Regional Policy EGTC and the new programming period: A broader framework for a re-enforced cooperation tool Budapest, 7 March 2014 DG REGIO, D1, José A. Ruiz

Regional Policy In search for a more useful tool Amendments of EGTC Regulation  Improvement of procedures and requirements for establishment  Content of the Convention and the Statutes  Purpose: Extension of scope and tasks - Financial support other than EU Cohesion policy  Membership - Third neighbouring countries and OCTs  Applicable law for employment  Manage and define terms and conditions for the use of public infrastructure or a service of general economic interest. 2

Regional Policy Important amendments of EGCT Regulation Art. 2 (1) EGTC Regulation will cover the structural aspect (organs setting) as well as the functional one (EGTC activities) Art. 3(1) (d) Services of General Economic Interest Services (SGEI) may become members of an EGTC (indicative list of possible areas of activity) Art. 3 (1) (e) Third countries authorities may become members of an EGTC Art. 3 (2) Provisions concerning third countries and overseas territories; Possibility of EGTCs between 1 EU MS and 1 non EU country. Art. 4 (3) Approval procedure of EGTCs is governed by the Convention (References to national legislation will only limit national distribution of skills), Six months delay, Tacit approval (except for the Member State which registration/publication will take place in, where formal approval is required) Art. 4 (6)Simplified procedure for amending the Convention (new Member States) Art. 7 (2) Sub-national authorities may participate in an EGTC even if they do not have the competence to carry out all the tasks assigned to the EGTC Art. 7 (4) The organ called "Assembly" establishes the conditions and charges for the use of infrastructure managed by the EGTC Art. 8/9Clear distinction between Convention (European law) and Statutes Art. 8Applicable law to the staff: Several options are possible (explicit mention) Art. 12New provisions on risk insurance

Regional Policy EGTC: a better framed instrument Integration of EGTCs in the legislative package Art. 9 ETCJoint Action Plan (JAP): EGTC Steering Committee Art. 10 ETC “Community-led Local Development" (C-LLD): Local action group: 2 countries Art. 11 ETC Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI): “intermediate body” for management and implementation or an EGTC (2 countries) Art. 12 (3) ETCSole beneficiary Art. 22 (ETC)OP or management of part of an Operational Programme Art. 23 ETCEGTC as Managing Authority (MA): Audits to be done in the area covered by the programme as a whole

Regional Policy EGTC: an increased variety of roles (I) Implementing roles  EGTC will be able to manage a programme or a part thereof, and will be able to be Managing Authority exerting first level control  EGTC will be entitled to be beneficiary of a Joint Action Plan  JAP drawn from ETC and IGJ programmes: Ex: Cross-border labour markets: Saar-Moselle "New Jobs and Skills 2020"  EGTC will be able to implement an Integrated Territorial Investment (or part of it) as an intermediate body, combining funding from different programmes. 5

Regional Policy EGTC: an increased variety of roles (II) Creation of know-how : Strategic planning ITI  ITI territory is not supposed to coincide with a NUTS 3  EGTC may develop territorial strategies for a territory not coincident with a NUTS 3 Urban development plans  Cross-border urban areas should be considered  CLLD should open the door to rural-urban areas Twin cities development Ex: Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai, Strasbourg-Ortenau, (Côte d'Opale-Westvlaanderen for coastal areas) 6

Regional Policy EGTC: an increased variety of roles (III) Cross-cutting approach  EUKN: Energy efficient cities  Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai: "Eurometropole 2020"  ZASNET: "Strategy for Cooperation and Territorial development"  Sajó-Rima 7

Regional Policy EGTC: An increased variety of contexts  Coordination and complementarity between cooperation activities and other actions supported by ESIF  TN programmes matching the geography of the Strategies  Eligibility of operations: outside a programme area -within the Union-, and for the benefit of the programme area (art CPR)  Content of OPs: arrangements for interregional and transnational actions with beneficiaries located in at least one other Member State, and the contribution to MRS where relevant (art CPR)

Regional Policy Make use of all the POSSIBILITES offered by Regulations  Be aware of activities with a Cross- Border or Transnational impact.  Be aware of references to cooperation with neighbouring countries in draft PA and OP.  Be aware of mechanisms to ensure coordination between Funds EGTC and new perspectives for cooperation

Regional Policy Wrapping up EGTC: Value-added actions  New cooperative relations with partners  Exchange of expertise/procedures  Creation of know-how  Transfer of know-how 10

Regional Policy EGTC rationale Variability, Visibility, Durability  Common solutions  Different scales  Cooperation beyond ETC 11

Regional Policy Thank you for your attention! DG REGIO D1