13 May Rio Minho EGTC advances the development of the Rio Minho Urban Agendas under the REDE_GOV_MINHO project

The Rio Minho European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (Rio Minho EGTC) organised two working sessions dedicated to presenting the Work Plan for the Development of the Rio Minho Urban Agendas, an initiative being carried out within the framework of the REDE_GOV_MINHO project, co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg VI-A Spain–Portugal (POCTEP) 2021–2027 Programme.

The sessions brought together institutional representatives and technical staff from Portuguese and Galician municipalities in a participatory process aimed at building a shared vision for the Rio Minho cross-border territory and strengthening an increasingly structured, mature and results-oriented cooperation framework.

Over recent years, the Rio Minho has established itself as a benchmark territory within the Iberian and European context of cross-border cooperation. The geographical, historical and cultural proximity between municipalities on both riverbanks has been transformed into a solid foundation for institutional collaboration, reflected in joint projects, Eurocities, technical networks and territorial development initiatives.

However, the territory faces increasingly complex challenges, particularly in the areas of mobility and connectivity, demographic ageing, the retention of young people and talent, access to housing, economic competitiveness, digital transition, environmental sustainability and the efficient provision of services.

In the case of the Rio Minho cross-border territory, these challenges extend beyond administrative boundaries and require coordinated approaches between Portuguese and Galician municipalities.

It is within this context that the Rio Minho Urban Agendas emerge as modern instruments for joint planning, aligned with European priorities and adapted to the realities of a cross-border territory.

This process builds upon the work previously undertaken through various European projects and strategic instruments, particularly the Review of the Rio Minho Cross-Border Strategy 2030, which established priorities in areas such as territorial governance, sustainable mobility, shared identity and culture, economy and employment, and environmental and landscape enhancement.

At this stage, the work focuses on the design and development of two Urban Agendas:

• The first corresponds to the future Agenda Urbana da Eurocidade da Foz do Rio Minho , involving the municipalities of Caminha, A Guarda and O Rosal, with a focus on mobility, culture, tourism and the river economy. The working session took place in A Guarda and included the participation of Roberto Carrero, Mayor of A Guarda, Liliana Silva, Mayor of Caminha, and Ánxela Fernández Callís, Mayor of O Rosal.
• The second relates to the future Agenda Urbana da Eurocidade do Rio Minho, involving the municipalities of Melgaço, Arbo, As Neves, Crecente and A Caniza, focusing on mobility, environment, economy, culture and sport. The working session was held in Melgaço and attended by José Albano Esteves Domingues, Mayor of Melgaço, Horacio Gil Expósito, Mayor of Arbo, José Manuel Alfonso González, Mayor of As Neves, Julio César García-Luengo Pérez, Mayor of Crecente, and Luis Antonio Gomez Piña, Mayor of A Caniza.

During the sessions, the work plan and methodology for developing the Urban Agendas were presented. The process is structured around several phases, including diagnosis, strategic definition and the preparation of an action plan. It also foresees a participatory process between June and September 2026, involving economic, social and institutional stakeholders from across the cross-border territory.

These Urban Agendas aim to strengthen cross-border governance, accelerate the implementation of joint projects, enhance access to European funding, improve mobility and public services, promote natural and cultural resources, attract population and investment, and reinforce the territory’s shared identity.

The Rio Minho cross-border territory possesses the necessary conditions to establish itself as a European example of local territorial cooperation, benefiting from an appropriate scale, accumulated experience, institutional trust and a strong shared identity.

The process now underway represents a further step towards building a more integrated, competitive, sustainable and people-centred territory, reinforcing the capacity to transform borders into bridges and challenges into opportunities.