Contributor Category: ContributorContributor Tags: Belgium, Contributor, and Flemish Community
The Flemish Agency for Home Affairs is, among other policy areas, competent for local governance. This means that the Agency is responsible for the legislation on local authorities and the supervision of these authorities. the legislation concerns the organisatio, the competences, the functioning, the finances, the staff and cooperation of local authorities.
Principal Partner(s)
1. Benelux: other Belgian Federated States.
2. Netherlands and the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg.
3. Working Group Innovotive Solutions: The MOT and other EU Member States.
4. EGTC Eurometropool: Belgian Federtaed States (except the Region of Brussels Capital).
5. French state, Belgian and French Local Authorities. the same for the EGTC West-Vlaanderen / Flandre-Dunkerque-Côte d’OpaleCooperation Startup
The Agency is dealing with CBC since the coming into force of the Benlux Treaty on CBC in 1991. The Agency is also responsible for giving the authorisation for the participation of the Flemish Region and Flemish local authorities.
- Flemish Agency for Home Affairs
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Reasons for Success in overcoming Obstacles
1. Long-lasting formal structures for cooperation [CBC programmes authorities w/in ETC; Alpine Regions Working Community; Danube Regions Working Community].
2. Further increase the expertise of civil servants and experts.
3. Multi-level governance: the involvement of all levels of governance (central, regional, local) in the CBC strucures.
4. Assesment of the different legislations across the border.
5. Involvement of the citizens.
6. Understanding of the difficulties for the citizens living in the border area by the central and regional authorities.Good Practices in identifying and removing Obstacles
1. Benelux Union: establishing the framework for cross-border cooperation, as well as followup of the established cooperation agreements and bodies.
2. “Knelpuntenoverleg” (i.e. Obstacles Consultation) - joint Belgian/Flemish/Dutch initiative aiming at:- Identify the obstacles.
- Identity competent authorities.
- Solve obstacles.
3. “Grensmakelaar” (i.e. Border Mediator): establishment of a contact point for cross-border obstacles appointed by each country.
4. Multi-level governance: the involvement of all levels of governance (central, regional, local) in the CBC strucures.Reasons for Obstacles Persistence
1. CBC obstacles are not a priority of the political agenda.
2. Different levels of competent authorities.
3. Lack of funding to solve obstacles.
4. Complexity of the cross-border obstacles.
5. Lack of specific knowledge.
6. Language.
7. Lack of an appropriate legal framework for cross-border and inter-territorial cooperation activities: incompatibilities between the different national/regional lesgislations and regulations.
8. Bureacratic requirements.
9. Different administrative culture.
10. Competences on different levels across the border.
11. Recognition of degrees.Obstacles to be removed by Unilateral Action (State/Regional)
1. Language differences.
2. Political will.
3. Prior impact assessment of new laws and regulations on border regions or the cooperation with neighbouring countries.
4. Simplification of procedures; cutting red tape; removing administrative constraints or regulations.
5. Experimentation in CBC areasObstacles to be removed by coordination between State and Regional Actors
1. Language differences.
2. Political will.
3. Coordination between the different levels of government in the country (national, regional, provincial and municipal level) regarding planning, implementation, financing and assessment.Obstacles to be removed by International Cooperation
1. Local authorities with different competencies.
2. Lack of funding.
3. Complexity of cross-border obstacles.
4. Lack of specific knowledge.
5. Language differences.
6. Political will.Cross-border Labour mobility and Job matching
Cross-border Integrated Ticketing System
Cross-border River Traffic and Port Access
Cross-border Emergency Intervention
Cross-border Medical Partnership
Increased CBC in Higher Education and Scientific Research
Establishing an Educational Framework for CBC
Emergency Management and Response
Emergency Response and Preparadness to Disaster
Joint cross-border fire and rescue service
Investigation and Exchange of Information for Crime Prevention
Patrolling operations for criminal investigation and crime prevention
A Framework for CBC: the BENELUX Union
Cooperation in the fields of INTERREG, culture and spatial planning concertation
Cross-border Medical Assistance and Rescue Services in Riemst
Cross-border recognition of degrees
Creation of a legal framework for CBC