Association of European Border Regions
- Êðà¿íà òà ðåã³îí: Germany (German-Dutch Border)
- Àäðåñà: Enscheder Str. 362, 48599 Gronau, Germany
- Åëåêòðîííà ïîøòà:info@aebr.net
- Âåá-ñòîð³íêà: www.aebr.net
- Äèðåêòîð: Jens Gabbe, President: Lambert van Nistelrooij
General information about organization:
The idea of setting up a European association or union for border regions was first discussed at the "International Conference on Regional Planning" in Basel in 1965.
Following intensive preparatory work by representatives of several border regions (CIMAB, EUREGIO, Regio Basiliensis, Regio Rhein-Waal) with A. Mozer as the Chairman, and a basic report on "Cross-border co-operation in Europe" by Dr. Viktor Freiherr von Malchus, a Standing Committee of European Border Regions was set up on June 17 and 18, 1971 at Anholt Castle (EUREGIO) by a total of 10 border regions.
Alfred Mozer was elected President and Georg Wiek became the Secretary. The Conference chose to call itself "Association of European Border Regions (AEBR)". The official foundation ceremony took place in Bonn in September 1971.
Mission and objectives of the organization:
These Statutes stipulate that AEBR is acting for the benefit of all European border and cross-border regions and that it has as its aims
- to make their particular problems, opportunities, tasks and projects intelligible;
- to initiate, support and co-ordinate their co-operation throughout Europe (creation of a network);
- to exchange know-how and information in order to formulate and co-ordinate common interests on the basis of the various cross-border problems and opportunities, and to offer adequate solutions4
- to implement programmes and projects, to apply for funds and to receive and to dispose of them;
- to organize events that deal with cross-border problems;
- to help to solve cross-border problems;
- to prepare and implement common campaigns within the networks; and,
- to inform European political bodies and the public about cross-border issues.
Main fields of activities/services:
- Representation of interests at European organizations
- AEBR is the only European regional organization that specifically deals with cross-border issues. The association represents the interests of border and cross-border regions at European and national level by:
- submitting proposals, bringing in its know-how and showing problems and possible
ways of solving them.
- being active in European institutions, organizations and networks.
- co-operating with other European regional associations.
Networks
Since its foundation, AEBR has been establishing and refining a network of border and cross-border regions which is not limited to the members of AEBR or the European Union .
In the aftermath of the EU enlargement in the 1990s and due to new contacts with the candidate countries in the 1990s the AEBR network had to provide enormous assistance, advice and support. Thanks to this process, however, a number of new border regions in Northern, Central, Eastern and Southern Europe have become part of the network. Today, the European network of AEBR includes more than 160 border regions, whether or not members of AEBR - a development that has not yet come to an end.
Within this network, AEBR has initiated partnerships and mentoring in order to bring together border regions with similar interests and to have further developed regions provide assistance to others.
AEBR is currently establishing networks that deal with specific cross-border issues:
- external borders
- internal borders
- mountain regions
- rural areas
- maritime regions
- border towns
These networks aim to:
- collect, exchange and evaluate examples of good practice that relate to subjects of general interest,
- develop proposals for specific cross-border co-operation projects that can be implemented within EU Programmes (INTERREG; PHARE; TACIS CBC; MEDA; CARDS).
Advisory functions
Being the only European regional organization that specifically deals with cross-border co-operation, AEBR has gained an invaluable know-how during the past 30 years. AEBR provides advice to all European border and cross-border regions, whether or not members of the EU:
- on general questions relating to cross-border co-operation,
- on developing joint cross-border programmes, structures and projects,
- on specific areas of co-operation, such as spatial development, regional policy, economic issues, transport, tourism, co-operation of SMEs, research and innovation, social issues, media, cultural aspects etc.
Furthermore, AEBR acts as a service platform, thus facilitating the exchange of know-how all across Europe.
Advice and other services are provided both within the framework of EU Programmes and independently.