Brussels, 27/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission adopted two cross-border cooperation programmes between Germany (Saxony) and border regions. Funded by the Community "Interreg III A" Initiative, these programmes are aimed at the economic development of all sides of the border and to enhance cross-border cooperation. The first one concerns the Land of Saxony and the border regions of the Czech Republic. Its cost for the 2000-2006 period is 244.2 million euro, 170.7 million of which funded by the EU through the Erdf, the remainder coming from national and regional budgets, as well as the private sector. The second, the cost of which amounts to 56.9 million euro for the same period, concerns the Land of Saxony and Lower Silesia (Poland), of which the EU will finance 42.7 million (Redf).
The priorities of the two programmes are: - economic development and cross-border cooperation between companies, notably in the tourism sector; - improving transport infrastructures to enhance the regions' accessibility; - territorial and environmental planning; - regional cooperation in the field of training, education and culture.