Formation of a new state regional policy in the context of European integration in Ukraine has led to the need to find new forms of the cross-border cooperation (CBC) as an important component of the regional policy. In the European Union the main organizational form of the CBC are euroregional structures that in Ukraine have not yet become institutions that coordinate the joint development of the cross-border regions and through which cross-border projects are being funded, information is being summarized as it happens in the countries of the EU. An effective use of the CBC requires new approaches and organizational forms.
There are such forms of the CBC, which are known today:
- Euroregions;
- European Groupings for Territorial Cooperation;
- Euroregional Cooperation;
- Cross-border partnerships;
- Cross-border industrial zones/parks;
- Cross-border clusters;
- Cross-border innovation projects;
- Centers (complexes) of a border trade.
EGTC has a legal personality and is a legal entity;
not only states, regional authorities or local authorities can be participants of the EGTC, but also non-governmental organizations or other interested legal entities, including representatives of central authorities;
members of EGTC realize cooperation on the cross-border, transnational and interregional levels – all three levels of the regional policy of the European Union.
EGTC as a form of cooperation opens up new opportunities of CBC for Ukraine in connection with the adoption of the Protocol №3 to the European Outline Convention on the cross-border cooperation, which involves in associations, similar to EGTC, countries (which are not members of the European Union, but are members of the Council of Europe), that have ratified the Framework Convention and its additional protocols in the form of Association of Euroregional Cooperation (AEC).
“AEC is a body of the cross-border or interterritorial cooperation between territorial communities or authorities of two or more states, public or private entities, profitable entities based in the member-states, which operate in the common public interests, and associations of authorities that belong to one or more of the above categories. AEC is created to promote, support and develop, in the public interest, cooperation between its members in the areas of a shared competence and within the powers defined by the domestic legislation of the interested states, and it is a legal personality”.
In connection with the ratification of the Protocol №3 to the Framework Convention in Ukraine there was worked out a draft of the Law of Ukraine“On amendments and additions to some legislative acts in connection with the ratification of the Protocol №3 to the European Outline Convention on the cross-border cooperation between territorial communities or authorities concerning Association of Euroregional Cooperation (AEC)” gained by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine.