Milan Jeřábek

Euroregions as a Platform for Cross-Border Cooperation

The following chapter assesses the status of Euroregions as a basic element of cross-border cooperation. It notes the institutionalisation of this phenomenon in relation to the classification or typology of border regions. Besides the pan- or central European dimension, it concentrates on the situation in Czechia (Czech borderland). An objective view is supplemented by selected findings from an empirical investigation in five model Euroregions, always on one section of the border. The issues represented are knowledge of cross-border activities, Euroregion perception, anticipated problems of cross-border relations or involvement of local residents (respondents) in cross-border cooperation. We can expect that the originally dominant position of cultural, educational and sports events will be lost in favour of other disciplines, for example the economy. Euroregion awareness is between 30 and 80%, with no obvious superiority of the concrete Euroregions over general concepts. For the future, the strongest and most common issues seem to be criminality, prostitution and pathologies, but also, for example different living standards, language or mentality.

Conclusions: The Borderlands After Schengen—Self-sufficient, Oscillatory and/or Transit Regions?

The Central European borderlands have so far been an underdeveloped areas both nationally and cross-border/internationally within the integration processes taking place in Europe. At the same time, we consider the areas to be highly differentiated, both from the internal and external point of view. Cross-border cooperation, therefore, means that these areas (localities) have a chance to fully participate in the regional system not only within states, but also at higher Central European level. A prerequisite for this is knowledge of the border areas, at all levels of order (national, regional, and local). That is why this book was created, reflecting the latest development toward a fundamentally new situation, different from the beginning of the twenty-first century, when the editors published the monograph entitled Czech Borderlands – Space of Barrier or Mediation? Jeřabek (Certifikovana metodika k usměrněni přeshranicniho regionalniho rozvoje. MINO, Usti nad Labem, 2004). However, it turns out that the changes do not come as a jump, for example, by entering the Schengen area. Rather, it is a gradual linking of cross-border areas within Central Europe.

Programmatik grenzüberschreitender Zusammenarbeit und hochschuldidaktische Handlungsfelder im österreichisch-tschechischen Grenzraum: eine Projektreflexion

Der vorliegende Beitrag ist im Spannungsfeld der Persistenz und Transformation von Grenze im osterreichisch-tschechischen Grenzraum angesiedelt. Er handelt zum einen von der europa- und regionalpolitischen Tradition und Programmatik grenzuberschreitender Handlungsfelder. Zum anderen stehen Intention, Ablauf, Methodik und Ergebnisse eines konkreten Projektes, das als hochschuldidaktisches Experiment beiderseits der Staatsgrenze durchgefuhrt wurde, im Fokus. Empirisches Untersuchungsgebiet ist die sudmahrisch-niederosterreichische landliche Peripherie. Im Anschluss an die skizzenhafte Diskussion von Tradition und Programmatik der bilateralen grenzuberschreitenden Zusammenarbeit werden Ziele und Methoden des Projektes erortert, um dann hinsichtlich daraus gewonnener zentraler Erkenntnisse auf Voraussetzungen fur grenzuberschreitende Kooperationen uberzuleiten. Die Erfahrungen aus dem hochschuldidaktischen Projekt – einer Kooperation zwischen der Universitat Wien sowie den Universitaten Masaryk und Mendel in Brno im Rahmen der „Aktion Osterreich-Tschechische Republik“ – zeigen, dass partnerschaftliche Kooperationsformen auf symbolischer, institutioneller und wirtschaftspolitischer Ebene mit einen Beitrag zur Transformation von Grenzraumen zu leisten imstande sind.

The Schengen Phenomenon - Fact or Fiction?

Central Europe is currently in a unique geopolitical situation. In 2007, the territory became part of the Schengen area without any border control, creating good conditions for deeper integration of a region which just slightly over 20 years ago was still strongly polarised by the Iron Curtain. The process of horizontal expansion of the European Union resulted in a change of their position in the hierarchically organised European space: many border regions transformed from peripheral areas of the EU into central ‘seams’ between Member States. Through the process of horizontal expansion, these changes started affecting increasingly larger and highly typologically divergent areas. The analysis of results of field investigations in model Euroregions on both sides of the Czech borders shows little to no change in the standard of living in border regions in the context of the qualitatively new situation after accession to the Schengen area. The accession to Schengen has more of a psychological effect in terms of free movement across the national border rather than an economic benefit mainly associated with the standard of living. The results of the field research present also a remarkable difference in the perception of potential negative phenomena associated with the term ‘Schengen’ (crime, increased migration, including illegal) between border regions and at the national level in Czechia where they have a much higher representation.

Development in the Border Areas as Part of the European Integration Process

Border regions play an important role in the history of the European integration process. On the borders of the “Inner Six”, the first formal cross-border institutions were formed over 55 years ago; they aimed to reduce the weaknesses of border regions in competition with core areas. In the process of historical development, Euroregions cover a significant part of the borders, and not only in Central Europe. The topics of border regions’ development and cross-border cooperation became an important part of European regional policy. In the context of regional policy, financial tools to support border region development were set in the form of individual programmes (CBC PHARE, INTERREG, Phare CREDO, Tacis CBC, CARDS, MEDA, Cil 3, EUS). Czech border regions underwent a fundamental change after joining the European Union in 2004, which applies the four freedoms, including the free movement of people. What is the Czech borderland residents’ reflection on joining the European Union? Residents have not experienced significant changes in living standards in the border regions after joining the European Union; however, the changes for the better outweigh the changes for the worse. Overall, joining the European Union has brought positive changes to the Czech borderland; there are minor differences between its different sections. In terms of the residents’ identity, there are noticeable differences in the identification of the population in the border areas with the concept of a European: there is a significantly higher proportion of identification in neighbouring border regions than in the Czech regions.