Border: Czech Republic-Slovakia

Border: Czech Republic-Slovakia

Date(s) of establishment: Official existence in 1993; Current demarcation in 1997
Length of border: 252 km
Regions concerned: Czech Republic – Regions of Jihomoravský kraj (South Moravia), Zlín, Moravskoslezský kraj (Moravia-Silesia); Slovakia – Regions of Trnava, Trenčín, Žilina

European programme(s):

At a length of 251.8 km, the border between the Czech Republic and Slovakia is one of the newest borders in Europe. It begins in the north at the tripoint formed by the Polish, Czech and Slovak borders, near the city of Hrčava (Czech Republic). The border is fairly straight and takes a south-westerly direction up to the crossing of the borders of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria.

History

This border was established on 1 January 1993, when the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic was dissolved, leaving its two federal states fully independent.
The border had previously existed within Czechoslovakia since 1 January 1969, when the country officially became a federal state composed of two states, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. Before the creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918, part of this boundary existed between the Austrian and the Hungarian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867-1918), just as the Kingdoms of Bohemia and Hungary shared a common border in the Middle Ages.
Between 1993 and 1997, the two new states were in disagreement  about three localities – Kasárna, U Sabotů and Sidonia. On March 3, 1997, the last two localities were subject to an exchange, slightly modifying the border.

Cross-border cooperation

With their shared history, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have preferential relations that promote the development of cross-border cooperation.
Both countries have belonged to the Schengen area since 2007 and the Interreg programme aims to improve the development of the region common to both countries. This requires the establishment of agencies cooperating for sustainable development, the economy and a shared culture.
Both countries need to invest in networking to develop a common approach to human resources and education. Similarly, promoting tourism in the border region appears to be a good way to strengthen the unitary identity of this region. It is thus necessary to preserve the character and cohesion of the local landscape, as it symbolises the cross-border area.
Cross-border cooperation between the two countries is also illustrated through their participation in the Weinviertel and Bilé Karpaty euroregions for example.


Territory projects and institutional bodies for cooperation

Cross-border cooperation at the regional level

Eurorégion Morava
Eurorégion Beskidy
Région Centrope (Vienne-Bratislava-Brno-Győr)
Groupe de Visegrad