This paper is based on a study concerning cross-border cooperation in thedevelopment of transport projects that is currently being carried out forthe Committee of the Regions. The study draws on evidence from six case studies from across Europe, each of which are situated in areas with natural cross-border barriers: two in mountainous border areas, two in river border areas and two in coastal border areas. The paper identifies the role of regional and local authorities in overcoming problems of developing cross-border transport projects. In specific it examines the following: the opportunities that effective cross-border cooperation can provide during theplanning, implementation and management of transport infrastructure projects; the financial alternatives that exist with a view to overcoming under-investment in the transport sector; innovative ways of contributing to the coordination and implementation of transport projects that regional and local authorities can develop; new legal instruments that regional and local authorities can use to support the objectives of cross-border cooperation; the prospects for coordination with existing Community and national financial instruments; possible forms of administrative coordination betweenregional authorities involved in the development of transport projects, with the aim of promoting greater efficiency in implementation and avoidingregulatory duplication; mechanisms for resolving possible conflicts concerning several policy areas (horizontal coordination between different levels of government and decision-making) resulting from inefficient cross-border governance arrangements. The study will be completed in spring 2006 and the 2006 European Transport Conference will be one of the first opportunities for publicising the results of this study. For the covering abstractsee ITRD E135582
Samenvatting