Legal Framework for Cross-border Cooperation along the EU’s External Borders in the Western Balkans

Since the last enlargements of the European Union, the importance of European territorial cooperation along the external borders of the EU has increased. The horizontal dimension of European territorial cooperation and cohesion is receiving greater emphasis, and new governance methods are being developed to ensure a coherent framework for interregional, transnational and cross-border cooperation. However, in the last few years, the most recent crises have resulted in more stringent border management procedures, and a securitisation discourse has emerged as a dominant narrative, replacing collaboration. This study examines the legal framework for cross-border territorial cooperation along the EU's external borders in the Western Balkans, paying particular attention to the Hungarian–Serbian border. After providing an overview of the legal framework for cross-border cooperation, the paper analyses how the Council of Europe and the European Union can support the preconditions for institutionalised forms of cross-border cooperation, such as Euroregions and European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs), as well as the involvement of border authorities in such cooperation in Serbia. Finally, it summarises legal alternatives and possible responses to increase the efficiency of cross-border territorial cooperation in the Western Balkans, focusing especially on the Hungarian–Serbian border.