{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2006-702/annex/division-2/division-2.4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2006-702/annex/division-2/division-2.4.json",
  "legislation": "eudn/2006/702",
  "legislation_title": "Council Decision of 6 October 2006 on Community strategic guidelines on cohesion (2006/702/EC)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2006-702",
  "path": "annex/division/2/division/2.4",
  "kind": "division",
  "number": "2.4",
  "heading": "Cross-border cooperation",
  "text": "The aim of cross-border cooperation in Europe is to integrate areas divided by national borders that face common problems requiring common solutions. Such challenges are faced by all border regions in the Union as a result of the fragmentation of markets for labour and capital, infrastructure networks, fiscal capacity, and institutions.\nThough cooperation programmes should be tailored according to the particular situation faced by each border region, it is important that an effort be made to concentrate the assistance on the main priorities in support of growth and job creation.\nGenerally applicable recommendations for future cross-border cooperation are not always relevant owing to the large diversity of situations. At the same time, in view of the obstacles created by borders, a useful starting point is the improvement of existing transport and communication infrastructure and the development, where necessary, of new links. These are pre-conditions for establishing or developing cross-border contacts.\nCross-border cooperation should focus on strengthening the competitiveness of the border regions. In addition, it should contribute to economic and social integration, especially where there are wide economic disparities on either side. Actions include promoting knowledge and know-how transfer, the development of cross-border business activities, cross-border education/training and healthcare potential and integrating the cross-border labour market; and joint management of the environment and common threats. Where the basic conditions for cross-border cooperation are already in place, cohesion policy should focus assistance on actions that bring added value to cross-border activities: for example, increasing cross-border competitiveness through innovation and research and development; connecting intangible networks (services) or physical networks (transport) to strengthen cross-border identity as a feature of European citizenship; the promotion of cross-border labour market integration; cross-border water management and flood control; joint management of natural and technological risks.\nParticular attention needs to be paid to the challenges and opportunities presented by the changing external borders of the Union following enlargement. Here, there is a need to promote coherent cross-border actions that encourage economic activity on both sides, and remove obstacles to development. To this end, cohesion policy and the new European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument and, where appropriate, the new Instrument for Pre-Accession, need to create a coherent framework for such actions.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2006/702/annex/division/2/division/2.4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:17:27.846378+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}