Managing Multinational Infrastructure: An Analysis of EU Institutional Structures and Best Practices

Abstract

Creating the framework for cross-border infrastructure cooperation often requires the active role of a third party, an “honest broker”, to forge convergence of interests. In this paper, the authors take issue with the myth that transnational cross-border infrastructure cooperation is the result of supra-national decision-making at the EU level. Another myth this paper addresses is that the management of trans- national and cross-border infrastructure is primarily supra-national. Although additional co-financing may be sought from the European Community budget and/or the European Investment Bank, these resources always complement national budgetary allocations and private funding.

Keywords: cross-border infrastructure cooperation, trans-national infrastructure, european union institutions, european union budget, public infrastructure development

JEL Classification: F36, H54, O19