A cross-border project is a project implemented jointly by partners from two or more neighbouring countries in a defined border area. It is financed from European territorial cooperation programmes and has several specific features. It requires at least one foreign partner, and one entity acts as the lead partner, who communicates with the programme and bears responsibility for the whole project. Documentation tends to be bilingual or in a common language, and the budget is divided among the partners, with each documenting its own expenditure according to the rules of its own country. Genuine cross-border benefit must be demonstrated, not merely the formal participation of a partner. Typical themes are tourism, cultural heritage, transport, the environment and cooperation between institutions. Expect communication and coordination with the partner to take more time than on a domestic project, especially when it comes to settlement of accounts.
See also: Interreg, Consortium in a European project.
