“Building Europe across Borders” Award granted to the EGTC Euregio Without Borders for the Civil Protection Agreement between Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Carinthia

Bruxelles, 10 June 2026 - The EGTC Euregio Without Borders received the “Building Europe across Borders” 2026 Award for the cross-border cooperation agreement in the field of civil protection signed on 11 April 2025.

The agreement represents an evolution of the arrangement signed in 2014 between Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Carinthia and has made it possible to overcome critical issues related to the management of emergencies and calls to the European single emergency number (NUE) 112 in border areas. Prior to its implementation, the phenomenon of “involuntary roaming” could result in emergency calls being routed to the neighbouring country instead of the appropriate dispatch centre, causing delays in the activation of rescue services.

Thanks to the coordination of the EGTC Euregio Without Borders, it was possible to develop an innovative system for the direct and automated routing of calls between the NUE 112 control centre in Friuli Venezia Giulia and those in Carinthia. In the first year alone, the system enabled the correct handling of 75 emergency calls, also thanks to a 24/7 interpretation service available in 17 languages, which further enhances accessibility.

The agreement also provides for the connection of the operational centres of the participating territories, the immediate exchange of information in case of emergencies, joint training and exercise programmes, the sharing of data and alerts, as well as mutual assistance procedures between civil protection systems.

The initiative represents a decisive step towards the cross-border integration of emergency systems and is the first operational model of its kind in Europe. At the same time, it strengthens a stable and structured cooperation among the three regions.

The award was presented by the European Committee of the Regions during the annual meeting of the European Cross-Border Platform, an event of particular symbolic significance in the twentieth anniversary year of the creation of European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs). The award was established to highlight good practices and achievements of EGTCs, underlining their added value and strategic role as a tool for European integration.

Among the thirteen submitted applications, the jury selected the project of the EGTC Euregio Without Borders as a concrete example of European cooperation applied to an essential service for citizens’ safety, recognising its innovative nature and its potential for replication in other European cross-border contexts.