Anna Laura Hidegh – Anna Erzsébet Miklós On Euro-regions from Slovak-Hungarian Point of View
In the Europe of the 21st C, being along the border, together with all its questions and issues – although hopefully for a short time to be so – is a concept that cannot be evaded. The historical changes given by the previous century, and/or the European Union integration that has become more and more intensive orient the attention to this issue.
Cross-border co-operation that arise from the issue of being situated along the border is reasoned with a number of factors in Central and East Europe: from one hand the tendencie valid for the whole European continent, on the other hand the specifications created due to the historical events.
It can be generally said from the point of view of the whole Europe that there are certain economic, and/or environmental phenomena that know no borders. In order to use resources effectively, to create labour division, and consequently to create competetiveness it is necessary for certain geographical units that cross borders to co-operate.
We have considered important now, in 2006, to talk about the euro-regions, since the importance of their mission has only been growing in the last period. From May 2004 the Eastern and Southern borders of Hungary became the outer borders of the European Union. In 2007 Hungary becomes part of the Schengen Agreement. All these changes have effect mainly in relation with Romania and Ukraine, in which countries a large nubmer of Hungarian minorities live, and where keeping contacts is of high importance.
In our study, we chose member state of the Union, for illustration. Hungary has six existing euro-regional co-operation with Slovakia, the most of them are from the neigbouring countries. We intend to show euro-regional co-operation through analysing the co-operation of the Vág–Duna–Ipoly euro-region (VDI). The study begins with outlining theoretical framework, explaining the meaning of the state of being situated along the border and regionalism, consequently we examine that the operational limits that are generally characteristic for euro-regions are how relevant in relation with the Vág–Duna–Ipoly euro-region considering the local conditions.
Summarising the experience achived during the examination of the Vág–Duna–Ipoly euro-region a few statements can be said that recently characterise the euro-region. The counties in the VDI are in comparison of their territorial size, are too big, the interests of different local governments are different, the rate of necessary development of certain territories is different, therefore it is difficult to create comprehensive projects, only the provision of local programs is relevant.
The main factor for motivating VDI creation is to take up minority that found itself on the other side of the border, that is characteristic of euro-regions situated generally in Central Europe. Consequently, for the first period of co-operation the promotion of cultural customs is characteristic, but initiatives oriented on economic co-operation have also arised. The second main motivating factor is the opportunity for competing for the sources of the Union. From the advantages given by the euro-regional division, the most important one is financing territory development policy. Although the most conditions necesssary for the good functioning are set, on the basis of experience, there have been no Slovak-Hungarian cross-border collaboration made on micro level, the Vág–Duna–Ipoly euro-region is still in the state of looking for its way.