News

  • NATIONAL LEVEL

    The French Ministry of Finance sets the conditions for the refunding of social contributions from non-residents

    November 2015

    Taking note of the “de Ruyter” decision of the CJEU, “the [French] Government specifies in a communiqué published on 20th October the conditions for the introduction of recovery procedures relating to refunds of social contributions made on capital gains by residents and non-residents who are covered by social security schemes of other Member States of the European Union, the European Economic Area, or Switzerland.”

  • The MOT is publishing two handbooks to encourage cross-border economic development

    MOT

    The MOT is publishing two handbooks to encourage cross-border economic development

    September 2015

    Since January 2014, the MOT has been carrying out a project supported by the national technical assistance programme Europ'Act relating to the economic development of the cross-border territories along France's borders. The results of this work will be presented at the project's final conference on 30 September in Paris.

  • 15th year of the Saar-Moselle bike festival

    TERRITORIES

    15th year of the Saar-Moselle bike festival

    September 2015

    On 6 September, this cross-border cycling festival that has been held every year in the SaarMoselle Eurodistrict celebrated 15 years of existence with the slogan "70 years of peace and friendship".

  • Promulgation in France of the "NOTRe Act"

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    Promulgation in France of the "NOTRe Act"

    September 2015

    The New Territorial Organisation of the Republic Act (the "NOTRe Act") was promulgated on 7 August 2015 in France.

  • Commission launches the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region

    EUROPE

    Commission launches the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region

    July 2015

    Today the Commission officially launched the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP), the fourth EU macro-regional strategy. More than70 million citizens will reap the benefits of a closer cooperation between regions and countries in terms of research and innovation, SME support, mobility, tourism, environmental protection and energy resources management.

  • Conference in Metz on French-German cross-border cooperation

    TERRITORIES

    Conference in Metz on French-German cross-border cooperation

    July 2015

    A French-German ministerial conference, attended by French secretary of state for European affairs Harlem Désir and his German counterpart Michael Roth, both general-secretaries for French-German cooperation, took place on 6 and 7 July in Metz.

  • Inauguration in Strasbourg of the cross-border KiosK Office

    TERRITORIES

    Inauguration in Strasbourg of the cross-border KiosK Office

    June 2015

    The KiosK Office, a unique French-German co-production, was inaugurated on 10 June 2015 in Strasbourg in the presence of Harlem Désir, French secretary of state for European affairs.

  • Editorial from Roland Ries, Mayor of Strasbourg, Honorary President of the MOT

    TERRITORIES

    Editorial from Roland Ries, Mayor of Strasbourg, Honorary President of the MOT

    May 2015

    The MAPTAM (modernisation of territorial public action and affirmation of metropolitan areas) Act of 27 January 2014 has opened up new fields for the cross-border cooperation of large conurbations. Linked with the cohesion policy and the EGTC instrument in particular, it shows that the importance of metropolitan approaches in cross-border living and working areas is being taken into account.

  • Strasbourg, a resolutely cross-border metropolis

    TERRITORIES

    Strasbourg, a resolutely cross-border metropolis

    May 2015

    Bridging the gap between France and Germany, Strasbourg is at the heart of the Upper Rhine and has formed diverse partnerships at various levels of cross-border cooperation consistent with its metropolitan policies.

  • TERRITORIES

    Inauguration of the Wissembourg waste-water treatment plant

    May 2015

    The Wissembourg cross-border wastewater treatment plant was inaugurated on 18 April 2015, an event attended by a number of elected representatives of the area.

  • NATIONAL LEVEL

    Shared concerns about the dropping of bilingual classes

    May 2015

    59 MPs, members of the French parliament’s French-German friendship group, have reacted to the planned dropping of bilingual classes announced by the Ministry of Education as part of the middle school reform.

  • Launch of European programmes

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    Launch of European programmes

    April 2015

    Along France's borders, several INTERREG VA programmes have launched their first calls for projects or are organising their launch events soon.

  • TERRITORIES

    French-German tax agreement

    April 2015

    The French-German Council of Ministers, which met on 31 March 2015 in Berlin, adopted an amendment to the tax agreement between the two countries.

  • "Alsace 2030"

    TERRITORIES

    "Alsace 2030"

    April 2015

    The Alsace Region has just published "Alsace 2030 – a project for the whole of Alsace", the fruit of work carried out during 2014 at the Region's instigation, in a process of broad consultation with all of the territory's active stakeholders.

  • KiosK office: opening of the first cross-border co-working space in Europe

    TERRITORIES

    KiosK office: opening of the first cross-border co-working space in Europe

    March 2015

    Starting in January 2015, business creation consultancy cooperative START HOP welcomes French-German entrepreneurs to its convivial “KiosK office” spaces at locations in Strasbourg and Offenburg, helping them to develop their market with a 360° view.

  • A Moselle strategy in response to Saarland

    TERRITORIES

    A Moselle strategy in response to Saarland

    March 2015

    In response to the “France Strategy” presented in January 2014 by Saarland, aiming to make the border region a multilingual space by 2043, on 12 February in Forbach Patrick Weiten, leader of the Moselle department council, referred to the department’s “Moselle strategy”, with the opening in June of an “open house of services for Germany” (Mosa).

  • INSEE study: “Live in France and work in another country: a fast-growing situation”

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    INSEE study: “Live in France and work in another country: a fast-growing situation”

    March 2015

    According to a study by the INSEE published in February 2015, the number of French people living in France but working abroad has increased by 42% since 1999. The study analyses the different causes and characteristics of the resulting flows.

  • Presidency of the Greater Region: the editorial from Paul Magnette, Minister-President of Wallonia

    TERRITORIES

    Presidency of the Greater Region: the editorial from Paul Magnette, Minister-President of Wallonia

    February 2015

    "Wallonia is a border territory par excellence: its relations with its neighbours have always played a crucial role in its development."

  • Presidency of the Greater Region: Wallonia's objectives

    TERRITORIES

    Presidency of the Greater Region: Wallonia's objectives

    February 2015

    Depuis le 1er janvier 2015, la région wallonne a l’honneur et la responsabilité de présider la Grande Région, exercice assumé en étroite collaboration avec ses partenaires belges, la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles et la Communauté germanophone.

  • How international borders affect local public transport: Analyses and evaluations of cross-border agglomerations in Switzerland, France and Germany

    PUBLICATION

    How international borders affect local public transport: Analyses and evaluations of cross-border agglomerations in Switzerland, France and Germany

    February 2015

    This study focuses on various effects of international borders on local public transport: How does it impact demand, service offer as well as framework conditions?

  • Conference in Paris on cross-border healthcare

    MOT

    Conference in Paris on cross-border healthcare

    January 2015

    On 10 December 2014, the conference entitled "What solutions for cross-border healthcare?" took place at the Assemblée Nationale in Paris. Organised by the Assemblée Nationale's "Border Regions and Workers" study group, with support from the MOT, this conference brought together cross-border healthcare experts and elected representatives from all of France's border areas.

  • TERRITORIES

    A European project for greater security on the Rhine

    January 2015

    After the launch in 2008 of the first French-German rapid intervention facility on the Rhine – the "Europa 1 fire-boat" – the Fire and Rescue Service of the Bas-Rhin Department has worked for five years on the implementation of a new INTERREG project focused on the training of rescue services in the Upper Rhine in combating river-related risks.

  • The REGIO PAMINA Eurodistrict: a day devoted to cross-border employment

    TERRITORIES

    The REGIO PAMINA Eurodistrict: a day devoted to cross-border employment

    December 2014

    The cross-border labour market was the leitmotif of the event held on Thursday, 27 November 2014 by the REGIO PAMINA Eurodistrict and the social enterprise Neue Arbeit in Lauterbourg. Around 60 French and German players from the political sphere, administration and economy came together to take part in two roundtables on this topic.

  • Seminar on cross-border observation in Budapest

    MOT

    Seminar on cross-border observation in Budapest

    October 2014

    The CESCI, the MOT and INFH co-organised the 2nd European Seminar on cross-border territorial observation on 30 September 2014 at the Institut français de Budapest in Hungary.

  • Cross-border walk in the Greater Region

    TERRITORIES

    Cross-border walk in the Greater Region

    October 2014

    Taking place on 28 September 2014 between Berus (Überherrn, Saarland) and Berviller-en-Moselle (Lorraine) as part of the annual event of the Interreg IVA Greater Region Programme and the 10th anniversary of the Interreg PIG (Public Interest Group), the cross-border walk attracted 170 persons, partner authorities and project operators accompanied by their families, from Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and France.