The connection between the Alto Minho and Galicia has been, over the centuries, a vehicle for common development of the Iberian territory and an opportunity for strategic partnerships in areas such as mobility, culture, biodiversity and the local economy. The author, Marina Gonçalves, a deputy elected for Viana do Castelo, argues that life in this cross-border territory coexists daily with the presence of people who live, work, study and consume on both banks, increasingly functioning as a single territory.
However, the article warns of clear weaknesses in leveraging this strategic positioning, particularly in areas such as mobility and related infrastructure, health, employment and the economic development of the entire cross-border region. The author argues that, despite this reality, separate governance models continue to exist in many common aspects.
Marina Gonçalves proposes several measures to improve cooperation, including strengthening common road and rail infrastructure, such as the High Speed case, with more Iberian solutions. She also advocates for greater coordination of public services, especially in the health sector, as well as more similar fiscal, administrative and social policies between the two countries, taking into account the number of cross-border workers. The author also calls for strengthening the geographical and institutional union promoted by the Minho River.
The author concludes that current cooperation is not sufficient for the common challenges facing the territory. She acknowledges that there are already positive developments, such as the creation of Eurocities, joint projects and strategies and European Groupings of Cross-Border Cooperation, but states that the need to break the administrative barriers still existing between the two territories remains evident.
