 from the Barents Sea to the Mediterranean  5500 km  12 EU member states  63 regions

 An interregional initiative  Aims at increasing cooperation between its member countries and regions  More visibility and understanding on eastern external border issues The network:  10 countries  Over 30 regions  Regions have similar challenges  Acting as ”bridges” of Europe with its neighbours  Offering new possibilities for border regions and countries  Added value to EU and its regional policy

1. Concentration 2. Connecting territories 3. Cooperation

1. more integrated approach between the rural development and regional development should be developed 2. challenges with sparse population, demographic change and social exclusion 3. migration issues 1. External migration flow 2. Migration from external border regions towards core regions of the EU

1. Transport – developing links 1. The development of intermodal transport connections 2. North-South road and rail corridors 3. Development of access to maritime zones 4. East-West road and rail corridors 5. Cross-border transport connections to non- EU-countries 6. Regional airport developments

2. Energy – ensuring energy supply 1. Development of new energy networks and the interconnection of the existing ones 2. Development of renewable energy infrastructure and energy efficiency 3. Capacity building activities, knowledge transfer and awareness raising activities should be supported

3. Access to services 1. The accessibility of hospitals and universities should be improved – especially focusing on cross border health services, scholarship programmes, administrative issues 2. Exploring potentials of new innovations such as e-learning, telemedicine 4. ICT access 1. Central-periphery ICT divide 2. Broadband connections in rural remote areas

1. Focus on the further support of cross- border activities (especially in external border regions) 2. Support for transnational cooperation programmes 3. Support for joint eastern external border region activities (as part of interregional cooperation programmes) 4. Better coordination of funds (IPA, ENPI, ERDF, ESF)

1. Macroregions – opportunities for additional financing post Baltic Sea Strategy 2. Danube Strategy – focusing on the external dimension of the strategy 2. External cooperation frameworks – more intense coordination of funds 1. Black Sea Cooperation Programme 2. Eastern Partnership – supporting the cross- border activities towards the EaP countries, providing opportunities for bottom-up and network activities 3. Mediterranean Union

 SME development in Eastern External Border Regions  Best Practice Brochure  Study visits  Staff exchange  Implementation study Project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund within the INTERREG IVC programme

 SME development in Eastern External Border Regions  Events Annual Conference 2009 Joenssu Declaration Open Days 2009 conglomerate and seminar 6 October :30-16:15 06C08: SME development practices at the Eastern border of the EU Project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund within the INTERREG IVC programme

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