Association des Régions Frontalières Européennes - Arbeitsgemeinschaft Europäischer Grenzregionen - Association of European Border Regions
Association des Régions Frontalières Européennes - Arbeitsgemeinschaft Europäischer Grenzregionen - Association of European Border Regions
This work group combines the European border regions in order to emphasise the special features of these regions, represent their interests, initiate cooperation and promote exchange of experience.
The main goals of this work group are:
• Highlighting issues, options, areas of responsibility, and specific activities of these regions;
• Representation of their shared interest with the parliaments, legal entities, authorities and institutions on national and international levels;
• Initiation, support and coordination of cooperation between the regions through Europe;
• Encouragement to exchange experience and information to identify and coordinate the shared interests at the diverse issues and options, as well as to suggest potential solutions.
The work group of European border regions also does lobby work through the representation of the voice of the cross-border regions in the European institutes.
The work group of European border regions was founded in 1971. It combines the European border regions or cross-border regions. It has five main activities.
First, it would like to design programs and projects, applications for subsidies, their receipt and use. These projects can be viewed in the database projects on the association's website.
The work group organises events with a cross-border alignment. These events mainly include an annual conference and the recently performed cross-border school.
The work group also supports the solution of issues in connection with the cross-border cooperation, as well as specific activities. The AGEG makes a statement towards all border regions and cross-border regions, no matter if they are EU members or not:
• on general matters of cross-border cooperation;
• on the development of shared programmes of cross-border cooperation
• on special fields of cooperation, e.g. spatial planning, economic matters, traffic, tourism, cooperation of SME, research and innovation, social matters, health, media, culture, etc.
It has also created networks that focus on specific subjects of cross-border cooperation:
• Outer borders
• Health
• Cross-border cooperation in the areas of universities and innovation
• Spatial planning (ESPON)
Finally, the AGEG also informs the European political instances and the public about cross-border cooperation. It represents the interests of all cross-border regions on EU level and the level of the European council. It also publishes the quarterly newsletter "Partnership in a Europe without Borders". A "Newsflash" is also sent out to the members and friends of the work group every month.
The organs of AEBR are :
• The General Assembly, the supreme body of the organization
• The Executive Committee, consisting of the President, the Vice-President, at least three other Vice-Presidents, the Chairman of the Advisory Committee, the Treasurer, the Auditors and at least 20 members representing the border and cross-border regions, taking into account the regional distribution
• The Secretary General.
In 2019, 95 of the approximately 163 active (trans-) border areas are members of AEBR.
The "Advisory Committee" (the "Beirat"), which is composed of scientists and professionals from all over Europe, has been given the task of advising AEBR on all issues related to cross-border cooperation.