On 17-19 May the conference of Europe’s outermost regions (ORs) took place in Martinique. This meeting was an opportunity for the European Commission to present its strategy for the ORs, published on 3 May, for the coming year.
The Grand Est Region, which currently holds the presidency of the Greater Region, and the Greater Region Economic and Social Committee, in partnership with the Greater Region Interreg V project “COSAN”, organised a seminar on approaches to foster resilience in the Greater Region’s healthcare systems on 28 April 2022 in Metz.
On 5 May 2022 in Metz, the Moselle Department, which has just joined the MOT, and Departments of France hosted a cross-border conference entitled “La coopération transfrontalière à travers les âges : du premier sourire au dernier soupir” (“Cross-border co-operation through life: from the first smile to the last sigh”). Jean Peyrony, the MOT’s Director-General, took part in the closing discussion.
As part of a study for the European Commission on the impacts of the measures taken on borders during the pandemic, the MOT went to Forbach on 26 April to meet users of the cross-border territory.
Elisa Ferreira, the Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, and Apostolos Tzitzikostas, President of the European Committee of the Regions, have their say about a major issue for cross-border areas, but not only: the ecological transition.
During this sequence programmed on 8 April as part of the Banque des Territoires and its Hub’s "Europe and Territories" breakfast shows, Jean Peyrony, the MOT’s Director-General, highlighted the major challenges of cross-border cooperation :
The Occitanie Region, the Pyrénées-Orientales Department and the Generalitat de Catalunya have announced that five cross-border bus services launched as part of the European project "ConnECT" are to be made permanent.
A new call for proposals in the framework of the "b-solutions 2.0: Solving Cross-Border Obstacles initiative" has just been launched.
The Saarbrücken Regionalverband has just published a study on planning and permits regarding projects for sites intended for major retailers in the SaarMoselle Eurodistrict, on the Franco-German border. This assignment was carried out by the MOT and the German consultancy Junker+Kruse.
Following on from their Strasbourg Declaration of 7 October 2021, the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR), the MOT and CESCI met in Eupen, in Belgium, on 5-6 April 2022, at the invitation of Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the Parliament of Belgium’s German-Speaking Community and President of the AEBR.
If you are wondering how to integrate and strengthen the territorial dimension of your cooperation programmes or projects, Interact has just published a “Territorial Package” aimed at all cross-border players.
On 24-25 March 2022, at the invitation of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, the MOT had the pleasure of facilitating a Franco-Italian citizens’ forum against a very positive backdrop: the start of the European Year of Youth, the publication of the findings of the Conference on the Future of Europe, France’s presidency of the EU Council and the recent signing of the Quirinal Treaty between the two countries’ governments.
The Greater Region’s Cooperation Fund has been extended by the Greater Region Summit with a new call for projects. Its aim: "To bring the inhabitants of the Greater Region closer together and to enable them to experience the richness of exchanges across borders".
On 24 March, at the invitation of the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis, Thibault Devillard, policy officer at the MOT, took part in a discussion with the inhabitants of the Franco-Belgian territory.
The AEBR has launched its 2022 Cross Border Award "Sail of Papenburg" on the theme: Youth Overcomes Borders. Awarded shall be one or more outstanding activities in/of a border or cross-border region.
Every month until June, the MOT is letting Borders Forum speakers have their say about a topic that will be at the heart of the discussions.
It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Michel Delebarre. He was a great servant of the State, of decentralisation and of Europe, for which he chaired the Committee of the Regions.
The call selects inspiring projects focused on the transformation of infrastructures or public spaces that promote the three complementary values of the "New European Bauhaus": sustainability, aesthetics and inclusion. Towns (or groupings of municipalities) of fewer than 100,000 inhabitants can apply. EGTCs are also eligible.
After a preliminary study carried out in 2020,* the MOT has been commissioned by DG REGIO to conduct another study on the consequences of the pandemic and the impact of the measures taken by countries to combat it in cross-border territories**.
In order to answer the numerous questions about public services with a cross-border dimension from users of travelling and permanent "France Services" advice points run by the Nord Department, the latter commissioned the MOT to carry out an experimental study in 2021.
To coincide with the updating of the section of its website devoted to public services, the MOT is publishing a new edition of its brochure "Focus" (in French).
In order to strengthen its presence in the territories through ad hoc regional offices, on 14 March the MOT held its first session in Strasbourg.
The Franco-German Cross-Border Cooperation Committee met on 12 March in Strasbourg, under the co-chairmanship of Clément Beaune (France), Minister of State for European Affairs, and Anna Lührmann, Minister of State for Europe and Climate (Germany). The MOT officially took part in the meeting as a Committee "expert".
On the sidelines of the Franco-Swiss Dialogue that took place on 11 March 2022 in Belfort, a "Franco-Swiss declaration on bilateral cooperation in the area of healthcare" was signed between the two countries.
On 9 March, the French Assemblée Nationale adopted a draft resolution aimed at promoting teleworking for cross-border workers. The objective is to submit this text to the European Commission within the framework of France’s presidency of the EU.
