On 1 December 2017, a round table meeting was held at the Uzhhorod National University. The content of the negotiations, attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo A. Klimkin and university researchers, were the results from realisation process of project “Providing information and implementing innovative approaches in cross-border cooperation between Slovakia and Ukraine (CBC01030)”. As an expert from the project, prof. V. P. Prychoďko emphasized, comparative analysis of the activities of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region (BEAR) and the Carpathian Euroregion clearly demonstrated the need and potential of new approaches to cross-border cooperation (CBC) between Ukraine and the Visegrad Group in Carpathian region. This cooperation includes the creation of new international structures based on proven BEAR cross-border cooperation experience. The existence of permanent Council of Carpathian Cooperation and other structures, in which the countries of the Visegrad Group, Ukraine and the European Commission would have an active representation, would be a functional tool capable of eliminating possible adverse effects on CBC originating in particular countries as a product of national movements.(see “Recommendations and suggestions for increasing the efficiency of cross-border Slovak-Ukrainian cooperation and a model of its institutionalization”. http://www.cbcinnovations.sk/results-and- data-2/ )
As part of the discussion, roundtable participants agreed that under current international conditions, including the ongoing military-political conflict between Ukraine and Russia, it is not permissible to underestimate the near abroad and to end the regional diplomatic initiative.
On the contrary, they consider it necessary to emphasize the focus of Ukrainian diplomacy, as well as the entire sphere of regional development, on the area of “real policy” of Euroregional cooperation. In this context, efforts to rebuild Ukraine's CBC with the Visegrad countries appear to be significantly prospective.
This also includes systematic efforts of experts in the field of Euroregional development, to transfer experience and knowledge of state and regional administration gained from development of cross-border cooperation in BEAR into multilateral international cooperation in the Carpathian (Central-Eastern) region of Europe.
