András Ricz

Abstract

Researching the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina as a region of Serbia and an European Union (EU) border region, we have long been concerned with the raison d'être of cross-border programmes, their impact, sustainability and long-term results. Against that background, the current study is focused on the results of the 2014-2020 cycle. The region of Vojvodina has neighbouring external borders with three EU Member States. While the partner countries have already applied for almost 100% of the available amounts, the implementation of projects and thus the payment of grants is only 50% effected so far. Our intention has been to examine the Vojvodina region in terms of cross-border programmes based on already completed projects and running along the lines of different Priorities. The Programme Areas of the four (Hungarian-Serbian, Croatian-Serbian, Romanian-Serbian and Serbia-Bosnia and Hercegovina) Cross-border cooperation programmes do overlap significantly. Primarily, we have been researching the territorial distribution of each, by reference to the locations of project owners and of project activities; as well as the related networking character of the projects implemented in Vojvodina in the Interreg-IPA (Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance) 2014-2020 programming period. It is then in this context that we examine the focal and connection points of the cross-border connections, in this way potentially indicating  deficiencies in regard to sustainable project implementation. Without claiming to be exhaustive, we have also sought to reference impeding circumstances relating to a barrier effect that is obviously of particular importance given the fact that external borders of the EU are involved.

Keywords: cross-border cooperation, EU external border, Interreg, IPA, Vojvodina/Serbia

Imre Nagy [nagyi@rkk.hu], Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, University of NoviSad
András Ricz [reni.fekete29@gmail.com], Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, University of NoviSad
Renata Fekete [riczandras@rcgroup.co], Regional Scientific Association

Citation

APA: Nagy, I., Ricz, A., & Fekete, R. (2021). Results of the EU cross-border programme allocations and their geographical implications for border regions of Vojvodina/Serbia in the 2014-2020 programming period. Europa XXI, 40, 99-118. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2021.40.4
MLA: Nagy, Imre, et al. "Results of the EU cross-border programme allocations and their geographical implications for border regions of Vojvodina/Serbia in the 2014-2020 programming period". Europa XXI, vol. 40, 2021, pp. 99-118. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2021.40.4
Chicago: Nagy, Imre, Ricz, András, and Fekete, Renata. "Results of the EU cross-border programme allocations and their geographical implications for border regions of Vojvodina/Serbia in the 2014-2020 programming period". Europa XXI 40 (2021): 99-118. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2021.40.4
Harvard: Nagy, I., Ricz, A., & Fekete, R. 2021. "Results of the EU cross-border programme allocations and their geographical implications for border regions of Vojvodina/Serbia in the 2014-2020 programming period". Europa XXI, vol. 40, pp. 99-118. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2021.40.4