A delegation from the EGTC GO, consisting of Director Romina Kocina, Project Managers Micaela Passon and Giulia Bonn, a representative of the Slovenian Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy as an associated partner, and a representative of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region as a key local stakeholder, took part in the study visit organised in Copenhagen, Denmark, from 11 to 14 May 2026 within the framework of the Interreg Central Europe BorderLabs CE project, of which EGTC GO is a project partner.

The study visit was organised by CESCI, an association based in Budapest specialising in the study and analysis of cross-border cooperation in Central Europe and committed to reducing the separating effects caused by state borders. In addition to EGTC GO and CESCI, the project partner Euroregion Nisa, active along the border between the Czech Republic and Poland, also participated in the visit.

During the study visit, the delegation had the opportunity to engage with numerous institutions and organisations involved in territorial cooperation between Denmark and Sweden, including Visit Greater Copenhagen, the Nordic Council, representatives of the STRING Megaregion, Øresunddirekt, and the Øresund Region. Particular attention was devoted to the cooperation models developed between the two countries and to the tools used to address the everyday challenges of cross-border areas.

The delegation also gained deeper insight into the functioning and objectives of the Interreg Öresund–Kattegat–Skagerrak cooperation programme, taking part in a visit to Malmö and crossing the Øresund Bridge, a symbol of cooperation between Denmark and Sweden and a strategic infrastructure for the integration of the entire region. During the visit, participants were also hosted at the Embassy of Sweden in Denmark.

As a project partner, EGTC GO participated in the activity with the aim of strengthening the exchange of expertise and promoting the transfer of good practices useful for the development of the cross-border area of Nova Gorica, Gorizia, and Šempeter-Vrtojba. Among the topics discussed during the meetings were sustainable mobility, the green transition, and above all the analysis of cross-border obstacles encountered daily by citizens and workers.

Particular emphasis was placed on issues related to the movement of workers from one country to another, including fiscal, social security, and insurance aspects, as well as on the tools implemented to simplify these processes. Overcoming cross-border obstacles is in fact a fundamental element in fostering greater territorial integration and generating tangible benefits for the entire cross-border region.

The BorderLabs CE project, “Participatory cross-border governance for transition management in Central European cross-border regions”, is funded under the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE 2021–2027 programme and aims to strengthen cross-border cooperation through the exchange of experiences, knowledge, and good practices among different European contexts, with particular attention to governance models and operational tools adopted in border areas.