Cross-border cooperation through the lens of up- and reskilling for Europe’s transitions

Date: 5 February

Place: EURASHE / Rue de la Science 14A, Brussel

The Oslo region European office and our partners from Portalegre polytechnic university (Alentejo, Portugal), invite Brussels-based stakeholders to a discussion on cross-border cooperation, with a particular emphasis on delivering the skills needed for the transitions Europe is facing: The green and digital transitions, as well as the renewed drive for security, resilience and strategic autonomy.

Cross-border regions face particular challenges, as highlighted in the OECD report “Building More Resilient Cross-border Regions” (2024). These include constrained economic development, lower-than-average GDP, legal and administrative obstacles, and poor access to skills in local labour markets. Specific skills are also needed to make cooperation across national borders work optimally.

How can cooperation across borders help overcome these hurdles, and how can policy design on the European, national and local levels help put in place the solutions that work? Join us for a discussion including examples of both challenges and solutions, as well as a good opportunity to meet other stakeholders working across borders.

Register here by 2 February

Seats are limited. You will receive an email confirming your participation.

Agenda:

09:30 – 10:00: Welcome and overview of the topic by the hosts

                               - EURASHE (Name TBC)

                               - Joakim P. Berg, senior EU adviser, Oslo region European office

                               - Luis Loures, president, Portalegre Polytechnic University

10:00 – 11:00: Cross-border cooperation: What makes it unique? And how does the EU support this type of

                          cooperation?

                               - Name TBC, DG regio: interreg and cross-borcer cooperation 

    - Janni Ekrem, Advisor EU Affairs, North Norway European Office

11:00 – 12:00: Examples of cross-border cooperation: Successes and challenges

                               - Thomas André Hansen, Østfold county, Norway

                               - Rui Castanho, vice-coordinator, Valoriza Research centre for endogeneous resource
                               valorisation

                              - Agata Mannino, Across university alliance

                             - Serafin Pazos-Vidal, senior expert, Rural and Territorial Development, AEIDL

12:00 – 13:30: Lunch

13:30 – 14:30: Panel discussion: How can cross-border cooperation be made easier?

14:30 – 15:00: Open discussion with the audience

15:00 – 16:30: Networking: Bubbles and borders