The HU-RO cross-border cooperation programme 2007-2013: insights related to the effectiveness of using the European funds

For decades, researchers and practitioners have ascertained that sustainability and effectiveness of the new European construction relies also on good relations between neighbouring countries. Efficient cross-border cooperation (CBC) between EU Member States is able to achieve one of the main objectives of the European Union: the territorial cohesion. Even the first actions were based on enthusiasm, spontaneous cooperation or diversity, in the present stage, the CBC has to move forward, from theoretical hypothesis and anticipation, to concrete and specific action, to implementing the evaluation results from previous cooperation projects and to design new policies and strategies. This paper addresses a key issue of CBC between Romania and Hungary: the efficient spending of funds allocated through the CBC Programme HU-RO 2007 - 2013, by analysing the data available at the end of 2015. Our research, based on the analysis of the funds allocated and spent within HU-RO CBC program, attempt to assess the fulfilment of the undertaken indicators (individual or at aggregated level), the absorption rate of available funds and future development prospects. Our research revealed that, overall, there is a clear trend of improving the quality of projects selected and implemented both in Romania and in Hungary, put in evidence by the high degree of the funds’ absorption and the achievement of the most of the assumed indicators. However, the assessment of the quality of projects submitted and selected has to be completed with the analysis of the sustainability and impact of these cross-border projects. Our article also focuses on revealing various aspects and results of HU-RO CBC 2007-2013 projects, effects and limits or challenges to long-run sustainability. The paper also points out conclusions and provides further recommendations in order to ensure the sustainability and the effectiveness of future CBC programs, particularly for the 2014-2020 programing period.