News

  • On the way to Alsace as a European territorial authority

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    On the way to Alsace as a European territorial authority

    November 2018

    The French government has announced its support for the creation of a European territorial authority of Alsace, formed by the merger of the Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin Departments. It will be set up as of 1 January 2021. “We will support the elected representatives in their desire for Alsace. This will all be within the Grand Est Region – not a special status, but an authority with particular competences that derive notably from the cross-border setting and Alsace’s Rhineland identity,” stated the Minister for Territorial Cohesion, Jacqueline Gourault.

  • A new guide for France-Luxembourg cross-border workers

    TERRITORIES

    A new guide for France-Luxembourg cross-border workers

    November 2018

    This eighth edition, which runs to 160 pages, is aimed at French cross-border workers who work in Luxembourg. It gives an overview of the legislation in force, setting out the principal rules to which these workers are subject in the areas of labour law, social security and tax law.

  • The citizens of Europe express themselves in Tournai

    EUROPE

    The citizens of Europe express themselves in Tournai

    November 2018

    Citizens turned out for the citizens’ consultation held on 27 October by the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis, the MOT and the Jacques Delors Institute. This was a thoroughly European story.

  • The Eurometropolis launches its project platform

    TERRITORIES

    The Eurometropolis launches its project platform

    November 2018

    This new platform of the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis is aimed at developers of cross-border projects who wish to raise their profile, to find partners on the other side of the border, or who require assistance in implementing their project.

  • Cross-border citizens’ consultation in Haguenau

    EUROPE

    Cross-border citizens’ consultation in Haguenau

    November 2018

    What European tools should be used to step up the energy transition? And what policies should be adopted to foster mobility among young people and learning the language of the neighbouring country’s? In Haguenau on 25 October, the citizens’ consultation organised with the MOT and the Jacques Delors Institute in the PAMINA Eurodistrict, with the support of Vincent Thiébaut, MP for the Bas-Rhin Department, brought together a hundred or so citizens to discuss the actions they would like Europe to implement in the cross-border setting.

  • Good practices of EGTCs

    PUBLICATION

    Good practices of EGTCs

    November 2018

    A brochure published by the European Committee of the Regions presents examples of good practices by EGTCs across Europe.

  • Proceedings of the seminar on observation on 17 September

    MOT

    Proceedings of the seminar on observation on 17 September

    November 2018

    The proceedings of the seminar on "Territorial observation and assistance with decision-making in cross-border regions" hosted by the MOT and UMS RIATE (Interdisciplinary network for territorial development and cohesion in Europe and neighbouring countries) on 17 September in Paris are online, together with all of the presentations made at the seminar.

  • Study trip by a delegation from Haïti and the Dominican Republic

    MOT

    Study trip by a delegation from Haïti and the Dominican Republic

    November 2018

    On 22-26 October, the MOT coordinated and accompanied the study visit of a delegation made up of representatives of ministries and local authorities from Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

  • European prizes for the Nouvelle Aquitaine-Euskadi-Navarra Euroregion

    EUROPE

    European prizes for the Nouvelle Aquitaine-Euskadi-Navarra Euroregion

    November 2018

    The Nouvelle Aquitaine-Euskadi-Navarra Euroregion has received two European prizes: the EGTC prize, awarded by the Committee of the Regions at the EGTC Platform on 8 October, and the "Sail of Papenburg" prize awarded by the AEBR.

  • An agreement between Wallonia and the Hauts-de-France Region

    TERRITORIES

    An agreement between Wallonia and the Hauts-de-France Region

    November 2018

    An enhanced cooperation agreement between Wallonia and the Hauts-de-France Region was signed on 15 September. It covers territorial development, mobility and jobs and reaffirms the desire to complete the planned linking up of the Seine-Escaut Canal on the Belgian side and the Seine-Nord Europe Canal on the French side.

  • Relaunch of the Cross-Border Strategic Committee on observation

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    Relaunch of the Cross-Border Strategic Committee on observation

    October 2018

    On 18 September 2018 the sixth work meeting of the Cross-Border Strategic Committee (CSC) took place, which had not met since April 2015. Set up in 2013, the CSC brings together representatives of the ministries in charge of territorial development in France and its neighbours: Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium and Andorra, as well as their statistical institutes.

  • MOT-UMS RIATE seminar on cross-border observation: towards better decision-making in Europe

    MOT

    MOT-UMS RIATE seminar on cross-border observation: towards better decision-making in Europe

    October 2018

    The MOT and UMS Riate* hosted a seminar entitled “Territorial observation and assistance with decision-making in cross-border regions” on 17 September in Paris. It brought together 60 people in order to discuss this crucial subject.

  • The MOT present at the AEBR conference

    EUROPE

    The MOT present at the AEBR conference

    October 2018

    On 20-22 September 2018 the General Assembly of the AEBR was held in Oulu, in Finland – in the heart of the Bothnian Arc, the Nordic countries’ cross-border organisation supported by the Nordic Council.

  • EGTC Platform

    EUROPE

    EGTC Platform

    October 2018

    The MOT took part in the 8th EGTC Platform, which took place on 8 October at the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels. The meeting was an opportunity to celebrate the activities of the groupings and to welcome the new EGTCs.

  • TERRITORIES

    Cross-border citizens’ consultation in Nice with French and Italian high-school students

    October 2018

    Why is Europe disorganised? What cross-border projects does the EU fund? Why is it important to vote in the European elections? On 5 October a cross-border citizens’ consultation was organised in Nice by the MOT, the Jacques Delors Institute, the Nice-Côte d’Azur Metropolis and the Alpes Maritimes European Movement.

  • Citizens’ consultations on the Franco-Swiss border

    TERRITORIES

    Citizens’ consultations on the Franco-Swiss border

    October 2018

    Two cross-border citizens’ consultations were held on 18-19 September 2018 by the MOT, the Jacques Delors Institute, the European Cross-Border Grouping and the Metropolitan Pole of the French Genevois in Saint-Genis-Pouilly and Annemasse. Around 50 citizens attended on both days to talk about their day-to-day experience of the border and express their expectations and wishes with regard to Greater Geneva and the EU.

  • Construction of Greater Geneva: disappointment on the French side

    TERRITORIES

    Construction of Greater Geneva: disappointment on the French side

    October 2018

    On 14 September the Swiss Government introduced its bill concerning the funding of “Third generation conurbation projects”.

  • NATIONAL LEVEL

    A new French law covers the posting of workers to cross-border regions

    October 2018

    A new French law on the freedom to choose one’s professional future, adopted on 1 August 2018, introduced a simplified system of administrative procedures for employers located outside France that temporarily post workers to France. This substantial simplification of administrative procedures should in particular encourage the posting of workers within cross-border regions where people live collectively regardless of the national borders that cut across them.

  • The MOT website: new section on France's overseas territories

    MOT

    The MOT website: new section on France's overseas territories

    October 2018

    The MOT has created a new section [in French] on its website devoted to cross-border cooperation in France’s overseas territories. It consists of a general introduction to the geography of and important issues in these areas, then describes the cooperation in three regions concerned: the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean and Amazonia.

  • TERRITORIES

    A new cross-border park between France, Spain and Andorra

    October 2018

    On 24 August 2018, representatives of France, Andorra and Spain approved the creation of a new cross-border park: the “Three Nations Pyrenees Park”. This new park results from the merger of four already existing parks: the Alt Pirineu Nature Park in Catalonia, the Ariège Pyrenees Regional Nature Park and the Sorteny Valley and Comapedrosa Valley Nature Parks in Andorra.

  • France-Switzerland: "Back to work for cross-border workers"

    TERRITORIES

    France-Switzerland: "Back to work for cross-border workers"

    October 2018

    In a press release issued in September, the European Cross-Border Grouping provides updates on the major issues of the autumn for Franco-Swiss cross-border workers, such as the “national preference lite” introduced in Switzerland, the payment of cross-border workers’ unemployment benefit by Switzerland and taxing income at source.

  • “Cross-border cooperation and European integration: A contribution to the study of the federalist principle”

    PUBLICATION

    “Cross-border cooperation and European integration: A contribution to the study of the federalist principle”

    October 2018

    By Manuel Goehrs, published by Peter Lang, 2018 - in French. "By observing the mechanisms of cross-border cooperation in the European Union, this book proposes to investigate the legal bases for an ‘integral’ federalism or a ‘personalist’ federalism."

  • The MOT is organising cross-border citizen consultations

    MOT

    The MOT is organising cross-border citizen consultations

    September 2018

    The MOT has partnered with the Jacques Delors Institute to promote the organisation of citizen consultations at the cross-border level. This mobilisation has allowed the holding of five consultations in partnership with a number of MOT members.

  • Grand Est: a report to the French prime minister on responding to the "longing for Alsace"

    NATIONAL LEVEL

    Grand Est: a report to the French prime minister on responding to the "longing for Alsace"

    September 2018

    The French prime minister has entrusted the Prefect of the Grand Est region with a mission relating to the institutional solutions available to give form to the “longing for Alsace”.

  • “Passe-Partout”, a cross-border educational game for schoolchildren

    TERRITORIES

    “Passe-Partout”, a cross-border educational game for schoolchildren

    September 2018

    Launched in 2017 in the Pamina Eurodistrict, the educational game “Passe-partout – Weltenbummler” (“Globetrotter”) has successfully completed an initial pilot phase, and in September 2018 begins a new phase now covering the whole of the Upper Rhine region. A project to replicate!