France-Germany: cross-border observation at the heart of Europe
Published in the wake of the signature of the Aachen Treaty
Under the aegis of the General Commission for Territorial Equality (CGET) on the French side and the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community on the German side, the MOT and the BBSR1 have coordinated the production of a brochure entitled "France-Germany: cross-border observation at the heart of Europe". It has been published in the wake of the signature of the Aachen Treaty (22th January 2019).
The editorial was co-written by Jacqueline Gourault, Minister for Territorial Cohesion and Relations with Local Authorities, and Horst Seehofer, Federal Minister of the Interior, Building and Community (Germany).
The document states the need to put in place multi-level observation of cross-border territories, setting forth examples of local tools such as the geographical information systems of the Greater Region and the Upper Rhine, as well as the tools at national level in France and Germany.2
The brochure highlights the Franco-German ambition to promote this approach not only along their shared border, but also along their other borders and right across Europe. It sets out an action plan focused around three concrete measures:
- Stepping up multi-level cooperation in order to identify thematic priorities.
- Coordinating with the statistical institutes in order to gather and harmonise data.
- Cooperating with other European countries in collaboration with the European institutions in order to establish Europe-wide observation.
1 Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development.
2 In France, the Cross-Border Strategic Committee, which is coordinated by the CGET and for whom the MOT provides the secretariat; in Germany, the MORO project "Territorial Monitoring in Germany and Neighbouring Regions".
Download the brochure:
- in English
- in French
- in German
