Maria Garayo Maiztegui- River Minho EGTC (PT-ES)

The Advice Case “MOBITRANS – Boosting Minho River Cross–Border Mobility” submitted by the River Minho EGTC (PT-ES) in the course of the II call for proposals of the initiative b-solutions’ was selected to receive consultancy by Maria Garayo Maiztegui, a legal expert with sound knowledge of cross-border matters contracted by the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR).

Obstacles of legal and administrative nature were encountered by the EGTC while implementing an integrated public transport plan for the Minho cross-border area.

The analysis of Garayo shows that the hurdles lie in:

• Regulation (EC) 1073/2009 (Art.15) which forbids cabotage operations in urban centers if performed by a carrier not resident in the host Member State in the course of a regular international service;
• the asymmetry of competences and consequent lack of coordination at the administrative level between Spain and Portugal prevents the setting out of a joint transportation network;
• an assimilation of cross-border transport with international transport due to lack of legal provision regulating cross-border transport of passengers.

Solutions proposed are:

• the signing of a cross-border cooperation agreement between the transport authorities;
• the introduction in the agreement of specific indication on the cabotage operations, pursuant Article 25 of Regulation 1073/2009.

To learn more about “MOBITRANS – Boosting Minho River Cross–Border Mobility” and read the in-depth analysis performed by Maria Garayo Maiztegui, download the full report below. 

The information here provided have been developed in the framework of b-solutions, an initiative of the European Comission’s DG REGIO managed by the Association of the European Border Regions (AEBR).

The reports here included are the result of a consultation provided by legal/cross-border cooperation experts on obstacles of a legal or administrative nature– referred to as Advice Cases - selected in the framework of the II Call for Porposal of the initiative b-solutions.