Erasing lines: Territorial cooperation, sovereignty and European construction (1948-1980)

Abstract

The process of European integration, controlled by nation-states, has generated supranational dynamics affecting the sovereignty of the states themselves. The border, one of the most visible symbols of national sovereignty, has been overcome in physical and economic —though not legal— terms. This was achieved first, by the creation of the customs union and later by the single market. In this area of overcoming boundaries, local and regional actors have played a leading role through territorial and cross-border cooperation. Using bibliographical and documentary sources, mainly from the European Navigator, this study analyzes the origins of the early cooperation structures located on the bank of the Rhine, in Frisia and in the Nordic countries. We specifically focus on who these actors were, what their motivations, goals and characteristics were, their Europeanization and the role of the nation-states. The conclusion reached leads us to argue that, if in fact new transnational spaces are established, the objectives of these structures have more to do with local economic development than with identity factors that challenge existing national sovereignty.