José Manuel Sobrino Heredia - European Grouping of Territorial Organisation Galicia-Norte de Portugal EGTC, ES-PT

The Galicia-Norte de Portugal EGTC (ES-PT) submitted the case “Simplifying cross-border mobility of minors to carry out cultural or educational exchanges” under the initiative b-solutions. The objective is to resolve the difficulties faced by unaccompanied minors residing in the Eurocity Cerveira (PT) - Tomiño (ES) and willing to cross the border to undertake sport or leisure activities in the neighbouring country.

The EGTC was advised by José Manuel Sobrino Heredia, a legal expert hired by the Association of the European Border Regions.

Sobrino Heredia visited the case and, after having conducted a field analysis, identified the origin of the obstacle to the free movement of minors in the current legal and administrative procedures of the two countries. The general aim of protecting the interests of minors abroad of the two normative frameworks become unsustainable and overcomplicated when applied to the cross-border context.

Therefore, the expert suggests a simplification of the administrative indications to be accompanied by the creation of an ad hoc pilot authorisation model for the cross-border area.

Finally, he proposes to consider the next Iberian Summit as a useful occasion to draw attention of the general administrations on this topic.

To have more information on the analysis carried out but José Manuel Sobrino Heredia please download the report (in Spanish).

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 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 Proposals of the initiative b-solutions.