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Cross-border
economic
development 7
Practical guide : building partnerships
Improving knowledge of cross-border
economic development
How can one provide an overall view of the economic fabric of territories
on both sides of the border to public-sector players, who generally do not
have such an overview?
A regularly updated
situational analysis should
focus particularly on:
existing economic sectors
and branches, businesses,
clusters, competitiveness
hubs, business areas, business
incubators, research centres,
higher education institutions,
the labour market, vocational
training, etc. A situational
analysis helps to identify broad
trends in cross-border economic
relations (cross-border sectors,
subcontracting relationships,
cross-border provision of
services, trade, inter-clustering,
cooperation in the field
of research, cross-border
employment flows, etc.).
This analysis may be conducted
through studies, cross-border
observatories, or thematic
seminars.
Studies enable the detailed
examination of a territory or
an aspect of cross-border
economic development.
E x a m p l e s :
Every year, the Swiss
research institute BAK Basel
Economics publishes the “Regio
Perspectives - Economic analyses
and forecasts for the Upper Rhine
Euroregion”. This annual report
analyses business conditions
in the three areas of the Upper
Rhine region, and also in the major
economic sectors of the territory.
It also includes macroeconomic
business indicators, and reports
on the economic situation of the
Upper Rhine in the national and
international context. Additional
topics are also featured every year,
e.g. in 2010 the labour market
and in 2009, the strengths and
weaknesses of the Upper Rhine
region.
The Greater Region’s
Economic and Social
Committee regularly publishes
reports on economic and social
conditions in the territory. These
reports cover population, the
economy, employment and the
labour market, education and living
conditions.
Cross-border observatories
are charged with monitoring
changes in cross-border
territories, including changes
in the economic fabric. They
can identify the impact of
cross-border integration on
the economic development of
territories over the long term.
The observatories therefore offer
a complementary dynamic view
to the studies, which offer a
snapshot of a specific moment
in time.
The observatories help to steer
economic development and
regional planning policies, and
guide public and private players
in their decision-making. They
also give the general public
greater visibility regarding the
cross-border territory, and
financing long-term statistical
observation initiatives in the
areas of economic development
and employment is therefore a
priority. In this vein, the Cross-
Border Strategic Committee
on observation, set up by the
CGET and the MOT in 2013,
and which brings together some
ten European governments,
aims to promote the progressive
and pragmatic improvement
and expansion of the repository
of cross-border data and
indicators.
Differences in the definition
and cultural perception of
indicators must be taken into
account in order to agree on a
system that suits all cooperation
participants.
E x a m p l e s :
The SIG-GR, the Greater Region
Geographic Information
System, is a cross-border
database that covers several fields
including the labour market. By
providing harmonised data and
common definitions, SIG-GR makes
it possible to compare the areas of
the Greater Region.
The OIE, the Interregional
Observatory of the Labour
Market, is a cross-border system
that assesses socio-economic
changes in the Greater Region.
It provides comparable and
interpretable data on the labour
market for the political authorities in
the Greater Region.
Thematic seminars are a forum
for updating situational analyses
and disseminating existing data
to the players concerned.
E x a m p l e s :
The Upper Rhine Tripartite
Congress, which has been held
every two years since 1988,
regularly addresses topics related
to economic development. The
congress brings together partner
public authorities, but also
businesses, research centres, and
civil society in the broad sense.