Since 1990, the EU has provided financial support for internal and external cross-border cooperation, helping to establish cross-border programme structures and to implement numerous cross-border projects along the EU’s internal and external borders. Despite the progress made, there are still a large number of cross-border problems, especially along the current (and future) external borders of the EU. EU initiatives demonstrate the potential for improving the quality of strategic and project-based cooperation, but can fall short at the cross-border level. This is increasingly relevant in terms of EU enlargement as cross-border cooperation in these areas is still in its infancy. The overall goal of the operation is to help dismantle borders and border-like barriers in Europe by stimulating new cooperation opportunities between public institutions, local businesses and residents of border regions. The exchange of experience and the dissemination of best practice, particularly in the border regions of the enlarged Europe, will build on the results of existing funding opportunities and assist in the elaboration of new policy approaches and cross-border projects.