Interreg cooperation: The potential of the European Union’s cross-border regions has not yet been fully unlocked

Summary:

​​Cross-border cooperation aims to tackle common challenges identified jointly by the Member States in the border regions, and to exploit the untapped growth potential. Many such regions generally perform less well economically than other regions within a Member State.

We found that the cooperation programmes we examined had clear strategies for addressing the challenges facing the cross-border regions they covered. However, weaknesses in implementation and insufficiencies in monitoring information limited the potential of programmes to unlock the potential of these regions.

We address a number of recommendations to programme authorities and the Commission to better focus the cooperation programmes, and to prioritise and support projects based on merit. Also, to define indicators that capture the cross-border effect of the projects.

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