The Committee of the Regions has launched a Europe-wide consultation of regions and cities on EU rules for cross-border cooperation. Organised jointly with the European Commission, the EU Council presidency "trio" and the Interact Programme, the consultation formally kicked off with a conference in Cáceres, Spain. Its results will feed into the review of the relevant EU legislation, which is scheduled for 2011.

Following an initiative of the Committee of the Regions, since 2006 the European Union has made available to local and regional authorities a purpose-built tool for cross-border cooperation: The so-called 'European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation', or EGTC. Regions and cities wishing to develop joint projects can set up such EGTCs without major administrative barriers or approval procedures by national capitals.

On the basis of a solid organisation with legal personality, they can apply for any kind of EU or national funding and combine it with private funding in public-private-partnerships. The forthcoming review of the EGCT regulation presents a window of opportunity to improve the concept even further in view of local experiences.

The consultation questionnaire is targeted at EU member states, EGTCs already set up or under preparation, local and regional authorities and other stakeholders. It focuses mainly on the lessons learned so far and the legal questions that the review should address. The questionnaire also aims at identifying the concrete added value and the future potential of the EGTCs.

The results will be presented in Brussels during the OPEN DAYS in October, and will feed into the Committee of the Regions' own-initiative opinion on the review of the EGTC regulation. Prepared by Alberto Núñez Feijóo (ES/EPP), President of the Autonomous Community of Galicia, this opinion is scheduled for adoption by the Committee of the Regions plenary in early 2011.

The consultation questionnaire and further information is available in all official EU languages at Committee of the Regions Website.