Network Intelligence Studies Volume II, Issue 1 (3), 2014 103 Marcela ȘLUSARCIUC ”Ștefan cel Mare” University, Suceava, Romania MATRIX FOR COOPERATION IN THE CROSS-BORDER AREAS Empirical studies Keywords Cross-border Cooperation Conflict resolution development JEL Classification P25 Abstract The cross-border areas have no constitutional competences, therefore most of the times they are not part of the decision making process in the agreements in cross-border relationships. Although the states are the ones to decide the policies and the agreements based on their own legal rules, considering the shape of the new European Union, they should acknowledge the conditionality of a regional overstate structure linked only to some geographical parts of the countries. The present paper proposes an intuitive frame for assessing the cross-border areas based on the factors that are influencing it, starting from a listing of them, secondly grouping them in factors that support and block the cross-border cooperation, then finding the significant differences. The matrix of factors can be used for conflict resolution or for development of cross-border areas as long as it shows the points that will be a potential obstacle or a source for cooperation.