Two Generations of Eurocities Along the Northern Section of the Spanish-Portuguese Border

Abstract

This chapter confronts two recent developments of eurocities – a singular term only used in the Iberian Peninsula for referring to twin cities – on the Galician-Portuguese border area. The first generation is based on classical bilateral agreements (Chaves-Verín), while the second one operates as a network of cities under the umbrella of the River Minho European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation. The first individual bilateral agreement between border cities dates from 2007, signed by Chaves (Northern Portugal) and Verín (Galicia). This eurocity is located on the so-called ‘dry border’ (the eastern section of the border), which is inland, rural and depopulated. The ‘dry border’ is opposed to the ‘wet border’: the latter corresponds to the western section of the Northern Spanish-Portuguese border characterised by the lower Miño River and the existence of dynamic and functionally integrated urban areas. On the ‘wet border’ region, three eurocities have recently been created: Tui-Valença, Salvaterra-Monção and Tomiño-Vila Nova de Cerveira. The chapter discusses local cross-border cooperation policies and practices developed under the institutional framework of the so-called eurocities, and how they impact on people’s daily lives.