News

NATIONAL LEVEL

Berlin Franco-German Declaration and implementation of the Aachen Treaty

The latest Franco-German Council of Ministers, which met on 31 May 2021 alongside the meeting between Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel, took stock of the implementation of the Aachen Treaty and the substantial advances in Franco-German cooperation over the past few months. It was also an opportunity to launch new cooperation initiatives, notably in the areas of healthcare, culture and youth, as well as to prepare for the major upcoming international and European events.

NATIONAL LEVEL

4D bill: The MOT's proposals to strengthen the cross-border component

In anticipation of the reading of the 4D bill in Parliament, the MOT, on behalf of its network, has sent to the co-rapporteurs of the Senate’s Law Commission on this legislation proposed amendments aimed at strengthening its cross-border component.

NATIONAL LEVEL

A cross-border component in the ‘4D’ bill

The “4D” bill was presented during the Council of Ministers’ session on 12 May. It will be subject to an accelerated parliamentary procedure, and its reading in the Senate is scheduled for July.

TERRITORIES

Eurodistrict Pamina takes stock after a year of crisis

“The effects of the health crisis are even more evident in cross-border catchment areas like those of Eurodistricts. [...] One essential criterion in cross-border cooperation is the reduction of inequalities, of differences and disparities between territories, given the proximity to citizens’ experiences. Yet, for over a year now, we have been seeing increasing disparities in our cross-border territories.”

NATIONAL LEVEL

First national meetings of the Small Towns of Tomorrow programme

These meetings were held on 22 April 2021, organised by the ANCT, with the Minister Jacqueline Gourault and Minister of State Joël Giraud in attendance. All beneficiary towns were invited, and examples of territory projects were presented. Among these, several border towns were highlighted, including Saint-Jean de Maurienne and its valley in Savoie, Bouzonville and Sierck-les-Bains in Moselle, along with Hirson and the Thiérache in Aisne.

EUROPE

Study on national networks of border regions: the MOT highlighted

This study, conducted for the German Ministry of the Interior by Professor Tobias Chilla, of Erlangen-Nuremberg University, confirms the need to take account of cross-border issues not only at local and European levels, but also at national level. It highlights the MOT for France and the CESCI for Hungary, which enable these two countries to be the most active in the development of their cross-border regions.

TERRITORIES

Editorial by Uwe Conradt, Vice-President of the SaarMoselle Eurodistrict and Mayor of Saarbrücken

“The border had practically been erased”

TERRITORIES

Projects of the SaarMoselle Eurodistrict up to 2027

The Eurodistrict is in the final phase of the process of drawing up its new territorial strategy. The issues it addresses are varied, and in the special context of the pandemic, cross-border cooperation has taken on particular importance, notably in the area of healthcare.

TERRITORIES

Forum on Mobility in Lorraine: white paper adopted

Led by the Lorraine Corridor Metropolitan Pole and the Grand Est Region, on 16 March 2021 the “Grenelle des Mobilités” (“Forum on Mobility”) published a white paper setting out “nine commitments over the next ten years designed to connect Lorraine to its neighbours”.

COVID-19

Border closure: a very difficult situation in Moselle

On 28 February, Germany took the decision to restrict crossings at its border for people coming from the Moselle, describing the department as “a zone in which Covid-19 is circulating”.

TERRITORIES

Greater Region: interactive cross-border map showing air quality

The Greater Region’s Geographical Information System and ATMO Grand Est have joined forces in order to develop an interactive map that makes it possible to check air quality across the whole of the cross-border territory of the Greater Region.

TERRITORIES

French award for Saarland’s “France Strategy”

On 3 February 2021, Saarland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Peter Strobel, went to Paris to receive the "Prix coup de cœur 2021" awarded by the magazine "Acteurs Publics".

TERRITORIES

Survey aimed at the inhabitants of the Basel Trinational Eurodistrict

In collaboration with the MOT and the Euro-Institut, the Basel Trinational Eurodistrict is currently working on its Strategy 2030, which will set out its role, its organisation and its themes for the coming years. One of its goals is to involve citizens more, as cross-border cooperation is aimed at one thing above all: making daily life and coexistence the border region easier and more enriching for its inhabitants.

COVID-19

Restrictions at France’s borders: cross-border living areas finally recognised

Since 31 January 2021, anyone entering France, including from other European countries, must be in possession of a negative Covid test obtained within the previous 72 hours. However, this obligation does not apply to the inhabitants of cross-border living areas (for journeys lasting less than 24 hours) or to cross-border workers.

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.

TERRITORIES

Greater Region – The future of cooperation in the fields of higher education and research

A declaration of intention on the future of institutional cooperation in the fields of higher education and research in the Greater Region was signed on 25 November 2020 in Saarbrücken, at a ministerial conference held under Saarland’s presidency. At the conference, the ministers and representatives from the five partner regions took stock and discussed the consequences of the health crisis for cross-border cooperation between higher education and research institutions.

TERRITORIES

Opinion of the Grand Est Regional Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESER) on cross-border civil society

At its plenary assembly in October, the Grand Est CESER adopted an opinion on cross-border civil society. The MOT had been formally heard as part of the preparation of this publication.

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.

Cross-border territories at the time of the "Decentralisation, Differentiation and Deconcentration Act"

To discuss these opportunities for the future of cross-border territories, join us for Round table#7 of the Borders Forum, on 10 November 2020: "Cross-border areas, differentiated areas?"

PUBLICATION

A preliminary assessment of Cross-Border Cooperation Strategies along France's borders

Following the adoption of the first four Cross-Border Cooperation Strategies (Schémas de Coopération Transfrontalière – SCT) by the Nice, Strasbourg and Lille Metropolises, as well as by the Basque Country Conurbation Community, the MOT and its partners embarked on the drafting of a preliminary assessment of these initiatives that has resulted in a publication, co-written with each of these groupings of municipalities.

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

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

The Franco-German border: Towards a cross-border model of crisis management?

The barriers that were put up between the two countries from the start of the health crisis have had a major impact on citizens who were used to crossing the border on a daily basis*. In this context, there have been many local cooperation initiatives and the MOT would like to highlight them.

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."