Overview

Cross-border co-operation on the Hungarian-Romanian border has a strong foundation to build on.

The Hungarian – Romanian Phare CBC programme started as early as in 1996, when the European Commission extended the programme – for the first time in its history – to a border region between two candidate countries. The experimental programme proved to be a success and, the European Commission continued making funds available from the Phare National Programme for Hungary.

In the period 1996-2003, from EU Phare CBC fund, altogether 34 M EUR have been allocated for CBC projects to be implemented on the Hungarian side of the border and 28 M EUR for the Romanian side.
The PHARE CBC programmes played an important role in establishing some key facilities in the border area, including the modernisation of border-crossing stations and roads, as well as business infrastructure development projects. Environmental protection has also been an area of importance; projects in this field have mainly focused on water resource management, in response to the joint challenges identified.

The next stage of co-operation has been the implementation of the Hungary-Romania and Hungary-Serbia & Montenegro (tri-lateral) Cross-border Co-operation Programme 2004 –2006; the programme had a budget of nearly 32 M EUR for Hungary (INTERREG), and nearly 20 M EUR for Romania (PHARE CBC), including national co-financing.

The 12-year-long cross-border co-operation between Hungary and Romania has now arrived to a very important milestone. Within the frameworks of the Hungary-Romania Cross-border Co-operation Programme 2007-2013 the European Union ensures further assistance in territorial co-operation to the border area between Hungary and Romania, continuing previous INTERREG III.A. and Phare CBC 2004-2006 Community initiatives.

What is news since INTERREG III.A and Phare CBC 2004-2006?

The novelties of the programming period are:

• Improved legal basis (Specific provisions for co-operation, Lead partner principle, EGTC, no mirror or individual projects)
• This cross-border co-operation programme covers a different geographical area (Hungary-Romania internal border area, since Romania joined the European Union at the beginning of the programme period)
• Clear focus on Lisbon and Göteborg strategies: more emphasis on competitiveness and environment
• Joint European (ERDF) and national funding
• In some cases up to 85% EU co-financing for all regions plus 10-13% national co-financing – only 2-5% own contribution

Objectives and priorities>>