Cross-border cooperation, economic and social cohesion: European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC)
The committee adopted the report by Jan OLBRYCHT (EPP-ED, PL) broadly approving the proposal under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure, subject to a number of amendments:
- the new instrument should be known as the "European grouping of territorial cohesion (EGTC)" rather than as the "European grouping of cross-border cooperation (EGCC)" as proposed by the Commission. The committee argued that the new name would better reflect the three aspects of the new European territorial cooperation objective proposed by the Commission for the period 2007-2013: cross-border, transnational and interregional;
- agreements on border, interregional or supranational
cooperation between Member States and/or regional and local authorities (such
as the
- the setting up of an EGTC will result in the national public authorities of the Member State whose law is applicable having the right of oversight in respect of the EGTC's management of both national and Community funds. To ensure that information is shared with the other Member States, it should be specified that the Member State whose law is applicable shall inform the other Member States involved in the EGTC of the results of any checks carried out;
- where border regions have experienced prolonged periods of civil or military conflict, the EGTC "may also have the objective of promoting reconciliation and assisting with peace-building programmes".