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International cooperation Legal basis

Establishment of higher territorial units is determined by Constitution of the Slovak Republic that was amended by Constitution law No 90/2001 and that in accordance with its Article 64 paragraph 3 determines existence of self-government of higher territorial units on basis of special law.
In accordance with the article mentioned above, the higher territorial unit is defined as a separate (self-sustaining) territorial self-governing and administrative unit of the Slovak Republic in which the associated entities have permanent residence.
Constitution of the Slovak Republic in its Article No 69 paragraph 4 defines bodies of the higher territorial units which are as follows: Regional Council and President (chairman).

Establishing and competencies of the higher territorial units are determined by Law No 302/2001 on self-government of higher territorial units and Law No 416/2001 (so called “law of competencies”) on changeover of some competencies of state regional authorities (state administration) to municipalities and higher territorial units. In accordance with this law, the higher territorial unit is defined as self-governing region.
In accordance with the laws mentioned above, the self-governing region may in range of its competencies carry out the cooperation with territorial and administrative units or administrative authorities with regional assignment of foreign states; self-governing regions can join the international associations of territorial units or authorities.

International commitments of the Slovak Republic, to which it has contracted by multilateral and bilateral agreements, accords, memorandum of understanding, executive or technical protocols and some other form of the statute, are the legal basis for developing international cooperation. It concerned particularly the signed agreements on cross-border cooperation with the adjacent countries and agreements on commercial and economic cooperation, scientific and technical cooperation, cultural cooperation and etc. with other countries.

International legislative framework for developing cross-border cooperation is represented by European Outline Convention on Transfrontier Cooperation between Territorial Communities or Authorities. It is the part of administrative, technical, economic, social and cultural arrangements in order to support development of cross-border cooperation in way, so it could the best enable the development, stability and mutual understanding between the countries. This Convention, including the Additional Protocol to the European Outline Convention on Transfrontier Cooperation between Territorial Communities or Authorities from November 9, 1995 (concerning the legal impact of acts performed within the framework of cross-border cooperation and the legal status of any cooperating authorities, or alternatively arising out of cross-border cooperation agreements), has become effective in the Slovak Republic on May 2, 2000 and Protocol No 2 to the European Outline Convention on Transfrontier Cooperation between Territorial Communities or Authorities concerning interregional cooperation (legal framework of cooperation between non-neighboring territorial units or authorities) has become effective on February 1, 2001.