Naslov
Croatia’s Pre-accession Experiences in European Cross-border Cooperation

Autori
Sumpor, Marijana ; Đokić, Irena

Izvornik
Regions (London) (1367-3882) 2 (2013), 290; 25-28

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, stručni

Ključne riječi
territorial cohesion; cross-border cooperation; governance

Sažetak
European Union funded cross-border cooperation (CBC) programmes are the first truly visible instruments on the regional and local level in countries that are not members of the EU. They also function as instruments that enhance simultaneous top-down and bottom-up regional governance, because programming is done from the top and implementation from below. Besides the institution-building advantages, there are also other aspects that are significantly influencing the participating countries such as specific territorial and participatory aspects built into the EU CBC policy as well as programming and project funding processes. In the process of accession, candidate countries, such as Croatia, have to build institutional structures that comply with complex rules set out on the EU level and prove their ability to implement them. Cross- border cooperation means to work along different national legal and institutional frameworks of EU and non-EU members. Also, participatory processes require facilitation skills and openness for networking and interdisciplinary cooperation that can be recognised as characteristics of more advanced societies. A critical review of developmental and institutional effects of cross-border cooperation in Croatia for the period 2004-2012 is presented below. During that period, pre-accession programming frameworks and EU funding sources changed from initial CARDS (Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation) and PHARE (Poland and Hungary: Assistance for Restructuring their Economies) to the current IPA (Integrated Pre-accession Assistance) programmes established as special instruments supporting EU candidate countries. Firstly, the institution- building process with regard to CBC in Croatia will be addressed reflecting the premise that new institutions are characterised by old institutional habits affecting the pace of Croatia’s accession process. The extent up to which CBC can be seen as a good opportunity for capacity building for the countries in the Western Balkan region is questioned. As cross-border cooperation programmes are implemented through projects on the regional and local level, this level is the main focus for analysis and evaluation of CBC policy. Impacts on territorial cohesion among bordering countries and impacts on the EU level need to be viewed from a wider regional perspective, wherefore respective research literature, monitoring and evaluation reports are consulted. The Croatian experiences can serve as examples on how EU CBC policy works between EU members and non-EU member countries.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Ekonomija

POVEZANOST RADA