Building Europe across Borders

About the award 

The award recognises the concrete actions and projects implemented by European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs) in their communities. It demonstrates the added value of these instruments and promotes them as examples for other groupings or similar structures. 

EGTCs allow regions and cities, associations or any other public body of different Member States to come together under a single legal entity to facilitate and promote territorial cooperation. They play an important role in fostering economic growth and job creation, environmental and nature protection. Moreover, they promote education, social inclusion, cultural heritage and European citizenship, therefore strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion across the borders. 

The European Committee of the Regions assigns the award ‘Building Europe across Borders’ for EGTCs on a biennial basis.

Who can apply?

Established European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs), whose creation has been notified to the European Committee of the Regions according to the EGTC Regulation.
 

Winner of 2024

The jury assigned the 2024 edition of the award to the EGTC Eurodistrict Saar Moselle for its Babylingua project.  Within this project, in September 2023, Franco-German local and regional authorities created a cross-border crèche/kindergarten.   

Supported by the European Regional Development Fund, the nursery offers 133 children from both sides of the border the opportunity to grow up in a bilingual and bicultural environment from the earliest age.  The educational programme combines elements of both educational systems. 

An honorary mention was given to the Czech and Polish EGTC Novum. Their project Together for Ukraine aims at the integration of war refugees in the cross-border area.