DG GROW – launch of a call for pilot to overcome barriers to cross-border business activities

Call objectives

The call aims to mobilise border regions that have already acknowledged and experienced market access barriers due to regulatory or administrative obstacles.

The call should lead to long-lasting, structured partnerships of volunteer border regions, which eventually should result in the alleviation or abolishment of market access barriers.

Pilot focus areas

Each group of applicants (the ‘pioneer partnership’) should cover two or three regions that border each other in the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. They should identify one or more barrier(s) they would like to address together, in maximum three of the areas listed below

• posting of workers
• recognition of professional qualifications
• cross-border provision of (digital) services
• licensing and other related requirements
• insurance requirements
• marketing and advertising restrictions

This list is non-exhaustive and other areas including cross-border trade with goods could be proposed if the identified barrier persists on both sides of the impacted border region and there is a commitment from border regions to find solutions jointly.

For more specific information follow the LINK.