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Cross-border regional cooperation
Article Community & integration
Germany has borders with nine neighbouring countries. While borders imply challenges, they also offer opportunities for cross-border cooperation.
Cross-border cooperation
No other country in Europe has as many neighbours as Germany. Germany shares its 3,767-kilometre land border with Denmark to the north; the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France to the west; Switzerland and Austria to the south; and the Czech Republic and Poland to the east. No one should be disadvantaged because they live in a border region. Promoting cross-border regional cooperation is therefore a central concern of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community.
Exploiting the opportunities of cross-border cooperation is an essential way to counter the disadvantages that might result from living in a border region. To this end, we support solutions tailored to the individual regions, starting from the conviction that joint projects help improve mutual understanding and manage regional problems. The success of these projects depends on the initiative and active participation of local communities and the people living in the border regions. The regional projects are supported and co-funded by the federal and state governments, depending on their respective responsibilities. The European Union also provides substantial funding.
