The #ACCESS Project, implemented by the Budapest-based Central European Service for Cross-border Initiatives (CESCI) and its Košice counterpart, CESCI Carpathia, with the support of the European Union within the framework of the Interreg Hungary – Slovakia Programme, embarked on a mission to dismantle the persisting legal and administrative obstacles impeding cross-border cooperation between Slovakia and Hungary. Through comprehensive obstacle monitoring and management, the initiative aspires to foster a more integrated border region by eliminating legal barriers and proposing practical solutions, including the creation of a legal obstacles database, recommendation reports, and a sensitisation campaign targeting the relevant authorities.

Central to the project are the reference group meetings, a series of workshops which were finished in mid-March 2024. These meetings were held across various border cities such as Győr, Esztergom, Putnok, Balassagyarmat, Sátoraljaújhely, Komárno, Lučenec, Košice and Bratislava with the aim of gathering insights and experiences from key urban areas affected by cross-border issues. These workshops facilitated discussions on a wide range of topics, from public transport challenges to educational cooperation and emergency services, bringing together government officials, policy advisors, and local stakeholders. By pinpointing specific obstacles to functional urban integration and proposing targeted strategies for improvement, these reference groups play a pivotal role in enhancing cooperation and fostering a more seamless cross-border region. Summaries of each workshop, along with the background materials prepared by the project partners for every reference group, are available here: https://hu-sk.eu/en/news-and-events/