The cooperation between the federal state of Berlin and Brandenburg, the federal state that surrounds it, is unique in the German federalist system. The number of joint authorities, courts, offices, institutions, and agencies is constantly on the rise. Our close cooperation is now based on 20 state treaties and countless other agreements.
In a joint cabinet meeting in November 2007, the two state governments underscored their desire to create a partnership that goes far beyond a neighborly relationship. Berlin and Brandenburg will be working together to further build up the region’s health care sector, for instance. In pursuit of this goal, the cooperation network “Health Capital Berlin-Brandenburg,” whose members include 30 different institutions in the two states, has already been established and a master plan has been drawn up.
Berlin and Brandenburg also want to step up their cooperation in the area of education. Starting in 2010, the two states will be administering joint university entrance examinations and centralized final examinations for students completing the 10th grade.
The two states’ key cooperative project – and at the same time a symbol of their cross-border activities – is the construction of the airport Berlin-Brandenburg International (BBI) and the development generated by the new airport in the surrounding area. As the largest infrastructure project in both states, the airport plays a huge role in helping the capital city region to grow together.
