CCBC Secures €1.3million PEACEPLUS Funding to Support Cross-Border Workers and Employers

The Centre for Cross Border Cooperation is delighted that it has been awarded funding for the Border People FLOW – Fostering Labour Openness and Workforce – mobility project.

The project is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

Beginning in February 2026, the Border People FLOW project will support cross-border workers and employers to improve their ability to access opportunities and skills from both jurisdictions. The initiative will:

• Enhance workers access to cross-border information and support
• Strengthen the cross-border capacity of advice services and support
  organisations
• Drive policy and systems change to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving
  employment landscape.

Focusing on effecting strategic policy change by generating a bank of evidence on the challenges and opportunities in the region, Border People FLOW will seek solutions by exploring how other border regions enable their local labour markets to flourish.

CCBC Director, Anthony Soares, stated “Border People FLOW represents a significant step forward in creating a more connected and resilient all-island labour market. By generating evidence on challenges and opportunities, and learning from other border regions, we aim to influence strategic policy change that benefits workers, employers, and public systems alike.”

The initiative draws upon the expertise of project partners North Connacht and Ulster Citizens Information Service, Community Advice Newry, Mourne and Down, and Advice NI.

NCUCIS Regional Manager, Sharon Dillon said “Cross-border employment creates unique opportunities and complexities. Border People FLOW will help us provide tailored support and advocate for systems that work for everyone in the region.”

From a policy standpoint Kevin Higgins, Advice NI, explained “By examining data from each jurisdiction with a cross-border perspective, we can uncover patterns and gaps that are often invisible when viewed in isolation.”

Kellie Murray, CANMD, shared that Border People FLOW isn’t just about cross-border employment, “It’s about strengthening communities. When workers and employers can access fair opportunities it creates stability for families, supports local economies, and fosters a sense of shared prosperity in the region.”

Border People FLOW is one of nine successful projects and SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre said: “These nine projects demonstrate the importance of collaboration in key areas that will benefit citizens. From a fire and rescue cross-border framework to tackling social exclusion and poverty at current levels, these projects demonstrate how we can find cross-border solutions to challenges that exist on both sides of the border.”