The strategic and project levels of cross-border cooperation between Russia and the European Union: similarities and differences
Tarasova, Anastasiia (2021)
Tarasova, Anastasiia
2021
Master's Programme in Leadership for Change
Johtamisen ja talouden tiedekunta - Faculty of Management and Business
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2021-07-05
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202106045691
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202106045691
Tiivistelmä
Cross-border cooperation remains a stable and mutually beneficial form of interaction between the EU and Russia in the last decades. Despite some political contradictions at the highest level and economic burden of sanctions, cross-border cooperation proves to be a crucial channel of interaction being an essential driver of economic and social progress in the Baltic Sea Region.
This research aims at revealing the similarities and differences of strategic and project goals of cross-border cooperation between Russia and the EU based on the case of South-East Finland – Russia, Estonia – Russia, and Latvia – Russia CBC Programmes 2014-2020. The author focuses on the socio-economic sphere, thereby, socio-economic strategic goals and projects within programming Priority 1 “Business and SME development” were selected for the analysis. In the theoretical chapter, the author discusses the concept of “cross-border cooperation”, features of multi-level governance, and its applicability as a theoretical approach to cross-border cooperation analysis as well as a goal-setting process. In the methodological part, the rationale for data collection and the methodology are presented. In the empirical part, the author analyzes relevant for the study European, Russian, joint strategic documents and particular projects, on grounds of that strategic and project goals are determined and profoundly compared.
The author concludes that the European and Russian strategic goals are proportionally reflected in the ENI CBC Programmes and focus on sustaining peaceful relations, developing border regions, and cross-border cooperation as such. However, challenges connected with borders could vary for the EU and Russia. Furthermore, the European and Russian perspectives on the degree of cooperation are different: the EU emphasizes the common space while the Russian side concentrates on good-neighbourliness in general. Despite these differences, there is a significant level of coherence between European, Russian goals and project goals. The objectives are primarily formulated in national concepts and European documents, then they come together in the joint programmes, and, finally, they are reflected in particular projects. The study shows that cross-border cooperation within the ENI CBC Programmes is based on top-down and bottom-up approaches simultaneously: the developers of joint programmes rely on the aspirations of public and private actors. This feature is determined by the appearance of a new system of multi-level connections in the region.
This research aims at revealing the similarities and differences of strategic and project goals of cross-border cooperation between Russia and the EU based on the case of South-East Finland – Russia, Estonia – Russia, and Latvia – Russia CBC Programmes 2014-2020. The author focuses on the socio-economic sphere, thereby, socio-economic strategic goals and projects within programming Priority 1 “Business and SME development” were selected for the analysis. In the theoretical chapter, the author discusses the concept of “cross-border cooperation”, features of multi-level governance, and its applicability as a theoretical approach to cross-border cooperation analysis as well as a goal-setting process. In the methodological part, the rationale for data collection and the methodology are presented. In the empirical part, the author analyzes relevant for the study European, Russian, joint strategic documents and particular projects, on grounds of that strategic and project goals are determined and profoundly compared.
The author concludes that the European and Russian strategic goals are proportionally reflected in the ENI CBC Programmes and focus on sustaining peaceful relations, developing border regions, and cross-border cooperation as such. However, challenges connected with borders could vary for the EU and Russia. Furthermore, the European and Russian perspectives on the degree of cooperation are different: the EU emphasizes the common space while the Russian side concentrates on good-neighbourliness in general. Despite these differences, there is a significant level of coherence between European, Russian goals and project goals. The objectives are primarily formulated in national concepts and European documents, then they come together in the joint programmes, and, finally, they are reflected in particular projects. The study shows that cross-border cooperation within the ENI CBC Programmes is based on top-down and bottom-up approaches simultaneously: the developers of joint programmes rely on the aspirations of public and private actors. This feature is determined by the appearance of a new system of multi-level connections in the region.