Border: France-United Kingdom
Overview
Flagship projects
At the level of the Channel Area
- The “Channel Arc Manche” cooperation platform
This platform, which was given a structure in 2005 through the Channel Arc Manche Assembly, has made it possible to develop many projects within the maritime area. The Assembly, which is composed of five French regions and six English counties, aims to demonstrate the interest and specific nature of the Channel area as a coherent space of territorial cooperation and a network of cooperation. Transport, port development and maritime safety, innovation, preservation of natural environments and the coastline, reconciliation of economic and environmental interests and promotion of the Channel in Europe are all major issues for Channel Arc Manche cooperation platform.
- The NOSTRA then ESI project
Launched jointly by Pas-de-Calais and Kent, notably within the framework of an agreement signed on 23 November 2010 in Calais, also with respect to other European straits, the NOSTRA project makes it possible to analyse the issue of the cross-border governance of straits in order to develop better ways of managing them, particularly from an environmental perspective. The project also enables the existing initiatives along the coastline to be promoted and to benefit from the experience of the project partners that are dealing with similar issues. Completed in 2014, the project is extended by the European Straits Initiative (ESI) with four new partners.
- Marine space management projects
A thorough assessment of the Channel area has been carried out via the sharing of mapping and the compilation of inventories of data related to activities in the Channel. Solutions for the long-term management of dredging sediment are being studied thanks to the collaboration of several ports within the framework of the SETARMS project.
Other initiatives – the CAMIS maritime portal, the B2B meetings organised by Chain and the market opportunities offered by DEEDS – encourage exchanges between businesses in the marine industry and thereby constitute three concrete responses to a difficult economic environment.
Lastly, the LICCO and MEDON projects involve and raise the awareness of citizens in the Channel area through exhibitions devoted to the impacts of climate change on the coastline and observation of the seabed.
At the local level
In order to develop cross-border relations and the economy of the border territories, the administrative departments in the two countries have set up many projects such as:
- The Kent Opale Link “Cross-Border House”
With its many partners (the Department Council, the Kent and Côte d'Opale chambers of commerce, etc.) the association "La Maison transfrontalière" (“The Cross-Border House”) was launched in June 2012. Its aim is to facilitate economic exchanges between France and Great Britain in order to enable inhabitants of the Côte d'Opale to apply for jobs in South-East England and, in parallel, to facilitate the integration of British households living on the south coast of the Channel. The arrival of these British households is likely to generate a residential economy, which helps to create wealth and jobs.
Kent Opale Link project factsheet
- The cooperation project between the Caps-Marais d'Opale Regional Natural Park and the Kent Downs
Launched in 1997 with an initial “cross-border partnership” project, the cooperation between the Caps-Marais d'Opale Regional Natural Park and the Kent Downs (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) has expanded greatly. Thus, projects such as Liparis, Adafor and LNA (Landscapes and Nature for All) are aimed at the conservation of fauna and flora notably through the planning of operations and joint action plans and the conducting of joint studies on the impacts of climate change.
- The Channel metro project
Still in its development stage, the Channel metro project aims at using the Channel Tunnel infrastructure to develop a regular rail service between the Opal Coast and the Kent region. The economic stakes are high; the aim is for the Calais region to benefit from dynamic development existing on the other side of the Channel (unemployment is at 17 % on the French side against 4.4% on the English side) and for the economic fabric of Kent to benefit from an available labour force and from significantly cheaper land prices.
- Cross-border surveillance of the Franco-British maritime border and sharing of good practices
Many projects involving statistical observation and the sharing of best practices have been developed between France and Great Britain in various fields such as sustainable mobility (Eco²Mobility), the environment (MeDON - Marine e-Data Observatory Network), public services (Cross-Border Observatory for Optimising Public Services) and university services (Cross Channel Atlas Channel Space).
