On 16 June 2020, the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR), the Mission Opérationnelle Transfrontalière (MOT) and the Central European Service for Cross-Border Initiatives (CESCI) have launched the European Cross-Border Citizens' Alliance, a collaborative platform to collaborate to promote cross-border cooperation in all European borders and under all circumstances. The alliance will serve as a network to formulate and release joint messages targeting Member States and European institutions to guarantee a better inclusion of border regions’ needs in the policies they forge. At the core of the alliance between AEBR, MOT and CESCI are:

- The role of Territorial Cohesion within the Cohesion top up in the Recovery Fund.

- The need to take into account cross-border relationship before closing any border if there is a new wave or outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.

The closure of national borders decided unilaterally and with no coordination between neighbouring Member States in the course of the crisis stemmed from the pandemic of Covid-19 had a deep negative impact on the life of citizens in border regions. The very key values of the European Union have been suspended with the closure of national borders.

CESCI, MOT and AEBR will collaborate more closely to avoid this situation to be repeated. With the motto of "distancing people if necessary, but not nations", the alliance aims to raise awareness about the necessity to take border regions into account when formulating administrative decisions.

With the Alliance, MOT, CESCI and AEBR strive to utilise the attention drawn to borders within the EU at the moment in the media and the many activities initiated by local and regional authorities in border and cross-border regions and their networks. Giving emphasis to such activism, this Alliance wants to defend the interests and needs of citizens in European border regions in times of crises. The results of this cooperation will be presented in occasion of various events in Autumn: the European Week of Regions and Cities in October, AEBR annual events in the German-speaking Community of Belgium on 4-7 November, and the Border Forum “Cross-Border Territories on the front line?” in Paris on 9-10 November to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the EGTCs platform in the year of the 30th Anniversary of Interreg.

The Alliance has already been in contact with Commissioner Ferreira, who has reacted very positively showing her full support!

(Note: this news was previously posted on "pilot projects" on 22 June, and has now been moved to "institutional matters")