The bill approving the Franco-German agreement on cross-border apprenticeships was passed in France on 13 February. Already ratified in Germany in July 2024, this agreement makes it easier for French and German apprentices to complete their practical training in companies on the other side of the border (on the German side in the Länder of Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland).
On March 12th, 2025, the working group on cross-border observation was held in Paris. Organised jointly by the French national agency for territorial cohesion (ANCT) and the MOT, it brought together about thirty observation experts and stakeholders from cross-border territories to discuss the data available and their current projects.
Transport, housing, health, employment, governance: these are some of the key subjects addressed in the 55 concrete proposals aimed at ‘removing everyday obstacles’ and ‘strengthening cross-border dialogue’. In our exclusive interview with Brigitte Klinkert, MP for Haut-Rhin and author of the report, find out more about the concrete proposals on these key topics.
Following publication of the final report and blueprints for each pilot site in the ‘Building more resilient cross-border regions’ project run by the OECD and DG REGIO, the Nord Lorrain Metropolitan Border Pole gives us its views on the work carried out, its contributions and the specific needs of the territory which is one of the pilot sites.
Following publication of the final report and blueprints for each pilot site in the ‘Building more resilient cross-border regions’ project run by the OECD and DG REGIO, the Cerdagne cross-border hospital - one of the pilot sites - gives us its views on the work carried out, its contributions and the specific needs of the area.
The Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Directorate-General of the European Commission launched a call for proposals "EURES cross-border partnerships and EURES cross-border initiatives".
On March 6th and 7th, 2025, a seminar entitled ‘The Quirinal Treaty and the maritime border, Corsica and the maritime living area: a relevant concept for close cross-border cooperation’ was held in Bastia.
On 3 February 2025, the study ‘Energy planning at the cross-border catchment area level’, proposed in the MOT's 2025 work programme and supported by the Strasbourg Eurometropole, the Strasbourg-Ortenau Eurodistrict and the Banque des territoires, was launched.
At the end of February 2025, Véronique Guillotin, the Senator for Meurthe et Moselle, tabled an amendment concerning border hospitals.
The handbook aims to shed light on the complexities of labor markets in cross-border regions.
Last month, the European Commission published an important communication: The road to the next multiannual financial framework (MFF). This document outlines the priorities for the future EU budget post-2027, including greater flexibility to better respond to crises, overall simplification, and investments that are more in line with EU priorities.
On 12 February 2025, the third edition of the Cross-border Encounters organised by the Pays Basque Conurbation Community brought together experts and political decision-makers from all over the Basque Country and Europe, to make the voice of cross-border territories heard in the construction of the European Union.
On February 6th, 2025, the second meeting of the Franco-Italian Border Cooperation Committee set up by the Quirinal Treaty was held in Nice It follows the meeting held in October 2023 in Turin. The MOT was present at this meeting.
On January 30th, 2025, a cross-border workshop was held in Dunkirk on the subject of land preservation. This workshop took place as part of a mission that the MOT is carrying out for the Banque des territoires, in order to analyse the impact of limited-land-use policies on the French-Flemish cross-border territory, with a focus on the Dunkirk area and the province of West Flanders.
February 1st, 2025 marked the launch of DG REGIO's Resilient Borders initiative, co-managed by the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) and the MOT. Its aim is to help border regions strengthen their resilience in the face of crises, with the selection of twenty pilot projects that will have to draw up a cross-border governance plan responding to a specific issue in their territory.
Last month the European Commission published its ‘Handbook on Cross-border Energy Communities’. This document provides a broad overview of how to establish and manage cross-border energy initiatives while contributing to the energy transition and European cohesion objectives.
As part of the Interreg VI Grande Région programme and the SaarMoselle functional area, the MOT is a beneficiary partner in the PRISMA project (‘Projet d'aménagement d'information et d'observation pour un projet d'agglomération SaarMoselle’) for a period of three years, from 2024 to 2026.
On December 18th, the European Commission published a report on cross-border work in Europe. Based on Eurostat data, it highlights the nature, distribution and destination of flows of cross-border workers in European Union and EFTA countries.
The MOT supports cross-border cooperation at all levels and across the globe. Alongside UN-Habitat UNI experts from Heritopolis (www.heritopolis.org) and professionals from a wide range of disciplines and countries, it is contributing to the Anthedon initiative, a vision for the future of Gaza and its integration into a cross-border metropolitan region connected with Israel and neighbouring countries.
Borders in Globalization (BIG) Lab at the University of Victoria is launching a Call for Policy Proposals on academic and policy research related to cross-border management issues and challenges. Topics include border management: border law, trade, mobility, security, artificial intelligence, etc.
With the participation of Haut-Rhin MP and former minister Brigitte Klinkert, and Sandro Gozi MEP, the MOT held its first General Assembly of the year by videoconference on Thursday January 30th. Its president, Christian Dupessey, mayor of Annemasse and president of the Pôle métropolitain du Genevois français, was joined by more than 60 participants who are members of the network.
Find out about the observation resource sites that were presented!
As part of the Franco-Italian friendship reaffirmed by the Quirinal Treaty, the autonomous region of Aosta Valley and the Haute-Savoie department have formalised their cooperation by signing a strengthened partnership agreement on the 23rd and 24th of January 2025.
On February 8th, 2025, Nova Gorica and Gorizia will launch their European Capital of Culture (ECoC) 2025 journey, marking a historic first for a cross-border ECoC.
