News

  • EU-Switzerland agreements: a decisive step forward for free movement and cross-border cooperation

    EUROPE

    EU-Switzerland agreements: a decisive step forward for free movement and cross-border cooperation

    February 2025

    On December 20th, 2024, after more than ten years of negotiations, the European Union and Switzerland concluded a set of agreements aimed at strengthening their bilateral relations. These agreements, which have yet to be approved by the Swiss parliament, will have repercussions for Franco-Swiss cross-border cooperation and freedom of movement. Relations between the EU and Switzerland are governed by more than 120 bilateral agreements.

  • The results of the study ‘360° Vision of the Jura Mountains: towards a cross-border diagnosis’ available

    MOT

    The results of the study ‘360° Vision of the Jura Mountains: towards a cross-border diagnosis’ available

    January 2025

    Since March 2023, the Commission for the planning, development and protection of the Jura mountains (Massif du Jura) and the MOT have been working on a cross-border territorial study of the Franco-Swiss massif.

  • Reform of border worker unemployment, a resolution proposes reforming the system at European level

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    Reform of border worker unemployment, a resolution proposes reforming the system at European level

    January 2025

    In France, resigning minister Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet announced on December 3rd, 2024 that the controversial reform of border worker unemployment would be abandoned. This measure, which would have reduced benefits for border workers, was met with strong opposition, particularly in eastern France.

  • An INSEE study provides a detailed analysis of the journeys made by cross-border workers on France's borders

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    An INSEE study provides a detailed analysis of the journeys made by cross-border workers on France's borders

    Janvier 2025

    In 2021, border workers travel an average of 34 km to get to work, compared with 14 km for non-border workers living in the same areas. The majority go by car. 18% of them have journeys of 50 km or more, and there are significantly more of these long journeys than in 2010.

  • The MOT launches the 'Cross-border Zoom', its first publication on cross-border observation!

    MOT

    The MOT launches the 'Cross-border Zoom', its first publication on cross-border observation!

    November 2024

    As part of its mission to analyse and support border territories, the MOT is launching a new series of publications dedicated to cross-border monitoring. This first issue is devoted to a key topic: the dynamics of the economy and employment in cross-border contexts, and more specifically the flows of cross-border workers on the French borders. In French only.

  • In France, an agreement has been reached on unemployment insurance, including the question of cross-border workers

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    In France, an agreement has been reached on unemployment insurance, including the question of cross-border workers

    November 2024

    At the beginning of October, the French government relaunched negotiations on the unemployment insurance agreement, handing over the reins to the social partners and calling for ‘additional savings of 400 million euros from next year’, while suggesting that the issue of cross-border workers, who ‘receive much higher salaries in certain neighbouring countries, particularly Switzerland and Luxembourg’, should be examined.

  • Franco-Swiss healthcare: what proposals can be made to improve the shortage of healthcare workers on the French side?

    TERRITORIES

    Franco-Swiss healthcare: what proposals can be made to improve the shortage of healthcare workers on the French side?

    November 2024

    On October 18th, 2024, a Franco-Swiss symposium on human resources in the health sector was held, organised by the French Ministry of Health and Access to Care and the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). The aim was to bring together representatives of healthcare professionals and administrations, as well as members of parliament and local councillors from areas on the Franco-Swiss border.

  • FEDRE's ten cross-border proposals

    TERRITORIES

    FEDRE's ten cross-border proposals

    November 2024

    A study on the ‘border effect’ around Switzerland, conducted by the Geneva-based FEDRE (Foundation for the Economy and Sustainable Development of the Regions of Europe), sets out ten very concrete proposals in areas such as taxation, culture, health and mobility.

  • Unemployment benefits for cross-border workers - Unédic report

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    Unemployment benefits for cross-border workers - Unédic report

    October 2024

    Each year, the compensation system for cross-border workers represents an additional cost of around 800 M€ for the French unemployment insurance scheme. Following the publication of its report, the Unédic, that manages French unemployment insurance, is calling for a renegotiation of agreements with neighboring countries.

  • The role of cross-border territories in Switzerland's new spatial planning strategy

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    The role of cross-border territories in Switzerland's new spatial planning strategy

    October 2024

    The Swiss Federal Council adopted its new spatial planning strategy on June 26th, 2024. It aims to strengthen the various functional areas of the country (conurbations, rural and mountain areas) and runs until 2031. How does this strategy take border areas into account? Could France learn from it?

  • The MOT at SACT partnership meeting

    MOT

    The MOT at SACT partnership meeting

    October 2024

    On October 1st, the Collectivité européenne d'Alsace (European Territorial Authority of Alsace) held its 4th partnership meeting in Strasbourg, devoted to the Schéma alsacien de coopération transfrontalière (Alsace cross-border cooperation scheme).

  • Saint-Dié International Geography Festival (FIG): cross-border alpine spaces in the spotlight

    TERRITORIES

    Saint-Dié International Geography Festival (FIG): cross-border alpine spaces in the spotlight

    October 2024

    The 2024 edition of the Saint-Dié International Geography Festival (FIG), the annual meeting place for French-speaking geographers, will focus on border issues. In addition to this year's theme, ‘Lands’, an opportunity to explore the challenge of ZAN (Net Zero Artificialisation) and its implications, the guest territory for the 2024 edition was a macro-regional area familiar to the MOT network: the Alpine Arc.

  • "StatRhena" plans to create an online platform for Upper Rhine statistical data

    TERRITORIES

    "StatRhena" plans to create an online platform for Upper Rhine statistical data

    September 2024

    The creation of a new online platform, called StatRhena, was announced by the Upper Rhine Interreg program following its monitoring committee meeting on July 9th, 2024.

  • Greater Geneva: a cross-border territorial vision for 2050

    TERRITORIES

    Greater Geneva: a cross-border territorial vision for 2050

    September 2024

    In a meeting in Nyon on July 2nd, 2024, the Assembly of the Local cross-border cooperation group (GLCT) of Greater Geneva laid the foundations for its “Cross-border territorial vision for 2050”.

  • Did you say "cross-border living areas"?

    MOT

    Did you say "cross-border living areas"?

    May 2024

    For over a year, the MOT has been conducting an experiment on “cross-border living areas”, supported by seventeen partners in five pilot sites. You can now consult the final report and download our infographic of the study's key takeaways. Don't forget to register for our webinar on June 5th!

  • Joël Giraud's report: "Tomorrow's mountains will be cross-border"

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    Joël Giraud's report: "Tomorrow's mountains will be cross-border"

    May 2024

    The report entitled "Les nouveaux enjeux de développement des territoires de montagne : Pour une montagne vivante en 2030" ("New development challenges for mountain regions: For a living mountain in 2030") by Joël Giraud, Member of Parliament for the Hautes-Alpes, has just been published.

  • A neighborhood grows beyond borders

    TERRITORIES

    A neighborhood grows beyond borders

    April 2024

    A first-of-its-kind partnership in Europe, "3Land" imagines the shared future of a cross-border district on the Dreiländereck, on the French-German-Swiss border. Discover our new project sheet!

  • A new roadmap between Alsace and the Swiss Jura

    TERRITORIES

    A new roadmap between Alsace and the Swiss Jura

    April 2024

    On March 19th, 2024, the Government of the Republic and Canton of Jura and the European Collectivity of Alsace signed a new roadmap. The aim is to redefine the areas of cooperation between the two neighbours for the years 2024 and 2025.

  • Health: what cross-border cooperation objectives for border regions?

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    Health: what cross-border cooperation objectives for border regions?

    March 2024

    Law 2016-41 of 26 January 2016 on the modernisation of France's healthcare system introduced a new "Regional Health Project" (PRS), maintained in principle, with three new components: a 10-year Strategic Orientation Framework (COS), a single 5-year Regional Health Scheme (SRS) and a Regional Programme on Access to Prevention and Care for the Most Deprived (PRAPS).

  • "Cross-border living areas" experiment: initial courses of action developed with local players

    MOT

    "Cross-border living areas" experiment: initial courses of action developed with local players

    January 2024

    For almost a year, the MOT, supported by sixteen partners, has been conducting a "cross-border living areas" experiment on five pilot sites on the French borders: PAMINA Eurodistrict (French-German border), the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis (French-Belgian border), Nord Lorrain - Luxembourg (French-Luxembourg border), Southern Alps - Riviera (French-Italian-Monegasque border) and Franco-Vaud-Geneva conurbation (French-Swiss border)

  • Residence allowance extended to civil servants in the border region with Switzerland

    TERRITORIES

    Residence allowance extended to civil servants in the border region with Switzerland

    January 2024

    The new allowance designed to protect the purchasing power of civil servants in the Franco-Swiss cross-border area, announced on September 28th, 2023 by Stanislas Guerini, the French Minister for Transformation and the Civil Service, was extended on December 12th to 133 municipalities, instead of the 61 initially announced.

  • Development of cross-border transport under the Grand Est CPER

    TERRITORIES

    Development of cross-border transport under the Grand Est CPER

    January 2024

    The 2023-2027 State-Region Plan Contract (CPER) for the Grand Est region provides for more than €2.1 billion in funding for its mobility component.

  • The MOT in Switzerland for a "360° Vision" of the Jura mountains

    MOT

    The MOT in Switzerland for a "360° Vision" of the Jura mountains

    December 2023

    The Commissariat à l'aménagement du Massif du Jura (Jura Massif Planning Commission) has joined forces with the MOT to carry out a cross-border study to take better account of the Franco-Swiss nature of the Jura mountains.

  • "Territorializing housing policy"

    EDITO

    "Territorializing housing policy"

    November 2023

    MOT president Christian Dupessey, mayor of Annemasse, reflects on the issue of housing in border areas, following Minister Stanislas Guerini's announcement of a cost-of-living allowance for public servants affected by the real estate pressures associated with Switzerland's proximity. Read his editorial!

  • Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Switzerland: cross-border issues at the heart of discussions

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Switzerland: cross-border issues at the heart of discussions

    November 2023

    President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Switzerland on November 15th and 16th, 2023, at the invitation of the Swiss Federal Council, put the spotlight on cross-border issues.