Transnational and cross-border programmes with EU Member States
In the new programming period (2007-2013), apart from eight programmes on their internal border, the Western Balkan countries participate in both transnational and IPA CBC programmes with neighbouring Member States.
Transnational Programmes
Transnational cooperation programmes encourage a sustainable and balanced development of the European territory. The establishment and development of transnational cooperation is part of the European Territorial Cooperation objective of the EU Regional Policy. In the new framework of Cohesion Policy, the “European Territorial Cooperation” Objective has become an objective on its own, on an equal footing with the “Convergence” and “Regional Competitiveness and Employment” Objectives. It replaces the Community Initiative INTERREG III and is co-funded from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
The general aim of transnational cooperation is to foster a balanced territorial development and territorial integration within the cooperation area. This is achieved by increasing cooperation across Member States on matters of strategic importance. Transnational cooperation concentrates on the following priority areas, which are in line with the Lisbon and Gothenburg agendas:
Innovation, Environment, Accessibility and Sustainable Urban Development.
There are 13 transnational cooperation programmes active in the 2007- 2013 programming period.
Western Balkan countries are eligible for participation in two transnational cooperation programmes:
South East Europe Transnational Cooperation Programme
Mediterranean Programme
IPA CBC Programmes with Member States
Cross-border cooperation programmes with neighbouring EU Member States in the framework of IPA are a continuation of the successful cooperation programmes already implemented under previous EU instruments (CARDS, Phare). There are nine such programmes:
Bulgaria – the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Bulgaria – Serbia
Greece – Albania
Greece – the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Hungary – Croatia
Hungary – Serbia
Romania – Serbia
Slovenia – Croatia
IPA Adriatic Programme