to resolve an obstacle would remain the prerogative of the competent national authorities.
Programme:
| 14.30 hrs |
Registration/Coffee
|
| 15.00 hrs | Welcome – Rainer Steffens, Landesvertretung NRW/Prof. Anouk Bollen ITEM
Moderator Martin Unfried and Pim Mertens ITEM |
| 15.10 hrs | What’s new in the amendment? A short introduction to the new proposal
Ricardo Ferreira, DG Regio, European Commission
|
| 15.20 hrs | An academic view on the amended ECBM-proposal: real innovation for the cross-border toolbox?
Martin Unfried and Pim Mertens, ITEM
|
| 15.30 | Panel debate: Cross-border coordination points and the experiences and expectations of existing initiatives
Sebastiaan Hupkes, Schakelpunt/Cooperation Point, The Netherlands and Flanders Jan Schliewert, Euregio Meuse-Rhine (BE/DE/NL) Christiana Ijezie, Taskforce Grenzgänger, Greater Region/Saarland |
| 16.00 hrs | Coffee break |
| 16.15 hrs
16.25 hrs
16.35 |
From BridgEU to the cross-border facilitation tool The Proposal from the perspective of the European Parliament Sandro Gozi, Member of the European Parliament and Rapporteur (BridgEU Resolution)
The debate in the Council Ms Emmeline Allioux, Councillor at the French Permanent Representation Niels Wichette, Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Committee of the Regions: Current cross-border coordination in light of the Commission proposal Tanya Dimitrova, Committee of the Regions |
| 16.45 hrs | Panel debate:
Cross-border expertise and legal instruments: how to explore the diversity of problems? Pim Mertens, ITEM Anne Thevenet, TEIN, network of European cross-border Institutes, Kehl/Strasbourg Martin Guillermo Ramirez, Association of European Border Regions, b-Solutions Katalin Fekete, CESCI, Budapest |
| 17.15 hrs | Conclusions and Farewell – NRW/ITEM |