Breaking Barriers for Local Farmers’ Markets at the Slovenian-Hungarian border

Advised entity: Pannon EGTC

Agriculture is an important factor in employment and value production in the Slovenian-Hungarian border region. However, farmers and primary producers in border regions, who should be able to access nearby local markets in both countries, are unable to do so easily due to a series of regulatory and informational barriers, for instance regarding food safety, taxation, labelling, and sales permissions. The result is that local markets remain fragmented, farmers miss out on potential income, and consumers have less access to diverse local products.

Overcoming these obstacles is essential to unlock the economic potential of the Slovenian-Hungarian border region and enhance cross-border cooperation.

Grenzbach: Managing Water for a Safe Border Area

Advised entity: Civil Protection Agency of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano (Italy)/ Fachbereich Wildbachverbauung - Agentur für Bevölkerungsschutz der Autonome Provinz Bozen (I)

The Grenzbach stream marks the border between the municipalities of San Candido/Innichen (Italy) and Sillian (Austria) and poses a flood risk to both sides. To address this danger hydraulic-forestry arrangements are need. The technical issues involved in these works have been resolved. However, administrative and legal aspects remain open, particularly regarding differences in construction rules and procedures to obtain permits..

Overcoming these administrative and legal questions is crucial for protecting the population and the environment, as well as for strengthening the relationship between Italy and Austria to prevent and mitigate flood risks.

Serbian members in an EGTC

Advised entity: Banat-Triplex Confinium EGTC

Despite Serbia's EU accession efforts in aligning national laws with the EU acquis, the country has not adopted the third Protocol of the Madrid Outline Convention allowing local and regional authorities to join EGTCs. As a result, eight Serbian municipalities only have an observer status and cannot be full members of the EGTC Banat Triplex Confinium.

By establishing a Serbian EGTC Regulation, Serbian local and regional authorities would gain co-leadership in cross-border instances and projects, boosting regional socio-economic development and EU values integration.