Cross-Border Cooperation in the Framework of Regional Policy
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
EU-EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD-RUSSIA: CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF REGIONAL POLICY FINAL REPORT IMPLEMENTED BY: Approved by : Name 0.0 version : Name Date: 22/01/2014 1 EU-EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD-RUSSIA: FINAL REPORT CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF REGIONAL POLICY Client European Commission, DG Regio Contractor Consortium of: Foundation for European Studies – European Institute Research and Innovation Centre Pro-Akademia Title Final Report – Project: EU-European Neighbourhood-Russia: Cross-Border Cooperation in the Framework of regional Policy Abstract This report describes in detail all work activities that have been conducted within the project “EU-European Neighbourhood-Russia: Cross-Border Cooperation in the Framework of Regional Policy”. The activities of particular importance for the Project, which have been realised are reported and commented. These are: 1. Information session in Kharkov, Odessa and Tbilisi; 2. Study visits for Ukrainian - Russian, Ukrainian - Moldovan and Georgian - Armenian Groups; 4. Workshops in Kharkov, Odessa, Yerevan; 5. The project website. Key words cross-border cooperation, regional policy in cross border areas, Russia and ENP countries References Contract no. 2012CE160AT040 Author Ewa Kochanska, Ph.D., Team Leader Date 20th December 2013 Document control Version 01, Draft, Pages: 75 / Tables 4 / Figures 7 This report is financed by the Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission as part of its regional policy dialogues with non-EU countries. These dialogues have been established to exchange information and best practice on experiences in setting up and implementing cohesion policy. The information contained in this report does not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the European Commission. Approved by : Name 0.0 version : Name Date: 22/01/2014 2 EU-EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD-RUSSIA: FINAL REPORT CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF REGIONAL POLICY HOW TO REINFORCE CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURNEHOOD – RUSSIA TERRITORIES IN THE FRAMEWORK OF REGIONAL POLICY? RUSSIA – UKRAINE UKRAINE – MOLDOVA GEORGIA – ARMENIA Approved by : Name 0.0 version : Name Date: 22/01/2014 3 EU-EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD-RUSSIA: FINAL REPORT CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF REGIONAL POLICY Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 6 1.1. MAIN OBJECTIVES AND GENERAL RESULTS OF THE PROJECT, RELATING TO THE UKRAINIAN – RUSSIAN, MOLDOVAN – UKRAINIAN AND GEORGIAN - ARMENIAN CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION PROBLEMS ................................................................. 7 1.2. THE IMPLEMANTATION OF THE PROJECT ............................................ 11 1.3. GENERAL RESULTS OF THE PROJECT ................................................. 14 1.4. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS OF THE PROJECT: POTENTIAL FOR CROSS-BORDER EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD-RUSSIA COOPERATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF REGIONAL POLICY .................. 15 1.4.1. CHARACTERISTICS OF RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN POTENTIAL FOR CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION ...................................... 18 1.4.2. CHARACTERISTICS OF UKRAINIAN - MOLDOVAN POTENTIAL FOR CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION ..................... 20 1.4.3. CHARACTERISTICS OF GEORGIAN-ARMENIAN POTENTIAL FOR CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION ...................................... 22 1.5. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REGIONAL AND CENTRAL AUTHORITIES IN RUSSIA, UKRAINE, MOLDOVA, GEORGIA AND ARMENIA, IN TERMS OF STAKEHOLDER COOPERATION AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT (LOCAL AUTHORITIES, BUSINESSES, UNIVERSITIES, NGOS) ..................................................................... 23 1.6. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION ON PROMOTING CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION BETWEEN EU AND ENPI COUNTRIES AND RUSSIA .......................................................... 24 2. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT .......................................................... 25 2.1. INFORMATION SESSIONS IN KHARKOV, ODESSA AND TIBILISI ............ 26 Approved by : Name 0.0 version : Name Date: 22/01/2014 4 EU-EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD-RUSSIA: FINAL REPORT CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF REGIONAL POLICY 2.2. STUDY VISITS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION FOR UKRAINIAN, RUSSIAN, MOLDOVAN, ARMENIAN AND GEORGIAN PARTICIPANTS ................................................................................ 28 2.3. WORKSHOPS IN KHARKOV, ODESSA AND YEREVAN ............................. 29 2.3.1. DETAILS OF WORKSHOP IN KHARKOV .................................... 31 2.3.2. DETAILS OF WORKSHOP IN ODESSA ...................................... 33 2.3.3. DETAILS OF WORKSHOP IN YEREVAN ....................................... 35 3. PROJECT WEBSITE REPORT ....................................................................... 71 4. SUPPLEMENT ........................................................................................... 74 4.1. LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................. 75 4.2. LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................ 75 4.3. CD CONTENT .................................................................................. 75 Approved by : Name 0.0 version : Name Date: 22/01/2014 5 EU-EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD-RUSSIA: FINAL REPORT CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF REGIONAL POLICY 1. INTRODUCTION Approved by : Name 0.0 version : Name Date: 22/01/2014 6 EU-EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD-RUSSIA: FINAL REPORT CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF REGIONAL POLICY 1.1. MAIN OBJECTIVES AND GENERAL RESULTS OF THE PROJECT, RELATING TO THE UKRAINIAN – RUSSIAN, MOLDOVAN – UKRAINIAN AND GEORGIAN - ARMENIAN CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION PROBLEMS a) Key objectives The main aim of this project was to support the dialogues on regional policy with selected countries outside the European Union (EU) and to share experience of the cross-border cooperation of European regions in context of regional development by offering a mix of information sessions, study visits and workshops for Russia and 4 EU neighbourhood countries: Armenia, Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. The project contributed to the increase of knowledge of regional decision-makers from Russia and EU Neighborhood countries in the field of instruments and tools of cross-border cooperation in the EU cross-border areas. Overall objective of the project: . to strengthen bilateral co-operation of the EU, European Neighbourhood Policy countries and Russia by offering stakeholders of regional development a source of reference when further developing their policy strategies and actions in order to promote better cross-border cooperation instruments. Immediate objectives: . to raise awareness of the participants of information sessions, study visits and workshops on the key principles of European regional policy and on their implementation in the field of cross-border cooperation; . to enable participants to understand the concepts provided by the specific policy. Long-run impact: . to improve capacity of the third countries to set strategies and prioritise convergence of their regional policies with those of the EU; . to improve understanding and awareness of the mechanisms as well as economic and social benefits of cross-border co-operation; Approved by : Name 0.0 version : Name Date: 22/01/2014 7 EU-EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD-RUSSIA: FINAL REPORT CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF REGIONAL POLICY . to improve the capacity of the third countries to assess the economic and social benefits of cross-border co-operation; . to improve the ability of integrating cross-border co-operation considerations into overall regional policy development. b) Approach The project was based on a differentiated approach in several dimensions: 1. Delivery of specific country- and region-based support Each country and region assisted within this project received tailor-made support, based on its own needs, strategies, priorities and assets. Although the principal rule of the project was promotion of the EU cross-border co-operation, the support offered was based on an individualised approach, taking into account social, political and economic conditions of each country and region. 2. Delivery of specific sector advice The project was based on knowledge and experience of Key Experts and High-Level Speakers. Each Expert and Speaker proposed in this project specialised in one or more of the areas of EU regional policy, which guaranteed not only full thematic coverage of possible cross-border co-operation topics, but also created a multiplier effect as a result of complementary information given by each expert. As each neighbourhood area has problems in different fields of cross-border co-operation, the support was particularly targeted at sectors that raise the biggest social and economic concerns, and therefore caused stronger commitment of the participants. 3. Designing of specific approach in co-operation with different target groups Since the project was implemented in very close co-operation with different target groups and local partners, the support was based on an analysis of needs and constraints of each group and, thus, an analysis of the approach needed. c) Regional perspective Having regard to the Eastern Partnership initiative (EaP) of the European Union, in implementation of the project Contractors used their experience and background. As a project consortium of research centres with headquarters in Poland, which was one of the initiators of the EaP, we used our country’s