According to her, the issue of cross-border cooperation is essential and important for Ukraine, especially in the context of its European aspirations.
Gerashchenko also said that trans-border cooperation - a process that contributes to: strengthening of mutual trust and security; intensification of trade and economic cooperation; attract foreign investment for joint projects; the development of a common strategy for environmental protection; development of transport and border infrastructure; deepening of cultural and communication links; tourism development.
The chairperson emphasized that the decentralization process initiates in this context great potential for various regions of Ukraine.
Gerashchenko also said: "Most of the participants of today's hearings have successful experience in implementing projects on their ground, and through our discussions today, this experience will be available to others."
First Deputy Speaker also urged all participants to voice the existing problems, "as the result of our discussions should be search for adequate mechanisms to overcome them, which will allow to restore order in this area and move on."
According to the deputy chairperson of the Committee on European Integration Maria Ionov, the question of trans-border cooperation is also one of the priorities of the Committee for European Integration. "Last year we held committee hearings on the issue of trans-border, where among other things it was emphasized the need for analysis of the state policy in the form of parliamentary hearings", - said the speaker. "I would not want that as a result of today's discussion, only the name has changed and the next date of hearing. And the rest - no change. Colleagues, let's move on to things" - she concluded.
"The development of trans-border cooperation as an important component of European integration needs a change of conceptual approaches to the development of the legislative framework and its practical implementation at the national and regional levels. Initiated reforms for their realization require the involvement of all branches of government, a well as a wide range of civil society representatives, managers, public figures, scientists, "- said Oksana Yurynets, initiator of the hearings, people's deputy of Ukraine, chairperson of the subcommittee for regional development and trans-border cooperation between Ukraine and the EU Committee for European integration.
Current globalization processes have a significant impact on the socio-economic development of Ukraine, which faces new external and internal challenges that cause a sharp differentiation of individual regions. An important step to exit from this situation is to use the potential of trans-border cooperation as an innovative instrument of state regional policy. At the proper state support it can be a powerful catalyst for European integration processes in Ukraine.
Effective organizational form of trans-border cooperation is the Euroregion. Cooperation within the Euroregion involves, above all, the forming of projects that meet European integration priorities of state and European regional policy, works on the development of transport and border infrastructure that will ensure sustainable socio-economic and spatial development of the territory and prevent the widening gap in economic and social development at the EU border with Ukraine. Trans-border cooperation within the European regions is being carried out from 1993.
Trans-border cooperation is an important factor in the process of European integration and the creation of a Europe without internal borders, which fully meets the political priorities of our country.
The development of trans-border cooperation, in addition to important political, economic, cultural and educational values, will also contribute to implementation of the decentralization reform when the center of concentration processes changes from the deepness of the territory to the peripheral areas, which updates need to change the position of "back to back" of border areas to the position of "face to face."
For modern Ukraine trans-border cooperation also plays the role of a "proving ground" to adapt European legislation and European financial support mechanisms. Ttrans-border cooperation is an important factor in the process of European integration and the creation of a Europe without internal borders, which fully meets the political priorities of our country.
One of the priority
tasks for the Government is the adoption and implementation of the State
program on trans-border cooperation for 2016-2020 years, which aims to increase
the competitiveness of regions, effective governance in regional development
and spatial development.
By results of the event, the draft recommendations of parliamentary hearings was approved.