THE EGTC RIO MINHO

Who we are?

The European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation of the Rio Minho, hereinafter designated as EGTC Rio Minho, is a legal person under public law, constituted by the Comunidade Intermunicipal do Alto Minho (Intermunicipal Community of Alto Minho) and the Deputación Provincial de Pontevedra, to promote cross-border territorial cooperation.

The EGTC Rio Minho was created under Regulation (EC) No. 1082/2006, of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 5 July, amended by Regulation (EU) No. 1302/2013, of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013, by means of a public deed signed on 24 February 2018, this act having been published in the 2nd Series of the Diário da República Portuguesa of 8 March 2018, registered with the European Committee of the Regions with nº 72 and published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 20 April 2018.

The EGTC Rio Minho aims to facilitate and promote territorial cooperation between its members through territorial cooperation actions, including all actions that, with respect for its competences and the applicable European Union, Portuguese and Spanish legislation, are committed to, by delegation or sub-delegation of national or European entities, for the execution of programs or projects co-financed mainly by the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund or the Cohesion Fund.

Duties

The EGTC Rio Minho, with the objective of contributing to the development and strengthening the economic and social cohesion of its territory, has the following duties:

Articulate the common area and promote territorial cooperation relations in its territory.
Increase institutional cohesion of the intervention territory, promote cross-border cultural and natural heritage.
Promote the territory of the EGTC Rio Minho abroad to enhance the potential of endogenous resources.
Create and consolidate the Rio Minho cross-border tourist brand and other brands at the national and international level.
Execution and management of contracts and agreements concluded within the scope of the development of all actions that allow the EGTC to benefit from the financial instruments adopted or foreseen by the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic, preferably with European funding.
The management of equipment and the operation of cross-border services of general interest, when this is expressly defined by the constituent entities of the EGTC Rio Minho or, where appropriate, by any other entity, through the contracting of the EGTC Rio Minho by the procedures stipulated in the applicable legislation.
The promotion and elaboration of studies, plans, programs and forms of relationship between the associated public entities.
The promotion of cooperation between its members in the territorial scope in which it performs its functions, preferably with funding from the European Union.

Territorial Scope

The Cross-Border Rio Minho is located on the Vigo-Porto axis.
The territorial scope of the EGTC Rio Minho corresponds to:
- in Portugal, the territorial delimitation of the Intermunicipal Community of Alto Minho, made up of 10 municipalities: Arcos de Valdevez, Caminha, Melgaço, Monção, Paredes de Coura, Ponte da Barca, Ponte de Lima, Valença, Viana do Castelo and Vila Nova de Cerveira.
- in Spain, the part of the territory of the Deputación Provincial de Pontevedra, formed by the 16 Galician municipalities bordering the Minho/Miño River: Arbo, A Cañiza, O Covelo, Crecente, A Guarda, Mondariz, Mondariz-Balneario, As Neves, Oia, Ponteareas, O Porriño, O Rosal, Salceda de Caselas, Salvaterra de Miño, Tomiño and Tui.
Extension: 3.312 km²
Population: 376.000 inhabitants, being the most populated border between Portugal and Spain.
Mobility: Most transited Iberian border with 47% of all border crossings between Spain and Portugal.

Territory of the Euroregion Galicia – Northern Portugal

Territory of the EGTC Rio Minho

Geostrategic Situation

The EGTC Rio Minho is strategically located in the center of the Euroregion Galicia – Northern Portugal, playing a fundamental role in the articulation between both territories.

The intense industrial, social, cultural and economic relations of the Euroregion Galicia – Northern Portugal have their epicenter in the territory of the Cross-Border Minho/Miño River.