This year’s events that mark the celebration of European Cooperation Day (EC Day) bring together all European Territorial Cooperation programmes that are more widely known as Interreg programmes and which represent the second pillar of Cohesion Policy. For the tenth time in a row various activities take place across Europe in September. European Territorial Cooperation programmes are the framework for implementing joint measures, encouraging regions and Member States to cooperate in addressing joint challenges and fostering a balanced economic, social and territorial development. The aim of the events is to underline the positive impacts of cross-border cooperation.

This year’s event was set in the border area of the Gorenjska region where many projects have been and are still being implemented. Such projects could not have been implemented without Interreg programmes. Friday’s hike to Zelenica was dedicated to projects implemented under the auspices of Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy (GODC), the Managing Authority of Interreg V-A Slovenia-Austria Cooperation Programme. We presented three projects, namely karawanks@future.eu, Alpe Adria Karavanke/Karawanken and CROSSRISK. The projects are an example of successful cross-border cooperation in the field of promoting natural and cultural heritage and sustainable development of border regions.

In her opening address Nina Seljak, Head of the Managing Authority of the Interreg V-A Slovenia-Austria Cooperation Programme in the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, underlined that cross-border projects could not have been implemented had it not been for cross-border cooperation. Such projects bring benefits to the people of the region, namely benefits in the field of tourism, economy and natural and cultural heritage preservation. Cooperation is especially crucial in these challenging times for maintaining good neighbourly relations and an additional financial incentive for organizations and institutions in border areas.

For more information, please visit the website dedicated to the Cross-border Cooperation Programme Slovenia-Austria 2014-2020.