Building a Cross-Border Cooperation Partnership

Building a Cross-Border Cooperation Partnership Video Tutorial by TESIM, Technical Support to the Implementation and Management of ENI CBC (European Neighbourhood Instrument Cross Border Cooperation) programmes.

The video tutorial refers to 4 key steps in partnership development. At each key step it is useful to pause the video and make notes of the actions and ideas that you have for that step:

1. Finding Partners
2. Project Development
3. Defining Roles and Responsibilities
4. Partnership Agreement

To get the most out of this 15-minute video tutorial we suggest a number of steps you can take before and after viewing the video.

Before: Understanding Terminology and Context

Cross Border Cooperation Programme: The EU supports collaborative projects between organisations in locations across borders in adjacent countries. The objective of the programme is to strengthen inter-regional cooperation, contribute to reduction in differences in living standards between regions and addressing common challenges. Most of the countries in the Eastern Partnership region have locations adjacent to the EU, and also benefit from other programmes that promote cooperation between the countries. Thus, knowing how to develop partnerships for collaborative actions is highly valuable.

Developing a Partnership Project: The video tutorial is aimed at organisations interested in developing partnership projects specifically for funding from the EU’s Cross Border Cooperation Programme. However, the approach, knowledge, and skills explained in the video can be applied to any type of partnership development between and among CSOs.

AFTER: Partners Search & Further Reading

Explore these, and other useful tools that support CSOs in the search for partners in the Eastern Partnership:

• National coordinators for the National Platforms of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum
• National coordination and contact points for the Danube Transnational Programme are mandated to assist organisations identify partners in the region
• Civil Society Europe (CSE) brings together 22 European networks of CSOsworking towards regenerating the European project around the shared values of Equality, Solidarity, Inclusiveness and Democracy
• If you’re looking for partners in Ukraine, Ednannia can help introduce you to the 3,000 CSOs in its database

Check-out the supporting materials mentioned in the video:

• Tasks & Responsibilities of Applicant (Lead Beneficiary) and Project Partners (pdf file)
• Partnership Agreement Checklist (pdf file)