Association of European Border Regions
A membership organization representing border and cross-border regions and promoting cross-border cooperation in Europe and beyond.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) is a membership organization for European border regions, cross-border regions, and related institutions. It represents the interests of territories affected by national borders and works to make their shared challenges, opportunities, and development projects more visible to public authorities and European institutions. Its central field of activity is cross-border cooperation, commonly understood as collaboration between neighboring territories separated by an international border. AEBR originated in discussions about a dedicated organization for border regions held at an international regional-planning conference in Basel in 1965. After several years of preparation, representatives of ten European border regions met on 17–18 June 1971 and established the Standing Conference of European Border Regions. The organization was subsequently known as the Association of European Border Regions. Alfred Mozer was elected its first president. The association serves both as an advocacy platform and as a practical cooperation network. Its objectives include representing the collective interests of border and cross-border regions before national and international institutions, supporting the creation of cross-border structures, encouraging the exchange of experience, coordinating common positions, and helping members develop projects and programs. Its work addresses issues that can be complicated by borders, including territorial cohesion, transport, healthcare, employment, rural and mountainous development, maritime cooperation, and relations with external borders. AEBR engages with the European Union, the European Parliament, the European Commission, the European Committee of the Regions, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Council of Europe and its relevant bodies. Through these relationships, it seeks to ensure that the practical effects of borders are considered in legislation, funding programs, regional policy, and institutional decision-making. The organization is governed by a General Assembly and an Executive Committee. The General Assembly elects the president and Executive Committee, decides on membership applications, and determines member contributions. The Executive Committee includes the president, treasurer, vice-presidents, and representatives of border and cross-border regions. It adopts positions on significant issues, maintains institutional relationships, and appoints the Secretary General. Advisory committees, forums, task forces, and working groups provide additional expertise from public authorities, researchers, associations, and other stakeholders. AEBR's membership has included approximately 100 border and cross-border regions representing more than 200 component border regions within and beyond the European Union. Membership categories include full members with voting rights, non-voting members with observer status, and advisory members such as individuals, institutions, associations, and research bodies working on cross-border cooperation. The organization's working languages reflect the diversity of its membership and have included German, English, French, Polish, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Russian. Its main office is in Gronau, Germany. AEBR has also operated a project office in Berlin, an antenna in Brussels hosted at the Office of Extremadura, and information centers for Ukraine in Kharkiv and for the Balkans in Novi Sad. Its activities have included European cooperation projects, studies for public institutions, support for cross-border workers, youth volunteering, territorial research, cultural exchange, and advisory work on legal and administrative barriers. AEBR is an active institutional network rather than a commercial consumer brand, and its principal outputs are representation, policy advice, project coordination, information, and knowledge exchange.
History
The institutional roots of the Association of European Border Regions lie in the growing recognition during the 1960s that national borders created distinctive planning, administrative, and economic problems for neighboring territories. At the 1965 International Regional Planning Conference in Basel, participants discussed the idea of creating a permanent union for border regions. The proposal reflected the emergence of cross-border regional initiatives in Western Europe and the need for local and regional authorities to address issues that could not be solved effectively by one side of a border alone. Following several years of preparation, representatives of ten European border regions met on 17–18 June 1971 and founded the Standing Conference of European Border Regions. Alfred Mozer became its first president. The organization later adopted the name Association of European Border Regions, under which it became a continuing platform for border and cross-border territories. AEBR developed around four connected functions. First, it sought to explain the specific conditions of border regions to national governments, European institutions, and international organizations. Second, it represented the shared interests of those regions in debates about regional development and European integration. Third, it initiated and coordinated practical cooperation between neighboring territories. Fourth, it enabled members to exchange experience and formulate common responses to recurring problems, including differing laws, administrative procedures, infrastructure systems, labor markets, public services, and political priorities. Over time, AEBR established working relationships with the European Union and its institutions, including the European Commission, European Parliament, Committee of the Regions, and European Economic and Social Committee. It also worked with the Council of Europe, its Parliamentary Assembly, its Congress, and expert bodies concerned with border issues. These relationships positioned AEBR as an intermediary between territorial authorities and institutions responsible for European policy, cohesion, territorial development, and cross-border funding. The association's governance is based on member representation. Its General Assembly decides on membership applications and contributions and elects the president and Executive Committee. The Executive Committee includes the president, treasurer, vice-presidents, and representatives of border and cross-border regions. It develops organizational positions, cooperates with public institutions and partner organizations, and appoints the Secretary General. AEBR can also establish committees, forums, advisory structures, task forces, and working groups. Its advisory committee for cross-border cooperation brings together researchers and practitioners who can provide recommendations on institutional and operational barriers. AEBR's project portfolio expanded beyond advocacy. Recorded activities include the INTERREG IIIC Regional Framework Operation project "Change on Borders," a European Commission study on legal instruments for decentralized cooperation, the ULYSSES project under the ESPON program, the SCULTBORD cultural-learning project, and work on information for cross-border workers. The association also participated in initiatives concerning cross-border cooperation in Latin America and West Africa, including work related to regional integration and sustainable development. Later programs included Interreg Volunteer Youth and b-solutions, which addressed practical obstacles to cross-border cooperation. The association has also produced maps, newsletters, electronic newsflashes, studies, discussion papers, opinions, and proposals. These publications have covered border cooperation areas, territorial cohesion, transport, health, rural and mountainous regions, maritime territories, and external borders. Its activities have therefore combined political representation, project implementation, research, communication, and member services. AEBR's main office is in Gronau, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Its organizational presence has also included a project office in Berlin, a Brussels antenna hosted by the Office of Extremadura, and information centers for Ukraine in Kharkiv and for the Balkans in Novi Sad. Its membership model accommodates full members, observer or non-voting members, and advisory participants. The network has represented roughly 100 border and cross-border regions comprising more than 200 border regions within and outside the European Union. The organization remains active as a specialized European regional network whose work is centered on strengthening cooperation across national boundaries.
- 2017
Interreg Volunteer Youth and b-solutions activities
[1]AEBR's listed project activities included Interreg Volunteer Youth from 2017 to 2020 and b-solutions from 2017 to 2021.
- 2009
Electronic newsflash introduced
[1]The association's documented communications included an electronic newsflash published from 2009 onward.
- 2007
Publication of border-cooperation review and maps
[1]AEBR's documented publications included reviewed maps of cross-border cooperation areas and the study Cooperation between European Border Regions: Review and Perspectives.
- 2003
Launch of Change on Borders project
[1]AEBR participated in the INTERREG IIIC Regional Framework Operation project Change on Borders, recorded as running from 2003 to 2007.
- 1971
Standing Conference of European Border Regions established
[1]Ten European border regions met on 17–18 June and created the organization that later became known as the Association of European Border Regions. Alfred Mozer was elected its first president.
- 1965
Initial proposal for a border-region organization
[1]The idea of establishing a permanent union for border regions was discussed at the International Regional Planning Conference in Basel.
Products and positioning
A European network and advocacy platform focused on making cross-border regions more influential in policymaking and helping them overcome legal, administrative, economic, social, and infrastructural barriers created by national borders.
Institutional representation · 1971
Cross-border cooperation advocacy
AEBR represents the common interests of border and cross-border regions in dealings with European, national, and regional authorities. Its advocacy explains the practical effects of borders and promotes policies that support territorial cohesion, mobility, public services, economic development, and cooperation between neighboring territories.
Research and information
Policy studies and publications
The association produces or supports studies, maps, newsletters, electronic updates, discussion papers, opinions, and proposals related to border cooperation. Topics documented in its work include transport, healthcare, rural, mountainous and maritime regions, cohesion policy, territorial approaches, external borders, and legal instruments for decentralized cooperation.
European cooperation programs
Cross-border project coordination
AEBR participates in and coordinates projects designed to improve cooperation between neighboring regions. Its documented portfolio includes INTERREG, ESPON, Grundtvig, Interreg Volunteer Youth, b-solutions, and projects concerning Latin America, West Africa, Ukraine, and other border contexts.
Information and advisory services · 2012
Border-region information services
Information activities support border regions, institutions, and people affected by cross-border rules. Documented work includes improving information for cross-border workers and maintaining or collaborating with information centers for Ukraine in Kharkiv and the Balkans in Novi Sad.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017Interreg Volunteer Youth
Europe
AEBR participated in Interreg Volunteer Youth, supporting youth involvement in cross-border and territorial-cooperation activities.
Outcome. The documented participation ran from 2017 to 2020; no further outcome is specified in the supplied material.
- 2017b-solutions
European Union border regions
AEBR participated in b-solutions, an initiative addressing legal and administrative obstacles that prevent or complicate cross-border cooperation.
Outcome. The documented activity ran from 2017 to 2021; the supplied material does not give a separate impact assessment.
- 2012Information for cross-border workers
European border regions
AEBR participated in European Union projects intended to improve information available to people working across national borders.
Outcome. The source material confirms the activity but does not describe its measurable outcome.
- 2010SCULTBORD
Europe
The Grundtvig project SCULTBORD, or Spreading Culture on Border Regions, addressed cultural exchange and learning in border territories.
Outcome. The documented project period was 2010–2012; no further outcome is specified in the supplied material.
- 2010Cross-border cooperation in Latin America
Latin America
AEBR carried out EU-related work on cross-border cooperation in Latin America, including contributions connected with regional integration and integrated, sustainable development along the Paraná axis.
Outcome. Activities are documented for 2010, 2012, and 2013; the supplied material does not state a consolidated outcome.
- 2010Cross-border cooperation in West Africa
West Africa
AEBR supported work examining opportunities for cross-border cooperation in West Africa and its contribution to regional integration.
Outcome. The supplied material identifies the activity but does not provide a completion result or impact assessment.
- 2009ULYSSES
Europe
AEBR took part in the ULYSSES project within the ESPON program, linking territorial research with the needs of border and cross-border regions.
Outcome. The documented project period was 2009–2012; the supplied material does not specify a separate campaign outcome.
- 2003Change on Borders
Europe
AEBR participated in the INTERREG IIIC Regional Framework Operation project Change on Borders, which focused on experience and cooperation among border regions.
Outcome. The documented project period was 2003–2007; no additional outcome is specified in the supplied material.
Sources2 sources
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