Declaration of Interdependence

Abstract

We hold these truths to be self-evident that government derives its powers from the people. See here a version of the famous words of the US Declaration of Independence, agreed by a Continental Congress that assembled delegates from across the American colonies. Today, the complexities of selecting delegates would have received a lot of attention. Called upon to articulate and defend the interests of their constituencies, cross-border and overarching issues may end up getting short shrift. Voters and their concerns come first. However, to safeguard, as the Declaration of Independence has it, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the moment may have arrived for a ‘Declaration of Interdependence’, with implications for what I call the production of democratic legitimacy. Should elections continue privileging resident voters?The immediate occasion for discussing this apparently remote issue, is the Cohesion Policy Package 2021–27 of the European Union (EU), proposing a European Cross-Border Mechanism (ECBM) designed to deal with interdependence across national borders. Ever since INTERREG has supported relevant initiatives, the EU has committed to supporting cross-border areas, engaging many planners in the process. However, cross-border relations frequently get short shrift. This is particularly, but not exclusively – think of the so-called refugee crisis – the case in managing COVID-19. What the ECBM suggests is allowing authorities along borders to invoke the rule book of their neighbours so that both sides can follow the same rules. This should minimise border effects to the extent that borders may as well disappear.