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“Through innovations to effective cooperation”

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“Information provision and implementation of innovative approaches to cross-border cooperation between Slovakia and Ukraine”

Cross-border cooperation

Improving cross-border flow of information

To reduce existing barriers to cross-border cooperation

may 2016 – april 2017

222 233 EUR

Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Social Sciences, Košice

The level of development and the efficiency of the Slovak- Ukrainian cross-border cooperation to a large extent depends on the overall geopolitical context of cross-border region of the Carpathians, in particular, reciprocal relations, except Slovakia and Ukraine, between such countries as Poland, Hungary, Romania. Reflection of this dependence was the creation in 1993 in accordance to the Declaration of Foreign Ministers the Association for cross-border cooperation of neighboring regions of the “Carpathian Euroregion”. For a while, the activity of this institution was very successful, particularly in the case of establishing multilateral contacts and build confidence. However, since the 2000s, the effectiveness of the Carpathian Euroregion gradually decreased, reaching actually crisis state novadays. This occurred largely due to the fact that at the activity of the Association were not used innovative approaches to governance, including such powerful tools as macropolitical coordination, promotion and support of cross-border cooperation.

The importance of these tools is confirmed by a very successful twenty-year practice of  North European institutions, such as Barents Euro -Arctic Council ( the forum of MFAs of Norway, Finland, Russia and Sweden  for intergovernmental cooperation on issues concerning the Barents Region)) and the Barenth Regional  Council (coordinating body of the  regional representatives, together with the indigenous peoples of these countries with the same objectives as the BEAC – to support and promote co-operation and development in the Barents Region). The importance of application the advantages of the North European experience to enhance cross-border cooperation in cross-border region of the Carpathians has been observed in recent years at the Declarations of the European Forums on Cross-border Cooperation (Chisinau, Moldova, 2012, Jonesuu, Finland, 2013). In particular , at the Declaration of the Forum this year is recommended to learn from and applicate the North European experience to use opportunities of the Slovak-Ukrainian cross-border cooperation Development Programme (SK08 Cross-border Co-operation) through the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009 -2014 . The importance of learning from and application of the North European experience has been also confirmed by the represenatives from national and regional authorities, including the Government of the Slovak Republic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Transcarpathian Regional State Administration.

Aims of the project is:

  1. obtaining and analyzing authentic, high-quality and complete information on the forms, methods and results of the Barents Euro- Arctic Council and the Barenth Regional Council activity ;
  2. development for the managing authorities from Slovakia and Ukraine the practical recommendations on its implementation/application to improve the efficiency of cross-border cooperation between border regions of these countries, in particular, and in cross-border region of the Carpathians, in general;
  3. provide materials and inspiration for the training of key actors in CBC;
  4. to promote dialogue among public, economic and civic actors related to transborder cooperation.

 

The project outcome: improving the cross-border information flow

The project outputs:

  1. Research of political, legal, economic, financial , institutional backgrounds of the North European international institutions – the Barents Euro- Arctic Council and the Barenth Regional Council.
  2. Learning from the activity and the practices of Norwegian- Russian and Slovak- Ukrainian border cooperation actors.
  3. Preparation of practical recommendations for state and local governments, civil society in Slovakia and Ukraine on the effective implementation / application of the experience gained from the Barents Euro- Arctic Council and the Barenth Regional Council to intensify cross-border cooperation between border regions of these countries, in particular, and in the cross-border region of the Carpathians, in general.

The target groups of the project: The project will target central, including the MFAs, regional authorities and local authorities from the border regions of Slovakia and Ukraine.Other beneficiaries are businessmen and the institutions of civil society at border regions which have foreign relations with the partners.Regional development agencies that are implementing policies in the field of transborder cooperation and in tourism, environment, economic and social development, those that will also benefit from most efficient  data. Among the Beneficiaries also, no doubt, will be research institutions, universities with the research agenda associated with transborder cooperation studies, as well as the mass media from border area.

The donor partner of the project will be the Prague Institute for Stability and Development (ISD). This institute has extensive experience in learning cross-border processes at the North of Europe. Thus, the ISD was the coordinator of the project, which in 2012 under the auspices of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Finland and Norway has been implemented by international team of the experts. By the results of the project was published the research  material “Ex borea lux? Learning from the Finnish and Norwegian Experience of Cross-border Cooperation with Eastern Neighbours”. Prague: ISD, 2012.

The main results of the joint work of the applicant and partners will be represented as follows:

  1. A two permanent Norwegian-Slovak-Ukrainian working groups: first – the study of information on organizational principles and practices of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council and the Regional Council; second – with the study and analysis of the practice of sub, objects Norwegian-Russian and Ukrainian-Slovak border cooperation.
  2. Publishing of conference materials.
  3. Preparation and publication of information and analytical material “experience of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council and the Regional Council and their importance for the implementation of innovative approaches in the management of cross-border cooperation in the Carpathian region” (in English, Slovak, Russian).
  4. Preparation and publication of “Practical guidelines on implementation / application Scandinavian experience in cross-border cooperation of neighboring regions of Slovakia and Ukraine and in the region of the Carpathians” (in English, Slovak, Ukrainian languages).
  5. Concept development and web site of the project, which will feature content and objectives of the project implemented and describing implementation of project objectives and results of the partners.