The ITEM annual conference in Groningen will focus on the impact of border regions on security, health and energy supply for the inhabitants of Europe’s internal borders. The current social developments in the fields of energy, health and safety still show that in order to tackle barriers, it is important to work together with partners on both sides of the border to arrive at the right casuistry, a joint concrete agenda and a structural approach. The current discussion around energy and the cross-border aspects involved require stronger inter-governmental governance (multilevel governance).