EGTC in the financial crisis

Elements of reflectionEGTC interinstitutional conference

29 March 2012 | Brussels

Is the EGTC a useful tool to face financial crisis?

Financial crisis demands coordinated answers, cooperation and solidarity, beyond national borders.

EGTCs can and do contribute, as a tool at the service of economic, social (and territorial) cohesion.

EGTCs cannot solve all problems: but EGTCs shed light on existing cooperation barriers (multi-level governance, economic development, administrative burdens, legal incompatibilities) – and find innovative solutions.

2

Is the EGTC a useful tool to face financial crisis?

3

REVIEW OF EGTC REGULATION

4

Amended EGTC Regulation will foster cooperation possibilities:•Extension to “public undertakings”•Clarification on liability (“insurance”)•Bilaterial EGTCs EU/third countries

ASAP, so that programming can start and integrate new EGTC provisionsTax incentives (like EEIG or ERIC system – e.g. VAT exemption)?

2014-2020 – A NEW DIMENSION FOR EGTCS?

Reinforced and new options for EGTCs:

•ETC programmes (MA/JTS, incl. FLC). Interest limited?•ETC projects

•„Integrated Territorial Investments“ in cooperation context: EGTC as intermediate body•„Joint action plan“: member of steering committee•„Community-led Local Development“: EGTC as member of local development group?•See also EGTC to manage interregional cooperation actions of regional OPs (art 37(6)b -> 87(2)c)

Programming is starting now already! 5

EGTCs in the framework of macro-regional strategies

6

What new opportunities in the framework of macro-regional strategies?

No new institutions. But coordination needed (between countries, funds and sectors)

EGTCs could contribute to “alignment of funding”, e.g.:•Run, on long-term, several projects financed by different sources along a consecutive line•Act as partner in different “small” projects, which together contribute to a wider policy•Manage a fund put together by different countries (e.g. Investment fund) to support initiatives•Manage a multi-fund programme (e.g. in Baltic Sea Region – BONUS Programme run by an EEIG)

What´s next?

7

Existing and potential EGTCs to look at the options posed by new regulatory frameworkNetworking between EGTCs – Sharing experiences and bringing EGTC issues to the forefrontInformation + political support

Information and possible scenarios on EGTC use in new legal framework (INTERACT is working on this)