Have you ever thought of how much linguistic barriers do limit the cooperation in cross-border multilingual areas? Have you ever realized how the presence of different systems of data collection prevents the management of common goods (i.e. water) in cross-border regions? And, what about the health and wellbeing of citizens? Do you know that it is often hindered by the absence of well-managed healthcare systems or emergency services in cross-border territories, due to problems connected to the recognition of titles of professionals or to the impossibility to provide some services on the other side(s) of the border(s)?

As a practitioner of cross-border cooperation, you are probably facing some similar obstacles that prevent the implementation of your projects and this is the right time for you to speak up!

The Association of European Border Regions (AEBR), on behalf of DG REGIO, is managing the 2 years pilot initiative “b-solutions” that aims at tackling hurdles of a legal and administrative nature that hamper the cooperation along EU internal land borders.

A second call for proposals is now open until the 15th of March, so there are only two weeks left to present your case!

Applicants can be public bodies at the national, regional or local level or cross-border structures such as European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs), Euroregions, Eurodistricts, Eurocities and similar structures with legal personality, even if they are not public bodies.

They must be located in an EU Member State (or neighbouring EFTA country) and the territory on which the applicant has a legal competence to intervene must share at least one EU internal land border with another EU Member State/EFTA country.

The present call covers a range of 8 different thematic areas, under which you can present your obstacle: employment, health (emergency services included), multilingualism, institutional cooperation, evidence and data, e-government, public transport of passengers and information services.

The successful applicants will be granted the support of legal experts with knowledge of cross-border instances that will help in defining the obstacle in a clear and systematic way, as well as in identifying a possible solution.

As a cross-border and potentially eligible actor, we invite you to read the ‘Call for Proposals’ on our website https://www.b-solutionsproject.com/call-for-proposals and  to apply!

Don’t miss this chance! Share the obstacle you face and make of a specific problem a European solution!