The Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) is an organization of European regions and deals with
cross-border cooperation
Cross-border cooperation is the collaboration between adjacent areas across borders. In the European Union this is one of the forms of territorial cooperation (in addition to transnational and interregional cooperation). The European model is very ...
in Europe and other continents. AEBR's main office is based in Gronau (
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhab ...
), Germany. It also has a Project's Office in
Berlin
Berlin is Capital of Germany, the capital and largest city of Germany, both by area and List of cities in Germany by population, by population. Its more than 3.85 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European U ...
, an Antenna in
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
(at the Office of
Extremadura
Extremadura (; ext, Estremaúra; pt, Estremadura; Fala: ''Extremaúra'') is an autonomous community of Spain. Its capital city is Mérida, and its largest city is Badajoz. Located in the central-western part of the Iberian Peninsula, ...
) and Info Centres for Ukraine in
Kharkiv
Kharkiv ( uk, wikt:Харків, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine.Simon Kuznets National University of Economics) and for the Balkans in
Novi Sad
Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the P ...
(in collaboration with CESCI Balkans). It represents the interests of the European border and cross-border regions at European, national and regional levels.
History
The first initiative to create a "union for border regions" was discussed in 1965 at the International Regional Planning Conference in
. After extensive preparation, ten border regions from Europe came together on June 17–18, 1971, and created a Standing Conference of European Border Regions that later was called "Association of European Border Regions". They elected Alfred Mozer as the first president at AEBR.
Objectives
AEBR supports European border and cross-border regions in order to:
* make their particular problems, opportunities, tasks and projects intelligible
* represent their overall interests towards national and international parliaments, other authorities and institutions
* initiate, support and coordinate their co-operation throughout Europe
* exchange experiences and information to formulate and coordinate common interests from the various problems and opportunities of border regions, and to offer solutions.
* promote CBC structures, projects and programs
* assist in the preparation of CBC events and other activities.
In order to reach their objectives, AEBR works together at European level with:
*
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been ...
**
European Parliament
The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adop ...
**
European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body ...
**
Committee of the Regions
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is the European Union's (EU) assembly of local and regional representatives that provides sub-national authorities (i.e. regions, counties, provinces, municipalities and cities) with a direct voice w ...
**
European Economic and Social Committee
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is a consultative body of the European Union (EU) established in 1958. It is an advisory assembly composed of "social partners", namely: employers ( employers' organisations), employees ( trade ...
Congress of the Council of Europe
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is the pan-European political assembly representing local and regional authorities from the forty-six member states of the Council of Europe. Its role is to promote local and regional democracy, im ...
** Committee of Experts on border issues
Organization
General Assembly
The General Assembly votes for the President and the Executive Committee and decides which applicants are accepted into the organization, as well as to determine contribution fees.
The Executive Committee
The Executive Committee consists of the President, Treasurer and at least seven Vice-Presidents and twenty members representing border and cross-border regions who receive a two-year term once voted into office. They are responsible for positions adopted by the AEBR on vital issues and cooperating with European and national institutions, organizations and associations. They are also responsible for appointing the Secretary General. The President (highest ranking representative of AEBR) represents AEBR externally and also is responsible to make joint decisions with the Secretary General. The Secretary General has the power and also authority to represent AEBR.
Subsidiary Bodies
The Association of European Border Regions may open forums, form committees and employ representatives from European and other political bodies, associations and social groups that receive an advisory capacity. AEBR also organizes task forces and working groups on different issues of interest for European border and cross-border regions to which belong representatives of European institutions and political committees, associations and society-relevant groups with an advisory role. The "Advisory Committee for cross-border cooperation", is composed of scientists and stakeholders that advise AEBR in all matters relating to cross-border cooperation. This committee may also make proposals for solving issues in the area of cross-border cooperation.
Members
AEBR formed about 100 border and cross-border regions, representing over 200 border regions within and outside the EU. Cross-border regions (e.g.
Euregio
EUREGIO is a cross-border region between the Netherlands and Germany and the first Euroregion. It was founded in 1958 as a German Eingetragener Verein, and has been converted in 2016 into a public body based on the 1991 Treaty of Anholt (german: A ...
) and larger combinations (for example Greater Region Saar-Lor-Lux) often have multiple regions as members.
Full members
A cross-border region, border or associations of border regions within the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been ...
can apply as a full member with full voting rights.
Non-voting members
Members without voting rights who can apply as members without voting rights are border and cross-border regions. When accepted as a non-voting member, they receive observer status for two years until their representative status has been conclusively confirmed. Advisory members can also be non-voting members, who can be individuals, associations, institutions and institutes working in the area of cross-border cooperation.
Languages
The languages primarily used at AEBR as working languages are German, English, French, Polish, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and, if need be, other languages of member regions.