In December 2023 the EU Commission proposed a regulation aiming at addressing obstacles faced by citizens, businesses, and public administrations in cross-border regions within the EU, such as differing technical standards and legal provisions. These obstacles impact infrastructure development, public service operation, and hinder cross-border relief efforts. Tackling these hurdles is expected to significantly improve the EU Single Market, potentially boosting GDP by 2% and creating over a million jobs. The regulation suggests establishing Cross-Border Coordination Points (CBCPs) to assess obstacles and facilitate cooperation between stakeholders and national authorities. It also proposes a Cross-Border Facilitation Tool to resolve obstacles in the absence of bilateral agreements, alongside creating a network of CBCPs for knowledge sharing. The proposal builds on previous initiatives (European Cross Border Mechanism) and aims to negotiate agreement between the Parliament and Council to enhance cross-border cooperation and unlock growth potential in border regions. 

The Ad-hoc working group will prepare a swift response on the new regulation proposal from the European Commission aimed at strengthening European border regions. The response is expected to be published before the adoption of a law. 

Title image generated with Adobe firefly using the keywords "european border region with customs control".