Бар'єри в системі транскордонного співробітництва Україна-ЄС: аналіз та рекомендації

Abstract

The development of cross-border cooperation (CBC) becomes extremely important due to modern geopolitical processes. Ukraine's entering the European integration space and its recognition by European partners requires coordination of efforts to develop cooperation with the EU member states and Ukraine's neighbors, above all. In order to use the potential of Euroregions within the CBC, it is necessary to reveal the essence of cooperation between the border regions of Ukraine and EU member states while creating and developing common Euroregions. It has become necessary to identify various hindrances to the CBC activation. In general, cross-border cooperation has a rich tradition in the old EU member states and is rapidly gaining importance for the new border regions, as well. This process brings new challenges and specific preconditions in each case, thus causing the development of specific solutions to the arising problems. Cross-border cooperation is an important instrument to develop border areas, and to form growth centers there due to the benefits of territorial division and cooperation; it is also an important component of the European integration process. This fact is emphasized in the Association Agreement between Ukraine, of the one part, and the EU, the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the other part. At the same time, due to a number of institutional, economic, organizational and financial reasons, the role and efficiency of Euroregional cooperation in the Ukrainian border regions is much less significant than those in the EU member states. The intensification of cross-border and Euroregional cooperation is a way of identifying and overcoming various development constraining factors, and thus will help to expand opportunities for the development of Ukraine’s border regions.