Common Ground: Shaping Regions Across Borders

Regions that connect neighboring states - border regions - are special areas that offer a great deal of potential. However, although cross-border relations between Germany and its neighboring countries have stepped up, different administrative structures on both sides of the borders still impede the joint shaping of the regions. With Common Ground, we promote the cross-border participation of the population in the shaping and development of their region. The program aims to establish a unifying culture of participation between politics, administration, civil society, and the local population on both sides of the border. The joint conception, organization, and implementation of cross-border participation processes will address regional challenges, harness underlying potential, and find new solutions. The result should be sustainable cross-border participation structures that last beyond the initial three-year term of the program.