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Yes / We use data from in-depth interviews with business lobbyists in Brussels to investigate why they choose to join lobbying coalitions. We find that lobbyists face two competing institutional incentives. First, they are confronted with incentives to ally with other European organisations, develop multilateral policy messages, and communicate messages to the Commission and the Parliament. Simultaneously, they face inducements to join narrower coalitions, develop bilateral policy messages, and direct those messages at the Council. Lobbyists’ receptivity to these incentives – and thus their choices of lobbying coalitions – differs with their age, educational background, and with the type and ownership structure of the organisations they represent. Combined, our findings contribute to the limited, mainly American literature on interest coalitions by demonstrating that lobbyists operate in complex institutional environments, and that their interpretations of and reactions to institutional complexity are shaped by individual- and organisational-level factors.

The aim of this thesis is to examine the effectiveness of cross-border cooperation as a tool for local/regional development of underdeveloped border regions, and whether it is appropriate for Turkey&rsquo / s border regions. The basic statement is that the trajectories of intense economic relations do not always let cross-border co-operation / it can develop through supportive policies fed by the active participation of cross-border actors. The scope of this study is, - to examine changing theoretical ideas about borders and border relations, - to review some of the important changes affecting the cross-border cooperations / and the implications of transformations in the global mechanisms through new network relations determined within the multi-level governance approach, - to develop a framework for analysing the success of cross-border cooperation, - to discuss the cross-border co-operation trajectories through the world experiences and Turkish case, - to search for a new model This study will focus on a set of theoretical tools involving independent dimensions such as governance, economy and social structure. Along these theoretical perspectives, the importance of a cross-border co-operation for local/regional development will be emphasised through the case of Hopa-Batumi border region. Handling of this case will be an attempt to put forward the opportunities and barriers of a cross-border co-operation for Turkish border regions. This study is developed by the examination of theoretical literature, generating comparative analysis of world experiences with reference to available literature, and Turkish border regions executed with the newspapers archives and legal arrangements, and case study through in-depth interviews.

The diploma thesis deals with cross-border cooperation in the Euroregion Neisse. The Cross-border cooperation is one of the most interesting forms of regional cooperation. Theoretical part of thesis discusses basic terms, history of CBC and its development and importance in regional policy of the European Union, the development of Euroregions and the financing possibilities of CBC in the Czech Republic. The practical part is focused on cross-border cooperation in the Euroregion Neisse, which is the oldest Euroregion in the Czech Republic. The attention is paid mainly to projects implemented in the tourism. Euroregion Neisse has very favourable natural and cultural-historical assumptions for development of tourism. The objective is to evaluate cooperation in tourism in the context of cross-border cooperation in 2007-2013.

Tato diplomová práce podává ucelený přehled o česko-polské přeshraniční spolupráci na příkladu Euroregionu Glacensis. Součástí práce je nezbytné teoretické vymezení euroregionů a dalších přeshraničních struktur, vymezení jejich cílů a principů fungování, legislativní úprava a institucionální zabezpečení. Cílem práce je potvrdit význam a přínos přeshraniční spolupráce v procesu evropské integrace a zhodnotit do jaké míry tyto aktivity naplňují cíle vymezené ve strategii rozvoje ERG. Použitím metody komparace jsou zhodnoceny a srovnány programy, jejichž podpora je pro realizaci těchto rozvojových aktivit nezbytná. Pozornost je věnována předvstupním fondům Phare CREDO a Phare CBC, Iniciativě Společenství INTERREG IIIA a Novému operačnímu programu. Prostřednictvím dotazníkového šetření je zhodnocena informovanost studentů o existenci a aktivitách ERG. Výsledky šetření ukazují rovněž na vztah respondentů k obcím, ve kterých žijí a na jejich vztah k Polské republice.

The presented thesis is analyzing the cross-border co-operation between three units, the Czech-Polish-Slovak Euroregion Beskydy, the Czech-Slovak Bílé-Biele Karpaty and the Czech-Polish Euroregion Silesia. The object of the work is to point out the concrete factors influencing the collaboration in these Euroregions in 2004-2006 period. From the beginning of this date caught the countries, on whose territory particular structures are situated, as the lawful Member States of the European Union draw the financial aid from the Community Initiative INTERREG. An important part of this Initiative, INTERREG IIIA Programme, was in the Multiannual Financial Framework concerned designated to the support of the cross- border co-operation. The criteria are built on the base of the Theory of learning regions, according which the collaboration in cross-border structures is analysed: a milieu, from which the co-operation arised, a participation of the other subjects on the activities of the Euroregion and main areas of the co-operation and knowledge imparted. The priorities specified at the beggining of the partnership are envisaged with the intern setting of the Euroregion and with the projects truly realized in the period defined.

Abstract A predominant academic question is how and why the development paths of municipalities and regions take certain forms. In recent decades, geographers and economists in particular have investigated the dynamics of how local institutional conditions and their local mobilisation can affect development outcomes and how development is determined by “structural” forces such as state- and EU-based regulations and globalisation of the economy. Thus, the notion that historical sensitiveness and context-dependency are essential factors in local and regional development and growth has gained credence. Then again, municipalities and regions are not “islands” of development but integral parts of complex socio-spatial relations and processes. From this viewpoint, border municipalities and regions are eminently interesting research contexts as they are sites where different scalar political interests, institutional structures, and development discourses are continuously manifested, materialised and contested in the daily practices of local and regional actors. Nevertheless, this thesis argues that the existing mainstream studies investigating the development paths and prospects of border regions and municipalities are, firstly, overly EU-centric and, secondly, have an overly limited perspective on the institutional environment and legacy in which local and regional actors operate. The main attention in this regard has often been on the institutional differences between states and nationalities. In order to understand the development prospects of border areas and the preconditions of transnational regionalisation, municipal planning of border areas needs to be approached not only from the perspective of EU-driven cross-border co-operation and building of “transnational” scale, but more comprehensively. Accordingly, the present research on the Finnish-Swedish border area, which is an internal border area of the EU, takes a more historically and contextually sensitive institutional approach in this regard. Investigating the structural and discursive dynamics related to the institutionalisation of cross-border co-operation as a development strategy in the context of municipal planning enables not only identification of the conflicts and intersections between state-, EU- and local/regional-level development interests and institutional structures, but also provides room for recognising the diversity of the existing interests, strategies and motivations of local and regional actors and different interest groups involved in these institutionalisation processes. This thesis suggests that the concept of policy transfer and problematisation of the dynamics of how and why certain development strategies, policies and discourses become selected, implemented and sustained at the border municipalities offers a fruitful theoretical and political framework for examining the abovementioned issues. Accordingly, the thesis studies the intertwined relationship between local agency and the mobilisation of scalar institutional structures in regional planning and policy transfer processes by applying the Cultural Political Economy approach and strategic-relational theory on institutions (see Jessop & Sum 2013) as theoretical-methodological lenses. The thesis consists of three original research articles that form a scalar and temporal continuum. The empirical research is based on interviews conducted with key municipal and regional actors (i.e. planners, politicians, project managers and entrepreneurs), historical document material reaching back to the 1930s, as well as supplementary policy documents produced at various governmental levels. Both critical discourse analysis and content analysis are used as analysis methods. As the dynamics of municipal planning are reflected primarily against the formal institutional planning system in Finland, the study focuses on the Finnish side of the border — the Finnish Tornio Valley and the Kemi-Tornio sub-region. The results underline that the institutionalisation of cross-border co-operation as a key development strategy has been a long path-dependent process in which policy transfer processes and local mobilisation have become intertwined. While the “large-scale” development follows the Finnish national development — the transition from state-led, topdown politics to a more bottom-up, region-based development model — the investigation of these policy transfer processes also shows that the border location and the mobilisation of both the “border region identity” and the EU’s cross-border co-operation policy discourse have had a marked impact on the development path. Accordingly, they have furthered the development towards cross-border regionalisation. Moreover, border municipalities are challenging the state’s authority and the subordinated municipality-state relation by invoking this development. This development, however, is regionally contested and exemplifies the power relations both between municipalities with/without state border as well as between public and private sector actors. In the end, which development strategies become dominant or discarded in a particular context depends on how different actors and interest groups mobilise their privileged positions in relation to surrounding formal and informal institutional structures, such as municipal autonomy, EU cross-border cooperation funding schemes, trust relations, regional identity, and prevailing norms and customs. This research stands as an illustrative example that it is crucial not to consider these context-specific “soft” matters as somehow secondary to “rational” economic reasoning when investigating courses of action and economic development paths. / Original papers The original publications are not included in the electronic version of the dissertation. Jakola, F. (2016). Borders, planning and policy transfer: historical transformation of development discourses in the Finnish Torne Valley. European Planning Studies, 24(10), 1806–1824. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2016.1194808 http://jultika.oulu.fi/Record/nbnfi-fe2019102434646 Jakola, F. (2018). Local responses to state-led municipal reform in the Finnish-Swedish border region: conflicting development discourses, culture and institutions. Fennia - International Journal of Geography, 196(2), 137–153. https://doi.org/10.11143/fennia.69890 http://jultika.oulu.fi/Record/nbnfi-fe201903088103 Jakola, F., & Prokkola, E.-K. (2017). Trust Building or Vested Interest? Social Capital Processes of Cross-Border Co-Operation in the Border Towns of Tornio and Haparanda. Tijdschrift Voor Economische En Sociale Geografie, 109(2), 224–238. https://doi.org/10.1111/tesg.12279 http://jultika.oulu.fi/Record/nbnfi-fe2019102434644

This diploma thesis highlights the issue of the interconnection between the cohesion policy implemented by the European Union and the national regional policy of the Czech Republic and underlines to which extent such coordination influences Czech entities and how they can profit out of it. The thesis focuses on the territorial cohesion and especially on the Operational Programme of Cross-border co-operation between the Czech Republic and the Free State of Saxony. In this thesis you will find an analysis of the needs and requirements for further growth of the studied region, an analysis of projects realized within the examined Programme and consequent appraisal whether the Programme fulfills the essential necessities for further growth of the eligible areas or whether there is potential for some changes to be made for the future programming period of 2014-2020 (which is now being discussed in the institutions of the European Union) in order to achieve higher efficiency and usefulness of the financial resources coming from the budget of the European union and the national budget of the Czech Republic.

The thesis describes development and sense of cross-border co-operation in Czech - Austrian border region especially in Euroregio Silva Nortica. There is described the development of cross-border co-operation from the beginning until programme period 2007-2013 in the theoretical part of the thesis. The practical part is focused on Austrian-Czech border region and analyzes the Operation Programme ETC AT-CZ 2007 2013 and its specific objectives. Then there is characterized Euroregio Silva Nortica, its activities, results and position in cross-border co-operation.

The main objective of this thesis is to analyze the use of the funds of European Union for the development of tourism in the Czech Republic and France and find out what financial resources are invested in the support of tourism and if they are allocated effectively. The comparison between these countries was accomplished by two similar regions Central Bohemian Region and Lower Normandy.