June 2008 - New issue of the "MOT Guides": the European grouping of territorial cooperation (EGTC)

The MOT has just published the seventh issue of its “MOT Guides” on the European grouping of territorial cooperation (EGTC), the new instrument for European territorial cooperation.

Download the press release

Download the publication

May 2008 - Publication of the "Manifesto for cross-border cooperation in Europe"

The “Manifesto for cross-border cooperation in Europe”, first publication of EUROMOT*, the European network of cross-border local authorities established in November 2007, contains practical recommendations for making progress on cross-border cooperation in Europe.
Within the framework of the upcoming French presidency of the European Union, which begins in July, the Manifesto will contribute to restoring the full measure of the European commitment. It is addressed officially to the European institutions and national governments of the succeeding European presidencies.
The recommendations of the Manifesto were produced by the twelve topic-based workshops of the Lille conference in November 2007. The workshops were prepared over the preceding year by specialist working groups and highlighted the issues and projects of cooperation in Europe topic by topic in order to produce operational recommendations.
Download the press release
Download the Manifesto

May 2008 - MOT lead partner of the "EGTC" project (URBACT II, 2007/2013) 
The first URBACT projects for the 2007-2013 period were published on 18 April 2008, following their selection by the programme  monitoring committee. They cover twenty-four topic-based networks and seven working groups. The MOT is lead partner of the EGTC project “Expertising Governance for Transfrontier Conurbations”, one of the seven working groups.
Further information

May 2008 - Michel Delebarre succeeds Pierre Mauroy as president of the Mission Opérationnelle Transfrontalière

The General Assembly of the MOT, which was held on 29 May 2008 in Sarreguemines, elected Michel Delebarre to the MOT presidency. Michel Delebarre is also MP and mayor of Dunkerque, president of the Dunkerque Urban Community and the Syndicat Mixte de la Côte d’Opale, and first vice-president of the Committee of the Regions.
Pierre Mauroy, former French prime minister, mayor of Lille from 1973 to 2001 and president of Lille metropolitan urban community from 1989 to 2008, has been an ardent promoter of the cross-border cause.
A conference was organised in Saarbrücken on 28 May, the day before the General Assembly, to explain the issues and the objectives of EUROMOT, European network of cross-border local authorities. 
Further information

May 2008 - The proceedings of the European conference "Cross-border territories: day-to-day Europe", Lille, 8 and 9 November 2007
Download the document: in English - in French


April 2008 - Adoption of the “Manifesto for cross-border cooperation in Europe”

The first EUROMOT publication, the “Manifesto for cross-border cooperation in Europe”, was presented by EUROMOT president Pierre Mauroy and adopted. It puts forward concrete recommendations for advancing cross-border cooperation in Europe. These recommendations are going to be submitted officially to National and European authorities, in particular within the framework of the French presidency of the European Union. They cover the following twelve topics: cross-border territories, cross-border conurbations, cross-border rural and natural territories, maritime cooperation, economic development, employment and training, health, environment, public transport, culture and territorial integration, legal instruments of cooperation, training in cross-border professions.
Download the Manifesto

April 2008 - First policy committee meeting of EUROMOT - European network of cross-border local authorities

Left to right: Klaus Baldauf,  representative for international cooperation, City of Frankfurt (Oder), vice-president of the executive committee,  Alain Lamassoure, secretary of EUROMOT, Pierre Mauroy, president of EUROMOT, Xoán Vázquez Mao, secretary-general of Eixo Atlántico, vice-president of the executive committee.

Last 8 and 9 November, more than 800 persons came from all European borders to participate in the European conference organised in Lille by the MOT. The objective was to discuss the political and operational issues of cross-border cooperation and show that a Europe close to its citizens is on the move in the cross-border territories.
The 12 workshops provided opportunities for topic-by-topic highlighting of issues, projects, good practices, etc., leading to concrete proposals in the form of recommendations, which will be collected early in 2008 in a white paper addressed to national and European institutions.
The two plenary panel discussions showed that cross-border territories¹ meet real needs, are an effective means of boosting Europe and must receive greater support from national and European authorities. The proceedings will be available by early 2008.

Final programme - Editorial by Pierre Mauroy – Conference objectives
Speech by Danuta Hübner (fr)
Documentation on the 12 workshops
Territory data sheets from the first plenary panel discussion
The film "From Europe to EUROMOT... by the way of the MOT"

EUROMOT is created!

To respond to these issues and collaborate more effectively between local authorities in Europe and national and European institutions, on 8 November 2007 at the conference the Mission Opérationnelle Transfrontalière, Eixo Atlántico² and City Twins³ signed a cooperation convention creating EUROMOT, a European network of cross-border local authorities. A strategic alliance was then agreed between EUROMOT and the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR).
Following the official signature of these agreements, a EUROMOT founding committee met to set up a political committee and an executive committee⁴, in accordance with the signed convention.
The president of EUROMOT is Pierre Mauroy (president of the MOT). Two deputy presidents have been appointed: Luis Filipe Menezès (president of Eixo Atlantico) and a representative of the City Twins network. A secretary, Alain Lamassoure (European MP and vice-president of the MOT) completes this political committee.
The agreement stipulates that the three partners have given themselves a deadline of one year to set up the legal structure for EUROMOT.

The creation of EUROMOT (Letter Espaces transfrontaliers, no. 24)
Information sheets: Eixo Atlantico, City Twins
The founding documents
The map of the 3 networks – The map of EUROMOT

The third Cross-Border Discussions will take place on the French-Spanish border (in San Sebastián and Bayonne), on 13th and 14th of December 2007 on the following theme:

Within the scope of Interform (INTERACT) project, European training and research network focusing on cross-border practices, the overall objective of the Discussions is to record and disseminate knowledge of cross-border cooperation by comparing the points of view of researchers and practitioners.

You will find further information as well of the subscription form on the website: http://www.interform-eu.org/en/actualite.php