On 16 December 2024, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the Regulation to create a new Border Regions’ Instrument for Development and Growth in the EU (BRIDGEforEU). This instrument aims to address cross-border obstacles and promote the development of border regions by complementing existing possibilities.

BRIDGEforEU will focus on challenges such as infrastructure development and cross-border public service management in both land and maritime border regions between neighbouring EU member states. While island member states are exempt, other Member States will have the option to establish cross-border coordination points to resolve obstacles. Those choosing not to create these coordination points will face only minimal reporting requirements.

As a following step, the provisional agreement must undergo official endorsement by the co-legislators before formal adoption.

In October 2023, Member States’ ambassadors at the EU had entrusted the Council of the EU with the mandate to negotiate the creation of a new legal framework for addressing cross-border obstacles to complement existing possibilities.

See the full press release here:

Cohesion policy: EU co-legislators strike a deal on a new instrument to promote the development of cross-border regions (BRIDGEforEU) - Consilium

Background:

Cohesion policy: Council agrees negotiating mandate for a regulation on facilitating cross-border solutions - Consilium

Inforegio - Commission proposal to strengthen the Single Market by tackling legal and administrative obstacles in Europe’s cross-border regions