Life in cross-border areas is special, as it may bring benefits but also challenges to inhabitants. They usually have similar lifestyles and share the same habits, culture and tradition, even resources and land. That is why Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) is a key element of the EU policy towards its neighbours. It has been designed to promote good neighbourly relations, foster EU integration and enhance socio-economic development.

The CBC programmes between Montenegro and its neighbouring countries are the result of joint planning efforts made by the governments and other stakeholders of the programmes’ areas. Montenegro participates actively in 5 trilateral or transnational programmes and 4 bilateral CBC programmes: with Albania, Kosovo*, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. To support this, the EU has invested €52 million on both sides of the border since 2007: CBC Montenegro-Albania: €16.6 million; CBC Montenegro-Kosovo: €10.2 million; CBC Bosnia and Herzegovina-Montenegro €12.6 million; CBC Serbia-Montenegro €12.6 million. Projects carried out within these programmes are implemented at the local level and promote the exchange of knowledge and experience between neighbours, new skills and enhanced territorial cooperation. They aim at finding common solutions to shared challenges in a sustainable manner.

EU assistance in CBC Programmes contributes to: promoting employment, labour mobility and social and cultural inclusion across the border; protecting the environment, promoting climate change, adaptation and mitigation, risk prevention and management; encouraging tourism and cultural and natural heritage. EU assistance for CBC programmes will continue in the future, with a view to promoting reconciliation as well as building trust and good neighbourly relations in the Western Balkans.