The Handbook on Cross-Border Energy Communities (CBECs) provides guidance on establishing and managing energy initiatives across EU borders. It helps local actors and policymakers address legal, technical, and administrative challenges while supporting the EU’s energy transition and regional cohesion goals. CBECs facilitate collaborative energy production, distribution, and management, aligning with priorities such as the European Green Deal, market integration, and sustainability.  

These communities offer economic efficiencies, job creation, and energy security but face barriers like misaligned legal frameworks, infrastructure gaps, and socio-cultural differences. The Handbook advocates for enabling frameworks, leveraging mechanisms like the European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) and bilateral agreements adapted for energy projects. A key focus is the social economy's role in fostering CBECs. By emphasising community ownership, cooperative governance, and local engagement, social economy principles enhance public acceptance, ensure inclusive decision-making, and drive regional self-sufficiency. CBECs promote innovation, including social innovation, by integrating shared resources, decentralised production, and participatory financing models.  

Practical case studies, such as "Calorie Kehl-Strasbourg" and "Zusamme Solar! Colmar", showcase successful governance, financing, and technological cooperation. The Handbook outlines essential building blocks for CBECs, including stakeholder engagement, financial strategies, and infrastructure alignment, while recommending harmonised legal frameworks, technical standardisation, and expanded EU funding support (e.g., Interreg, LIFE programs). By overcoming cross-border barriers, CBECs can significantly contribute to Europe’s sustainable energy future, territorial integration, and regional resilience, with the social economy playing a crucial role in ensuring equitable and community-driven energy transitions.