News

TERRITORIES

Craftsmanship of mechanical watchmaking and art mechanics in the Jura Arc listed by UNESCO

On 16 December 2020, UNESCO added craftsmanship of mechanical watchmaking and art mechanics to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This listing gives recognition to an emblematic living tradition in the Franco-Swiss Jura Arc. The candidacy was regarded as exemplary by UNESCO in that it raises awareness of the importance of intangible cultural heritage in a cross-border space

MOT

Supporting the development of cross-border projects along the Grand Est Region's borders

On 9 October 2020, the final conference relating to the study “Analysis of the contributions made by the 2014-2020 cross-border cooperation programmes in the Grand Est Region”, led by the Region within the framework of the European programme Europ'Act and coordinated by the MOT and the Euro-Institut, brought together in the form of a webinar around one hundred participants.

PUBLICATION

"FOCUS", a new thematic brochure by the MOT : "Les massifs aux frontières françaises"*

Mountain areas represent over 40% of France’s borders. Among France’s mountain ranges, three of them are located in border regions: the Jura, the Pyrenees and the Alps. This new brochure sets out their common cross-border issues and challenges, while also highlighting concrete cross-border projects.

TERRITORIES

Switzerland will not be closed to cross-border residents

The vote on mass immigration (27/09/2020) is defeated by 63%.

End of the uncertainty around homeworking for cross-border workers

In the context of the health crisis, all of the neighbouring countries have sought to encourage homeworking. Good news for cross-border workers: the legal uncertainty regarding the social security system governing cross-border workers has been removed until 31 December 2020.

MOT

Editorial of Christian Dupessey, new President of the MOT, Mayor of Annemasse and First Vice-President of Annemasse Agglo

The MOT’s 23rd general assembly, held in Colmar, was an opportunity for rich discussions between representatives of territories that are sometimes very different and yet so similar in terms of their cross-border specificities. You have done me the honour of electing me as the MOT’s President and I am conscious of the responsibility this represents.

MOT

Proceedings of the Besançon day event on Cross-Border Metropolitan Cooperation

TERRITORIES

France-Switzerland: A Léman Coherence Strategy

Since 2008, the Léman Council has provided a Léman Coherence Transport Strategy. This initiative, which is led by the Canton of Valais, provides an overview for the whole of the Léman region.

TERRITORIES

The "Espace Mont-Blanc" refines its strategy for adapting to climate change

Drawing on 29 years of cross-border cooperation, the "Espace Mont-Blanc" ("Mont-Blanc area") on the Franco-Italian-Swiss border is striving to adapt its territory by seeking joint responses to the impacts of climate change.

MOT

A publication by the MOT: The Covid-19 crisis on French borders

The MOT has published an analysis of the consequences for cross-border territories of the health crisis – the result of a call for experiences issued to all of its members. Organised in three main parts, it aims to set out the impacts, difficulties and initiatives linked to the management of the Covid-19 health crisis in cross-border territories.

COVID-19

Calls for an easing of border restrictions

While a circular issued by France’s Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, dated 12 May has just extended France’s internal border controls until 31 October 2020,1 there have been growing calls to give attention to the difficulties faced in border territories, notably for the 360,000 cross-border workers who cross the French border every day to work in a neighbouring country.

COVID-19

Players in cross-border territories have their say

"The coronavirus crisis is putting our European ideals to the test, and obliges us to invent tomorrow’s world. We need to think, in the design of our policies, about the impact of our decisions on our neighbours."

COVID-19

GeoRhena, an observation tool for the Upper Rhine

GeoRhena, the Upper Rhine geographic information system, has developed a simplified dynamic mapping tool that enables people to view and search for regularly updated data on developments in the Covid-19 epidemic in the Franco-German-Swiss trinational region.

COVID-19

The MOT's maps showing the easing of lockdown measures along France's borders

The MOT has published on its website and on social media a series of maps showing the situation with respect to the easing of lockdown measures along France’s borders.

COVID-19

The influx of cross-border workers remains essential to the economy of the Swiss cantons

When looking at the share of people infected per capita, Switzerland turns out to be the second most affected country in the world after Italy. The large flow of workers between the canton Ticino and the Lombardy region, Italy's first region in terms of total number of infected people, has certainly speeded up the process.

EUROPE

"Together For a Sustainable Alpine Region"

The French presidency of the EU strategy for the Alpine Region, launched on 4 February in Lyon, intends to move into higher gear regarding the ecological transition within this transnational space among the most vulnerable and under threat due to climate change.

MOT

The MOT’s contribution at the conference "Spatial planning in the Franco-Swiss Jura Arc"

On 23 January 2020, the MOT took part in the conference "Spatial planning in the Franco-Swiss Jura Arc", held in La Chaux-de-Fonds (CH) within the framework of the Interreg V – ARC-AD programme. As well as being an opportunity to share views on spatial planning issues in the cross-border territory, the purpose of the conference was to present the ARC-AD tool, a decision-making tool designed to facilitate the coordination of territorial planning across the Jura Arc.

TERRITORIES

Editorial by Michel Charrat, President of the European Cross-Border Grouping: "Greater Geneva at last!"

TERRITORIES

The Léman Express – "a real transport revolution"

The launch of the Léman Express on 15 December 2019 is “a real transport revolution”, according to Greater Geneva’s elected representatives. Made possible by a new 16km central section of track between Cornavin, Eaux-Vives and Annemasse (CEVA), what is now the largest cross-border regional rail network in Europe links up two Swiss cantons and two French departments. It has taken eight years and €1.8 billion worth of investment to complete.

TERRITORIES

Annual summary of the Greater Geneva Cross-Border Statistical Observatory

The Greater Geneva Cross-Border Statistical Observatory has just published its 2019 summary: “The Geneva cross-border area continues to see demographic and economic growth: demographic growth is strong in the Geneva cross-border area (1.6% annually between 2011 and 2016), and is significantly higher than both the Swiss and French averages (1.1% and 0.4% respectively). This large territory […] is now home to more than a million people.”

PUBLICATION

Historical atlas "Aller et venir, transports et mobilité dans le Pays de Genève"

Claude Barbier, Pierre-François Schwarz, published by La Salévienne, 2019. (Translation of the title: "Coming and Going – Transport and Mobility in the Geneva Area")

TERRITORIES

A 2030 strategy for the Upper Rhine Trinational Metropolitan Region

The 2030 strategy for the Upper Rhine Trinational Metropolitan Region was signed in Basel on 22 November. “We want to be a model region for Europe and to make visible and tangible the benefits that Europe provides day by day. To do this, we will continue to develop excellence in the economic and scientific field, to strengthen structures of cross-border cooperation and to develop new potential,” the political representatives affirmed on this occasion.

MOT

Network day in Lille on cross-border mobility

At the invitation of the MOT, the CNFPT (National Centre for Territorial Public Administration) and the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis, 40 people gathered on 13 November in Lille to talk about cross-border transportation. The three sessions focused on: the need for the observation of flows and the reasons for travelling (work, shopping, leisure, healthcare); the challenges encountered in drawing up cross-border mobility strategies; and the breaking-down of the strategies into territorial projects.

TERRITORIES

Editorial by Pascal Curie, Vice-President of the Greater Besançon Metropolis in charge of forward planning, regional development and strategy for the territory

The Greater Besançon Metropolis is particular in being the first major urban centre one gets to when coming from the Swiss Jura Arc, while at the same time being relatively far away from it. The Jura mountain range is both a geographical obstacle and a territorial asset; indeed, the border region is a well-preserved area with a wealth of shared natural and cultural features.

MOT

The MOT network in Besançon

Cross-border metropolitan cooperation initiatives were spotlighted at the MOT network’s day-long meeting, co-organised with the Greater Besançon Metropolis, on 25 September.