On the 7th of March 2014, the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice organized the meeting of Approving Authorities of the European Groupings for Territorial Cooperation for the third time at the House of Hungarians, drawing huge international interest. The conference was centred on the challenges of the 2014-2020 budget period.

The meeting was opened by Bence Rétvári, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs of the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice. In his welcome speech he stressed that key factors to successful founding of EGTC’s are the will of near-border municipalities to cooperate; the intention of Approving Authorities to communicate between each other; and a legal environment supportive of cooperation. He expressed his hopes that the conference held annually by the Ministry will contribute to the successful founding of EGTC’s all around Europe. According to the Minister of State, the exchange of experiences and showing of good practices will inspire and give ideas to participants regarding their own operating territory, thereby advancing the potentials of the EGTC institutions.

Specialists of Approval Authorities of the European Commission and the Committee of Regions, as well as of six countries including Spain, Slovakia and Slovenia have presented the new challenges and opportunities that will open up regarding regional cooperation by the start of this financial period and modifications of EGTC legislation.

Representatives of successful EGTC’s including EUKN EGTC; Duero - Douro EGTC; EGTC CETC; Gate of Europe and Hollister Granum EGTC provided information on the role of EGTC’s in the cohesion policy after 2014. They pointed out that with the financial resources of the EU and the States concerned, development near the border area could be propelled and that project developments and their implementations serve regional development goals and objectives.

European Groupings for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) is an institution of the European Union, brought to life by an effective legal tool for the realization of cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation. Hungary has extensive experience in establishing and operating EGTC’s.

The Ministry of Public Administration and Justice held its first meeting for the representatives of the Approving Authorities of neighbouring countries at Lovasberény in February 2012, which meeting was formulated in order to pull ties closer between national Approving Authorities and improve communication between parties to see the negotiating forum to be held on annual basis.

In 2013, Hungary served as the Chairman of the Central European Initiative. As an event of the year of Hungarian presidency, in February 2013 the Ministry has organized the second meeting of the EGTC Approval Authorities in shared funding with the CEI Secretariat, which meeting focused on effective communication and exchange of good practices

2014 is the opening year of the new financial period. For the future of EGTC’s a major milestone was that the review process of EGTC’s came to a successful conclusion as the amended EGTC Regulation of 2013 was published on December 20 of last year, which will become mandatory on 22 June 2014 in the EU Member States.

(Ministry of Public Administration and Justice)