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Cross-border
economic
development
12
Practical guide : building partnerships
In a cross-border context,
asymmetries in terms of
competences among partners
on either side of the border
may pose a challenge for
cooperation. Further, in a
country like France, many
decisions on major economic
issues (e.g. taxes) are made
centrally, even though the
in-depth field knowledge is
local. It is therefore important
to
strengthen local-national
information channels and
multi-level governance.
E x a m p l e s :
Several intergovernmental
commissions (ICGs)
are charged
with facilitating the examination
and resolution of border disputes
in cross-border regions (French-
German-Luxembourg, French-
Luxembourg, French-German-
Swiss and French-Swiss). The ICGs
formulate recommendations, for
example contract amendments,
for governments. They may call on
experts, such as representatives of
ministries or local authorities.
The French-Swiss and French-
German dialogue
on cross-
border cooperation has a purpose
similar to ICGs. It involves ministry
officials, decentralised government
departments and regional
authorities and addresses various
cross-border issues, including taxes
and the economy.
Sustaining the partnership
Effective governance of cross-border economic development requires sustained strategic partnership.
The objective is to commit to a long-term partnership and beyond that, develop contractual and
structural relationships and earmark funds for the implementation of joint strategies. The challenge is
to transcend the personal investment of technicians or elected representatives in order to commit to
the structure as a whole and over the long term.
Sustaining the partnership does
not mean keeping it unchanged
for years. It may mean changing
the governance structure, by
adjusting the partners involved,
or modifying the objectives
pursued.
• Election calendars on both
sides of the border and turnover
in the persons involved make it
difficult to establish continuous
and sustainable cooperation.
In this regard, the ability to
overcome differences in
calendar
greatly
influences the
sustainability of the partnership.
• Sound
mutual knowledge
of partners
(regarding
territorial organisation, areas
of competence, strategies
and policies) guarantees
sustainability. Almanacs,
directories, and training help
to disseminate and update this
knowledge.
• In addition to strategic
partnerships, which often bring
together territorial authorities,
chambers of commerce and
development agencies, it is
useful to
create a network
of experts
(belonging for
example to clusters, research
centres, business areas or civil
society), to enrich strategic
reflection with accurate and
up-to-date information. This
creates a precious link between
the decision-making level
and the field, and ensures
the transmission and use of
knowledge.
• A
multi-year contractual
commitment
(e.g. cooperation
agreement or cross-border
structure) perpetuates the
partnership by formalising core
work areas and, potentially,
financial support.
•
Evaluation of the impact
of strategies and initiatives
undertaken
may encourage
the long-term structuring of
the partnership, and also
its development to improve
the policies implemented.
It is important to define
relevant indicators that may
be measured across borders
(GDP, unemployment rate,
employment rate, new business
start-ups, number of jobs, etc.).
•
Increasing the visibility of
the partnership for citizens
and businesses
can have
a positive impact on buy-
in to strategies and their
implementation. This may be
through communication on
the impact of cooperation
or testimonials on concrete
projects.