françoise schneider-français mission opérationnelle transfrontalière, mot

38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

tél. : +33 1 55 80 56 80 - fax : +33 1 42 33 57 00mot@mot.asso.fr

Françoise Schneider-FrançaisMission Opérationnelle Transfrontalière, MOT

Mission OpérationnelleTransfrontalière

The best practices concerning the establishment and approval of EGTCs

TRANSFRONTIER OPERATIONAL MISSION

38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

tél. : +33 1 55 80 56 80 - fax : +33 1 42 33 57 00mot@mot.asso.fr

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1. MOTTRANSFRONTIER OPERATIONAL MISSION

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Government Orientation + Support from national level

Information + Feedback on needs and requirements (need for adaptation of orientations)

TECHNICAL TEAM

Interministerial Steering Committee

Association(public, semi-public, private actors)

A unique structure to ease the implementation of cross-border projects and promote cross-border cooperation

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE STRUCTURE

38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

tél. : +33 1 55 80 56 80 - fax : +33 1 42 33 57 00mot@mot.asso.fr

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38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

tél. : +33 1 55 80 56 80 - fax : +33 1 42 33 57 00mot@mot.asso.fr

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1. Operational assistance Drafting of the convention and the statutes of four EGTCs on French borders

2.Networking and information e.g.“The Practical guide to transfrontier cooperation” for the Council of Europe in 2006e.g. “The MOT Guides : the EGTC”, 2008

3. European activitiesExpert to Committee of the regions for the drafting of the opinionof the Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy (COTER) on the revision of the EGTC regulation.

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE MOT and EGTC

38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

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2. EGTCs on French borders

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38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

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3 Eurodistricts with more than 1 million inhabitants Dunkirk and Eurometropolis Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai (French and Belgian states are members of these EGTCs)

Strasburg/Ortenau (FR/DE)

1 Mananing Authority CBC program Great Region, BE/FR/LU/DE

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

EGTCs on French borders

38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

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2 Euroregions between France and Spain Pirineus Mediterrania (pop.:13,6 millions ; GDP:309 billions Euros) Aquitaine Euskadi (pop.:5 millions ; GDP:150 billions Euros)

1 Cross Border Hospital between France and Spain

2 Protected Areas between France and Italy Marine Park of the Strait of Bonifacio, between Corsica and Sardinia International Park Mercantour/Alpi Marittime (Southern Alps)

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

EGTCs on French borders

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2. The establishment and approval of EGTCs

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All Member States have an approval authority at government level, except :

Austria, Belgium and Germany (federal level and every Land, Bundesland, Region or Community)

France : The authorisation is given by the State's representative in the region (Préfet de région), the approval process is interministerial

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

EGTC’s approval Authorities in the EU

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How can the approval authority of a member state interact with the future members of the EGTCs and the others approval authorities ?

In order to :

shorten the approval processing time,

enhance the quality of projects.

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE MAIN QUESTION

38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

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1. Before establishing the draft convention and statutes : Questions to check the legal feasibility of the EGTC

2. When writing the draft convention and statutes How can approval authorities enhance the quality of projects ?

3. When approving the convention and statutes Coordination process between approval

authorities

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE THREE STAGES

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Examples of questions to check the legal feasibility of the EGTC

with the approval authorities

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

Before establishing the draft convention and statutes

38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

tél. : +33 1 55 80 56 80 - fax : +33 1 42 33 57 00mot@mot.asso.fr

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1. Concerning membership

a) Are all potential members “bodies governed by public law within the meaning of […] Directive 2004/18/EC ?”

e.g.: The legal form, partnership and financing of chambers of commerce and industry may differ from one MS to another.

b) Do all the tasks “fall within the competence of every member under its national law.” ?

e.g.: French and Spanish local authorities weren't allowed to take part to the Board of the cross border hospital of Cerdania, because they haven’t any competencies in managing public health services.

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

Before establishing the draft convention and statutes

38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

tél. : +33 1 55 80 56 80 - fax : +33 1 42 33 57 00mot@mot.asso.fr

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2. Concerning the objective and tasks of the EGTC

a) Are the cooperation objective and tasks specific enough ?

The scope of cooperation and the future tasks of the EGTC must be clearly defined : “conducting cooperation projects” is too imprecise.

b) Do the potential members go beyond the competencies they hold regarding national law ?

e.g.: An EGTC managing a marine protected area, whose members are local public bodies, can’t implement competencies held by the State under an international convention.

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

Before establishing the draft convention and statutes

38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

tél. : +33 1 55 80 56 80 - fax : +33 1 42 33 57 00mot@mot.asso.fr

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Examples of good practices when writing the draft convention

and statutes

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

When writing the draft convention and statutes

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For the future EGTC members : contacting or meeting the approval authorities for an informal legal advice

1) When the future members intend to derogate to the law of the registered seat to know which provisions are mandatory,

2) On key points : scope of missions, financing, liability regime

3) On the finalised draft convention and statutes before the signature by legal representatives of the future members

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

When writing the draft convention and statutes

38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

tél. : +33 1 55 80 56 80 - fax : +33 1 42 33 57 00mot@mot.asso.fr

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For the approval authorities :

1)Monitoring the EGTC projects on their territory

e.g.: In France, The State’s representative in the Region (Préfet) has to report the EGTC projects and their progress to the ministry of local authorities and the ministry of foreign and european affairs.

2) Defining the process for an informal pre-approval of the draft convention and the statutes

e.g.: In France, the relevant authorities are defined by a ministerial directive

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

When writing the draft convention and statutes

38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

tél. : +33 1 55 80 56 80 - fax : +33 1 42 33 57 00mot@mot.asso.fr

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Which Coordination process between approval authorities ?

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

When approving the convention and statutes

38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

tél. : +33 1 55 80 56 80 - fax : +33 1 42 33 57 00mot@mot.asso.fr

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No provision in the EU regulation

The approval authorities need to share information on the content of the draft convention and statutes in order to :

set up a common opinion,

propose modifications of the draft convention and the statutes if needed.

e.g. : the French approval process

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

When approving the convention and statutes

38, rue des Bourdonnais - 75001 Paris – Francewww.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

tél. : +33 1 55 80 56 80 - fax : +33 1 42 33 57 00mot@mot.asso.fr

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MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

When approving the convention and statutes

1) The “Préfet de région” receives and examines the draft, in conjunction, when appropriate, with the other concerned “Préfets”.

2) He sends the draft and his comments to the ministry of foreign affairs and the ministry of interior which review the draft, if necessary in conjunction with the other concerned ministries (ecology, health…) .

3) The ministry of foreign affairs requests the other concerned Member State(s) for an exchange of comments.

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MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

When approving the convention and statutes

4) Following this review and taking into account all comments, the French position is defined by the ministries of interior and foreign affairs.

5) The ministry of foreign affairs sends the comments of the French state to the other concerned Member State(s).

6) The states exchange through the “the diplomatic bag » or during intergovernmental meetings, if necessary, to find a “common position”.

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MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE

When approving the convention and statutes

7) The states notify the future members of their agreement or of any common request(s) for change(s).

8) If changes are requested, the future members approve the consolidated draft taking into account these requests.

9) The decisions and the amended draft convention and statutes are forwarded to the “Préfet” who conducts a final check, in connection with the French ministries and the other concerned Member State(s), before agreeing to the creation of the EGTC.

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Sharing and exchanging information is essential to improve the establishment and approval of EGTC

e.g. : Holding an annual meeting of stakeholders involved in EGTC or EGTC projects and approval authority/ies in order to discuss the main stakes linked to the implementation of regulation 1082/2006

MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLETRANSFRONTALIÈRE CONCLUSION

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More information: www.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu

Contact38, rue des Bourdonnais 75001 Paris – Francemot@mot.asso.frTél. : +33 (0)1 55 80 56 80

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Transfrontier Operational Mission