Directions of Cross-border Cooperation Intensification in the Framework of the Euroregion ‘Upper Prut’: Ukrainian-Romanian Borderlands
Directions of Cross-border Cooperation Intensification in the Framework of the Euroregion ‘Upper Prut’: Ukrainian-Romanian Borderlands

Summary/Abstract: Cross-border cooperation is an effective instrument, aimed at establishing close partnerships between adjacent border areas of neighbouring countries and increasing their level of economic development. The closest and most effective interactions within cross-border cooperation in the European Union are being established within the institutionalized forms of cross-border cooperation, particularly the Euroregions. In Ukraine cross-border cooperation is being developed along the entire perimeter of the border focusing in this on cross-border partnership and cross-border projects, whereas Euroregions play insignificant role. Accordingly, the level of their development and efficiency of cross-border cooperation don’t affect significantly on the development of the Ukrainian border regions. The modern development of Ukrainian-Romanian borderlands on the example of the Euroregion ‘Upper Prut’ is studied in the article. This Euroregion is one of the oldest but not too effective Euroregions with the participation of Ukrainian border regions. In order to determine the effectiveness of cross-border cooperation with the participation of this Euroregion, the peculiarities of border rural areas development and the impact of cross-border projects implemented in their development are analysed. The comparative evaluation of the quality of life of rural residents in regions of Ukraine is given. Analysis of institutional and organizational and financial bases of development of Euroregion ‘Upper Prut’ allowed identifying the main obstacles which hinder its effective functioning. On the basis of generalization of foreign experience of institutionalized forms of cross-border cooperation and analysis of their effectiveness in Ukraine there are proposed the directions of intensification of Euroregional cooperation in the framework of the Euroregion ‘Upper Prut’. This paper focuses on the new opportunities that will arise after Euroregion transformation towards choosing the optimal forms of Euroregional cooperation. The research is based on using the methods of structural and statistical analysis, classification, econometric method and questionnaire survey.

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