An overall assessment of the impact of EU b-solutions in the EU

Bibliographic Data

ID21601434
AuthorsRicardo Ferreira (0000-0001-6425-8412, European Commission – DG REGIO, corresponding author), Helena Colodetti G Silveira (0000-0003-3274-3522, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro), Tomáš Jirsa (0000-0002-6142-4718, Ministry of Regional Development), Beniamino Brunati (European Commission – DG REGIO), Ninon Paulissen (former Blue Book trainee at the European Commission), Giacomo Lanci (former Blue Book trainee at the European Commission), Kryštof Studihrad (European Commission – DG REGIO)
Year2026
Pages1-21
Publication date2026-05-11
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueEuropean Planning Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0965-4313 • E-ISSN: 1469-5944
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09654313.2026.2651337
OpenAlexW7160871019
LanguageEN
References cited30

Overcoming cross-border legal and administrative obstacles is key for the development of cross-border territories, allowing economic agents to fully exploit their natural catchment areas, and overcoming border effects. But the very contextualized nature of each obstacle shows implies a bottom-up approach. While Interreg funding and legal instruments like EGTC or BRIDGEforEU set the essential framework, support for solving obstacles with a casuistic approach is vital. The European Commission has been implementing such support with its b-solutions initiative. Obstacles are dealt with one at a time, performing a legal analysis of their root causes and identifying potential solutions. For each case it delivers a solution with a multiplier effect for regional development. From a macro perspective it provides a wealth of information on the obstacles causing border effects throughout Europe. This article reports on research done over the analysis of 90 border obstacles dealt with via b-solutions in European internal borders. Methodology is based on the individual assessment of each of the legal reports elaborated for those cases. Results show that a significant part of the obstacles are enrooted on incompatible national legal frameworks and the potential for specific legal frameworks applicable to cross-border territories to accomplishing the Single Market

Eu countries · European union · Impact assessment · Member states · EU Law and Policy Analysis · European Monetary and Fiscal Policies · European Union Policy and Governance

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