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Cross-border cooperation
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by Olga Tserjomushklna
 The
situation on the eastern border of the EU appears to be
quite difficult because of the sharp gap in the living standards.
Different conditions and the ways of action on social, health
and safety matters cause practical problems. The major goal
of the City Twins Association is finding out the best practices
and implementing them in real economic and social life to
achieve a more balanced development of the border regions.
Also the CTA lobbies the interests of European border areas,
whose needs are not voiced enough in the European decision
making. In the period 2004-2006 the City Twins Cooperation
Network project was realized with the financial support
of INTERREG IIIC programme. As the result of the project,
the CTA was established in December 2006. The Association
concentrated on developing cooperation between the city
twins in the following sectors: cooperation between the
city administrations; local industrial development; promotion
of labour mobility; social and health issues; border crossing;
education and training; cultural co-operation; co-operation
of the third sector / citizens; promotion of interests of
the city twins on different political levels (national,
EU-level); Presently, there are 5 city twins pairs in the
Association: Imatra-Svetogorsk (Finland - Russia), Narva-Ivangorod
(Estonia - Russia), Frankfurt(Oder)- Slubice (Germany- Poland),
Valka-Valga (Latvia - Estonia), Gôrlitz-Zgorzelec
(Germany - Poland). Despite close distance, there is always
a border between them that affects the relations between
the cities.
In January 2009, the CTA in cooperation with
the Mission Operationelle Transfrontaliere (MOT) submitted
a project proposal to INTERREG IVC programme. The project
"EUROpean Mobility and Employment in Transborder Areas"
has as its overall objective allowing local stakeholders
to develop cross-border projects which meet the needs of
the workers and companies involved in the economic development,
as well as enabling them to coordinate their actions bringing
their professional competence in the context.
The CTA is always willing to welcome new
members for more effective cooperation for the development
of the region.
MORE
Ms Olga Tserjomushkina
Narva Department for City Development and Economy
Phone:+372 3599275
E-mail: projektid@narva.ee
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