The most important form of cooperation between cross-border regions became the cooperation within the frame of the trans-border association "Euroregion "Bug".
Developing of the idea of Euroregion creation at the junction of Belarus, Ukraine and Poland was conducted since 1992. However the trans-border association "Euroregion "Bug" has been formed only in September, 1995. Members of the "Euroregion "Bug" from the beginning were: Volynsk region of the Ukraine, Lublin, Chelm, Tarnobrzeg and Zamosc provinces of the Republic of Poland.
As the association from the moment of formation and till today is the formation of open type, in May, 1998 into the composition of its actual members entered Brest region of the Republic of Belarus and Biala-Podlaska province of the Republic of Poland.
After the conducted administrative reform in Poland the members of the trans-border association "Euroregion "Bug" are Brest region of the Republic of Belarus, Lublin province of the Republic of Poland and Volynsk region of the Ukraine. As associated members of the "Euroregion "Bug" 2 districts of Lvov region adjoining to the borders of Poland have come.
Since June, 1996 the "Euroregion "Bug" is a member of Association of European Border Regions.
The Euroregion is situated on the territory of 80 thousand sq.m., its population exceeds 5 million person. The largest cities are Lublin, Brest, Lutsk, Baranovichi, Pinsk. Through the territory of the Euroregion pass the major communication ways connecting the countries of Western Europe with Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine pass. There are on its territory passenger and commodity boundary crossing points of European significance.
About natural resources of the "Euroregion "Bug" speaks foundation of the landscape reserve «Pribuzhskoe Polesye» (on the territory of Belarus), and also 4 National parks:
- Belovezhskaya pushcha (Belarus), the area makes 87,6 thousand hectares, which includes the unique in Europe primeval forest reserve with thousand kinds of unique animals and plants;
- Polesskiy park (Poland);
- Rostochanskiy park(Poland) with rare landscapes, combining flat hills, scarp slopes and deep incised valleys;
- Shatskiy park (Ukraine), including 22 lakes of karst and post-karst origin.
The trans-border association "Euroregion "Bug" has the following structure of management: Council (10 members from each country), Presidium of Council (one representative from each country with alternating appointment of presiding), Secretariat, a revision committee and working groups on the chosen directions of cooperation.
The previous sitting of the Council "Euroregion "Bug" took place in August, 2006 in the city of Brest. During the sitting full powers of the presiding side are delegated to Volynsk region, where the representatives of the Council will meet this year.
National offices of Secretariat were created in the cities of Brest, Lutsk and Chelm with a view to manage the activity of "Euroregion "Bug".
The basic directions of "Euroregion "Bug" activity are further development of winning economic relationships, cooperation at social and cultural spheres, also on the questions of ecology, prevention of emergency situations.
On these directions are formed and work the following joint working groups:
- Spatial planning, infrastructure, communal sphere, transport and connection;
- Protection and improvement of the environment;
- Enlargement of information and database creation;
- Cooperation between organisations and various branches of economy;
- Education, public health care, culture, sport and tourism;
- Contacts of local authority bodies with population;
- Safety, cooperation of law-enforcement bodies and liquidation of precarious situations.
The Plan of action on intensification of trans-border cooperation within the frame of "Euroregion "Bug" for the years 2007-2008 was approved in March, 2007. At the present day work on fulfillment of the plan is carried out.
The "Euroregion "Bug" participates active in preparation and realization on its territory the projects of international technical assistance, first of all, within the framework of Neighbourhood programme «Poland-Belarus-Ukraine» 2004- 2006. A big attention to development of a new programme of trans-border cooperation «Poland-Belarus-Ukraine» within the frame of the European Instrument of Partnership and Neighbourhood for the years 2007-2013 is given.