Cross-Border Cooperation Between Slovenia and Italy

This article is describing cross-border cooperation between Slovenia and Italy, focusing on historical context, current challenges, and economic opportunities in municipalities with ethnic minorities. It should provide some strategic messages for enhancing the representation of Ukrainian municipalities in EU accession negotiations, particularly Chapter 22 Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments.

Historically, Slovenia has two ethnic minorities: Hungarian and Italian. They are representing only 0,4 and 0,2 percent of the total Slovenian population respectively. However, they enjoy full protection. While their past has been marked by geopolitical complexities, modern-day collaboration has transformed challenges into opportunities, fostering mutual development and regional stability. In compliance with the Constitution of Slovenia, the Italian and Hungarian ethnic minorities are guaranteed the right to elect at least one member into the Slovenian Parliament and into the local councils in ethnically mixed territories as well as to all bodies that make decisions that in any way could affect the life of a minority and its problems like public TV and Radio broadcasts.

Following the end of World War II in 1945, geopolitical tensions in Europe reshaped borders, and the Italian-Yugoslav frontier became a focal point of contention. The Trieste area and the Istrian Peninsula, historically diverse and ethnically mixed, emerged as flashpoints due to their strategic importance and cultural complexity. In that period the border between Slovenia as part of Yugoslavia and Italy was formally finalized with the Osimo Agreements, which were signed by Yugoslavia and Italy in 1975. By resolving territorial claims, the treaty paved the way for regional initiatives focusing on economic collaboration, minority protections, and cultural exchange.

Slovenia's Independence and EU Accession

Slovenia’s independence in 1991 and subsequent EU accession intensified the need for coordinated border management and economic cooperation. Slovenia's EU membership in 2004, and Schengen Zone membership in 2007, marked a milestone in cooperation, removing internal borders, thus facilitating trade and mobility. It led to greater economic opportunities, including cooperation between chambers of commerce. A major boost for Italy-Slovenia cooperation has been EU funding for cross-border projects.

Focusing on linguistic minorities issues, the Italian community has the right to education in its own language and to its design and development of this education. In Italy, there are some public schools with Slovenian language in Trieste, Gorizia and Udine and San Pietro al Natisone has a comprehensive public institute with Slovenian-Italian bilingual teaching.

The area of cross border cooperation programmes is characterised by a presence of cultural and linguistic identities, including the Italian minority living in the four Istrian municipalities of Obalno-kraška region of Slovenia and the Slovenian minority living at Italian side of the border in the Frilui Venezia Giulia region. The Slovenian minority is protected by the Italian law 482/1999 and specifically by law 38/2001 as well as by the regional law 26/2007. The Italian national minority enjoys the privilege of being directly protected by the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia and is entitled to special right to education teaching and training in Italian language.

On both sides of the border, both the Italian and the Slovenian languages are used. Bilingualism varies outside areas with linguistic minorities, differing across geographic regions and age groups. While language is often a barrier, bilingualism is a valuable asset in the border region. It can boost the employability and mobility of cross-border workers and enhance labour market competitiveness. Bilingual cross-border areas offer significant potential. Cross-border commuting is common, facilitated by local border crossings.

The current situation regarding the protection of minorities in Italy and Slovenia is shaped by constitutional guarantees, regardless of the number of minority members. These protections are based on the principle of safeguarding historical communities living in specific regions. Both countries offer similar guarantees in judicial processes, with Slovenia guaranteeing this right in the 1991 Constitution, and Italy acknowledging it after a 1992 Constitutional Court ruling. However, proceedings in exclusively minority languages are not possible in either country. In Italy, the minority flag is displayed in two municipalities where local statutes permit it. In Slovenia, displaying the minority flag in bilingual areas is mandatory by law. Both countries have regular radio and TV broadcasts in minority languages, funded by the state.

National and Regional Development Policies and EU Cohesion Policy

Several EU programs have played a crucial role in fostering cross-border cooperation. These programs facilitate functional areas and problem-solving approaches.

To address the challenges of the cross-border area, building on over 20 years of European cross-border cooperation, program partners in Interreg Italia-Slovenija 2021-2027 adopted a highly innovative and complex action type. The entire allocation of European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) in the program area in Interreg Italia-Slovenija 2021-2027 is 70,8 million EUR, adding also the national co-financing of both countries is 88,6 million EUR. They aim to combine large-scale strategic projects with smaller-scale experimental projects, leveraging past experience and maintaining standard project types.

Thanks to EU support, the cross-border area in Slovenia, in municipality Sežana, has developed a major logistics hub that includes customs operations, transport, warehousing, cross-border transport, and more. On the Italian side, Interporto di Trieste-Fernetti is just 18 km from the Port of Trieste and 30 km from Ronchi dei Legionari Airport, with easy highway and rail connections to cities like Venice, Austria, and Germany. LOG CENTER ADRIA in Sežana is a strategic industrial park of 334,300 m², located near major highways and ports. It serves as a distribution hub for logistics, automotive, and e-commerce businesses. Additionally, the Port of Koper's Adria Terminali, covering 85,000 m², connects directly to the railway network, linking the region to major transport hubs. Together, these facilities form a key logistics center between Graz and Venice.

The logistic centers and transport corridors are located in the cross-border Karst region, which is also unique and quite vulnerable by its natural heritage. To address these challenges, several projects have been implemented, including the strategic KRAS-CARSO project. This project, co-financed under the Slovenia-Italy Cross-Border Cooperation Program 2007-2013, was completed in March 2014 and aimed at the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and Territorial Cohesion. This project promotes the sustainable integration of this unique cross-border area between Slovenia and Italy. The project aims to implement activities that promote sustainable management of natural resources and territorial cohesion through transnational strategies.

16 project partners, together with the lead partner – the Municipality of Sežana – take care of quality and efficient management and visibility of the project. The Interreg Italia-Slovenija 2021-2027 program includes a standard project called KRAS-CARSO II. This project aims to establish the European Group for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) Kras-Carso to manage cross-border tourism and the financing and management of the Kras-Carso UNESCO Global Geopark.

Slovenia’s EU membership has provided an economic advantage, with access to funding and regional projects that drive both sustainable development and connectivity. Business associations and minority organizations continue to play a critical role in bridging these gaps, particularly in areas with ethnic minorities, by promoting cross-border collaboration, addressing issues of language and cultural identity and supporting economic integration. The cooperation framework has driven regional integration and economic development, highlighted by projects such as Interreg and various macro-regional initiatives like European Union Strategy for Adriatic-Ionin macroregion (EUSAIR), European union Strategy for Alpine makroregion EUSALP, and European union Strategy for Danube Makroregion (EUSDR). Despite these successes, challenges persist, including bureaucratic barriers, cultural differences and economic disparities that impact business promotion, particularly in regions with ethnic minorities. However, significant opportunities for growth remain, especially in economic development, cross-border business ventures and expanding minority representation through joint projects and initiatives.

Cooperation Possibilities for Municipalities with Ethnic Minorities

The Nadiža River and the Karst region exemplify successful cross-border cooperation.

• Nadiža-Resia Valley

The Nadiža River, flowing through Slovenia and Italy, links the Nadiža Valley in Slovenia with the Resia Valley in Italy. The area encompasses the municipality of Resia (Rośajanskë Kumün), which joined the newly formed Intermunicipal Union of the Iron and Canal Valleys in 2016 (formerly part of the Province of Udine) within the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. The case study focuses on mountainous area with rich folk traditions and cultural preservation challenges

• Karst Region

The Karst region, known as Kras in Slovenian and Carso in Italian, is a distinctive geological and cultural area located on the Slovenia-Italy border. The entire area covers 340.000 inhabitants of which 228.000 inhabitants on Italian side and 112.000 inhabitats in Slovenia. The Municiplaity of Sežana and City of Trieste, with some smaller municipalities with Slovenian Minority in Italy, are crucial for cross-border cooperation.

In Slovenia, the municipalities in the Karst cross-border area are Hrpelje – Kozina, Divača, Komen and part of Miren – Kostanjevica. These areas did not have a significant Italian-speaking population as historically Italian population was not very much present in non-urban areas and most of the Italians left after the 1954 border establishment. Historically, the cross-border Karst region between Slovenia and Italy has been a hub for cultural and economic exchange.

The strategic KRAS-CARSO project promotes sustainable integration in the Karst region. It promotes the sustainable integration of this unique cross-border area between Slovenia and Italy. Practical guidelines were developed for local public administrations in the Karst region (municipalities in both Slovenia and Italy) to establish uniform criteria for spatial planning and natural resource management.

Strategic Recommendations for Ukraine

Drawing from the experiences of Slovenia and Italy, Ukraine can prepare for EU accession. Chapter 22 of the EU accession process focuses on regional development and cohesion policy, a cornerstone of the EU's commitment to fostering balanced economic, social, and territorial development. For Ukraine, aligning its regional development framework with EU requirements is crucial for advancing integration efforts. The following strategic recommendations outline actionable steps for preparing for EU accesson:

1. Aligning funding strategies with EU standards: Ukraine should harmonize its State Regional Development Strategy (SRDS) with EU requirements to ensure effective participation in EU-funded programs. In particular, optimize EU funds utilization and leverage EU financial instruments, such as territorial cooperation funds, to support capacity building, infrastructure development, and institutional reform including the ethnic minorities support. Cross-Border Cooperation can be particular effective in ethnic minorities´ policy. Initiatives under the European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) framework, focusing on Interreg programs and Macro-Regional Strategies (e.g., the Danube Region Strategy) can be the key factors of successful alignment to EU policies.
2. Strengthening local governance and partnerships: Capacity building should target public and private sector officials, as well as intermediaries like chambers of commerce and economic associations, including those representing ethnic minorities. Prioritize practical knowledge transfer to equip administrators with the skills needed to design and implement EU-compliant projects. As demonstrated in the Italy-Slovenia cross-border region, public-private partnerships are essential for successful EU fund utilization. Establish coordination bodies to foster collaboration between economic operators, regional authorities, and civil society, including ethnic minority associations, to promote sustainable development initiatives.
3. Promote innovation in regional development and strengthen cultural and economic ties: Explore innovative governance models and partnerships, such as European Group for Territorial Cooperation (i.e. EGTC GO). Utilize cooperation frameworks to address historical divisions while fostering mutual economic growth and shared cultural understanding. The region's complex history, marked by shifting borders and socio-political dynamics, underscores the importance of reconciliation and collaboration. Address legacy issues in development of dialogue platforms that encourage the resolution of historical grievances, promoting a unified vision for regional development. Utilize the accessibility of border regions to build bridges between communities, facilitating cross-border mobility, trade and employment.
4. Action plan and monitoring: To ensure effective implementation, Ukraine should establish monitoring mechanisms to evaluate progress towards EU standards. By learning from successful initiatives like the Interreg Slovenija-Italia program and EGTC GO, Ukraine can accelerate its EU accession process and drive sustainable regional development, enhancing socio-economic cohesion both within the country and with neighbouring EU member states.

Strategically, it is essential for Ukraine to leverage existing EU frameworks to advance its cross-border cooperation efforts. Ukraine should even more actively engage in programs under the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), aligning with shared objectives such as sustainable development, environmental quality, connectivity, and digital innovation. Additionally, Ukraine could benefit from creating European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs), a tool that facilitates the integration of cross-border areas. These EGTCs could build on past EU projects and assume the role of managing Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI), thus ensuring streamlined and focused cooperation across borders.

Moreover, in preparation for Ukraine’s EU accession, particularly under Chapter 22 Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments, there are key actions to be taken. This negotiation chapter focuses on how Ukraine will manage regional development and utilize EU funding to enhance territorial cooperation. It is crucial for Ukraine to demonstrate effective representation of the economic and social development of areas with ethnic minorities within the EU accession negotiation structure. Ukraine must ensure that the interests of these areas are reflected in its national, regional, and local strategic documents. EU integration of Ukraine in the field of regional and local development should focus on integrating ethnic minority issues into Ukraine's broader regional development framework and ensuring that social and economic development strategies align with EU cohesion policies.

Furthermore, Ukraine should implement a range of project types to maximize the impact of cross-border initiatives. These could include Standard projects, which would continue established cross-border cooperation practices; Strategic projects, which target key policy objectives such as economic development and sustainability; and Small Project Funds, aimed at supporting experimental, smaller-scale actions that encourage innovative solutions.

The case studies of the Nadiža-Resia Valley and the Karst Region exemplify the potential for successful cross-border cooperation. These regions offer valuable lessons in cultural and natural preservation, sustainable tourism and economic development. The Nadiža-Resia Valley model of linguistic and heritage conservation, alongside the Karst Region’s efforts in tourism, connectivity and economic exchange, presents opportunities for similar cooperation in comparable border regions of Ukraine. These examples underscore the importance of regional long-term planning, international funding and cross-border partnerships in fostering sustainable growth and addressing shared challenges.