European Border Dialoque;Outcomes of the Sortavala

workshops

20.11.2013

Topics of the workshops

• Regional and local level cooperation across the border

• Euregions: Learning from experience

• Overcoming political challenges in CBC

Workshop 1 :

Regional and local level cooperation accross the border

Content of the workshop

• Practical examples of CBC : case Sortavala• Also experiences from Euregion Dniester and Barents cooperation

were touched

• Discussion: • How to develop cooperation cross the border?• Prerequisities for the cooperation: border crossings

Development of the CBC in Sortavala• 1988 twincity cooperation started

• 1994 opening of the international border crossing point Wärtsilä-Niirala

• 1996: First Interreg III A Karelia Programme was opened: stakeholders from Sortavala region actively involved

• 2006 Agreement between the Sortavala (RU) and Central-Karelia municipalities (FI): started regular annual meetings and joint activities

• Situation now: diverse cooperation with Finnish partners cross the border

How to develop the cooperation cross the border?

Maturity

Project results and policy impacts

Getting to know each other

Sharing information

Coordination / structures

Strategy / planning

Joint Decisions

Implementation

Prerequisity of cooperation

• Access gross the border• Fluency of border crossings (balance with the security)• Visa freedom

• Actions needed to improve the infrastructure, train the personnel, improve the techniques on the border, modernize the procedures

• Active interaction between the border officials and regional + national level authorities

Recommendations

• Ensure the ownership to the cooperation: success of the cooperation always depends on the people.

• Be ambitious and brave: in order to benefit of the cooperation you need to take steps forward

• Learn from experiences!

• Use the available tools

Workshop 2 :

Euregions: learning from experience

Key notes / questions

• How to make the cooperation usefull: identify the conditions and motivation for the cooperation

• Analyse the compatibility of regions• Ensure the competence of the Euregio; right to sign the agreements etc• Ensure that the Euregio organisation has a capacity to work and fullfill

its tasks• Lobby towards national level (+ international)• Ensure the financial resources for the cooperation

Recommendations / questions to be solved

• How to institutionalize the experiences that different regions have about the cooperation?

• The measurable data of the experiences of different Euregions should be collected

• Use the Euregio Karelia model to build up connections between Euregio activities and financing instruments (ENPI / ENI CBC Programmes)

Workshop 3 :

Overcoming political challenges

Recommendations1) Look for ways leading to people to people projectsSuch ways must be based on very concrete project connecting people.

2) Prepare, develop and realize projects based on common and concrete interests of people living in appropriate regions.

3) Define a level on which it is necessary to discuss prospective co-operation. Find mediators for such negotiations and to try to launch negotiations. .4) Analyze current activities of civil society in this direction and propose them to take part in cbc initiatives

5) Continue to analyse the experiences with similar situations in other regions. Learn which elements are transferable and to try use them.

Thank you for your attention!