The Role of Cross-Border Territorial Development. Evidences from Albania

Since the beginning of the European integration process, cross-border cooperation has become pivotal to any European Union (EU) programme. In the last thirty years, the Western Balkan countries have been targeted by several EU cross-border and transnational initiatives aiming at a better regional and spatial integration. The scope of this chapter is to show if and how cross-border cooperation (CBC) is contributing to a better spatial integration of Albania with the rest of the region and the EU member states. The chapter discusses the importance of CBC as a new way of exploring the transnational dimension of territorial development by shedding more light on its constitutive dimensions (political, economic, socio-cultural and territorial). After a brief discussion on the role of European Territorial Cooperation, the chapter deals with identifying the forms and tools of cross-border cooperation in the Western Balkan Region that have been adopted. In its core part, the contribution focuses on cross-border cooperation and territorial development experiences in Albania by illustrating how cross-border cooperation is becoming important in softening country borders and contributing for a better EU spatial integration.