Frankfurt (Oder) - Słubice

Frankfurt (Oder) - Słubice

The cities of Frankfurt (Oder) (61.969 inhabitants) and Słubice (16.986 inhabitants) are located on the German-Polish border, marked by the river Oder. Together, they form a cross-border conurbation of about 81.000 inhabitants.

The town of Frankfurt’s first development took place on the western bank of the Oder; later the town was extended to the eastern bank and the suburb of Dammvorstadt. After the World War II, the new German-Polish border ran along the Oder, separating the eastern suburb, renamed Słubice, from the rest of Frankfurt. During the communist era, the relations between the two towns were very weak, notably because both were mostly inhabited by displaced refugees expulsed from the lost eastern German and Polish territories taken by Poland or the Soviet Union. However, in the middle of the 1960’s, a light opening of the borders allows some factories of Frankfurt to employ about 800 Polish border workers. After 1971, the removal of the visa between Poland and the German Democratic Republic (GDR) has enabled a development of the cross-border area. In 1981, the GDR closes unilaterally the border which will be hermetic till the German reunification (1990).

After the “change”, at the beginning of the 1990’s, the situation is not prosperous. There is a lack of communication, of language knowledge and of culture competence. Polish citizens are required to have a visa to cross the border, transformed into the external border of the European Union with all the problems related. Therefore, both cities suffer from a bad image by reason of a sinister economic situation, especially on the German side where many industries go bankrupt (at the GDR time, Frankfurt had a big semiconductors factory with 8000 employees). Between 1988 and 2008, Frankfurt loses about 26.000 inhabitants. In the same time, the population on the Polish side lightly increases, Słubice deriving profit from its border location. Thus, several small companies, markets and gas stations settle to attract German consumers causing a kind of dependence of Słubice to the German side.

However, the cross-border flows of proximity increase and the first actions of cooperation appear. In 1996, 13.000 vehicles cross the bridge between Frankfurt and Słubice every day, in addition to the 30.000 vehicles at the close motorway checkpoint Frankfurt-Świecko (situated on the Berlin-Warsaw road, significant for international transit traffic). Because of their saturation by lines of trucks, both towns decided to build new bypass and bridges (financed by Phare and Interreg II) in order to improve the crossing of the conurbation.

During the last 18 years, Frankfurt and Slubice have used every effort to change their image and to derive profit from their strategical situation. Concerning the economy, both towns have created the joint-venture in Frankfurt and a special economic zone in Slubice to attract more international investment. Several microelectronical and technology firms have settled in the area and Frankfurt is now considered as a center of science and research, particullary in the sector of solar energy. Frankfurt renewed also its cultural offer by the creation of several equipments (conference and trade fair center, concert hall, museum,…) and events, most of them in partnership with Slubice. Finally, one of the most significant realizations is the creation in 1991 of the European University Viadrina on both sides of the Oder. This cross-border equipment welcome every year about 5000 students, among them 53% of Germans and 22% of Poles.

Today, Frankfurt and Słubice have overcome a part of their difficulties and seem to be better integrated in a common conurbation, especially after Poland membership in the European Union (2004) and in the Schengen zone (2007).

At the local level, Słubice is a municipality (gmina). In Poland, the competences of the municipalities are public transport, social services, housing, environment, culture, health and primary education. At the intermediary level, Słubice is also the head of the Słubice county (powiat) of which competences are road building and maintenance, secondary education, civil protection, environment and employment.

On the German side, Frankfurt (Oder) is an urban district (Kreisfreie Stadt) and then has the competences of a municipality (Stadt) and of a district (Kreis): urban planning, water management, youth and social aid, building and maintenance of schools, construction and maintenance of roads, collecting and managing household refuse.

At the regional level, Słubice belongs to the region (województwo) of Lubusz. In Poland, the tasks of the regions are economic development, higher education, environment, employment, social policy and regional roads management.

On the German side, Frankfurt (Oder) belongs to the State of Brandenburg, one of the 16 states (Länder) of Germany. The competences of the state are culture, education, environment and police.

The cross-border cooperation between Frankfurt (Oder) and Slubice started in the early 1990’s, after the German reunification and the lightening of the border controls. The first initiative was the elaboration of the common document “European city of Frankfurt (O) – Slubice – state of art, tasks and perspectives” about the future actions of the cooperation in the cross-border conurbation. At the same time, Frankfurt and Slubice with other municipalities of both sides of the border, decided to create the Pro Europa Viadrina Euroregion (see the map below) in 1993 when the German part became a region eligible within the framework of the INTERREG II and the Polish by PHARE CBC (Cross Border Cooperation). In 1994, the two towns elaborate a common planning document “Räumliches Strukturkonzept” catching the whole cross-border urban area. During this period, the two municipalities started to organize meetings of both mayors and common town councils (11 since 1993).

In 2004, Frankfurt and Slubice worked out a programme for common development and cooperation of a European City. During the years 2004-2006, both towns took part in the “City Twins Cooperation Network”, within the framework of Interreg IIIC, with four other cross-border conurbations (on the borders of Northern and Eastern Europe) as a result the creation of the City Twins Association. In 2007, this association signed the partnership EUROMOT to promote cooperation in cross-border local authorities in Europe.

Current cross-border governance in the Frankfurt (Oder) – Słubice conurbation

The Frankfurt (O) – Slubice conurbation faces the challenge to enhance the coordination of all actors and policies in order to find a common answer to urban challenges, such as the decreasing of the population, unemployment and social tensions, the “energy question” and the lack of identification of the citizens with the cross-border urban area. The municipalities elaborated in 2005 the concept of the “City Councils Commission Frankfurt Oder - Slubice” for a common urban strategy and organised the “Future Conference Frankfurt Oder-Slubice” in 2007. The «EGTC» URBACT project will give the opportunity to deepen these debates. Based on these results, the Frankfurt Oder – Slubice cross-border conurbation is planning to organise a meeting of all local stakeholders in order to conclude the “state of the art” of cooperation in all urban policy fields so as to propose to the city councils to adopt a local measure plan and to control its implementation.
The establishment of a cross-border governance structure might allow for a cross-border dialogue to combat these challenges.
Consequently, participating to the «EGTC» URBACT Project would enable the cross-border conurbation to learn from best practices and experiences of other cross-border urban areas in Europe, on approaches in favour of a common urban development and particularly on how to establish and develop sustainable cross-border structures so as to formalise the cooperation.
Moreover, the Frankfurt (O) – Slubice conurbation will provide to other cross-border urban areas a good practice as the Euroregional level. Indeed, the Euroregion Pro Europa Viadrina, is strongly involved in the reflexion of both cities.
The Local Action Plan of this cross-border conurbation will deal with the establishment of a cross-border legal structure of governance with an efficient operational management (e.g, staff with a strong expertise). The ULSG, which will be strongly involved in the elaboration of the Local Action Plan, will be composed of the Mayors from both cities, the relevant departments of the municipalities, regional levels, the German managing authority of the INTERREG IVA programme, the Euroregion Pro Europa Viadrina and socio-economic actors. The ULSG will be headed by a council committee composed by the Mayors, leading to a clear commitment of the local elected representatives.


Overall situation
The cities of Frankfurt (Oder) (61.969 inhabitants) and Słubice (16.986 inhabitants) are located on the German-Polish border, marked by the river Oder. Together, they form a cross-border conurbation of about 81.000 inhabitants. The town of Frankfurt’s first development took place on the western bank of the Oder; later the town was extended to the eastern bank and the suburb of Dammvorstadt. After the World War II, the new German-Polish border ran along the Oder, separating the eastern suburb, renamed Słubice, from the rest of Frankfurt. During the communist era, the relations between the two towns were very weak, notably because both were mostly inhabited by displaced refugees expulsed from the lost eastern German and Polish territories taken by Poland or the Soviet Union. However, in the middle of the 1960’s, a light opening of the borders allows some factories of Frankfurt to employ about 800 Polish border workers. After 1971, the removal of the visa between Poland and the German Democratic Republic (GDR) has enabled a development of the cross-border area. In 1981, the GDR closes unilaterally the border which will be hermetic till the German reunification (1990). After the “change”, at the beginning of the 1990’s, the situation is not prosperous. There is a lack of communication, of language knowledge and of culture competence. Polish citizens are required to have a visa to cross the border, transformed into the external border of the European Union with all the problems related. Therefore, both cities suffer from a bad image by reason of a sinister economic situation, especially on the German side where many industries go bankrupt (at the GDR time, Frankfurt had a big semiconductors factory with 8000 employees). Between 1988 and 2008, Frankfurt loses about 26.000 inhabitants. In the same time, the population on the Polish side lightly increases, Słubice deriving profit from its border location. Thus, several small companies, markets and gas stations settle to attract German consumers causing a kind of dependence of Słubice to the German side. However, the cross-border flows of proximity increase and the first actions of cooperation appear. In 1996, 13.000 vehicles cross the bridge between Frankfurt and Słubice every day, in addition to the 30.000 vehicles at the close motorway checkpoint Frankfurt-Świecko (situated on the Berlin-Warsaw road, significant for international transit traffic). Because of their saturation by lines of trucks, both towns decided to build new bypass and bridges (financed by Phare and Interreg II) in order to improve the crossing of the conurbation. During the last 18 years, Frankfurt and Slubice have used every effort to change their image and to derive profit from their strategical situation. Concerning the economy, both towns have created the joint-venture in Frankfurt and a special economic zone in Slubice to attract more international investment. Several microelectronical and technology firms have settled in the area and Frankfurt is now considered as a center of science and research, particullary in the sector of solar energy. Frankfurt renewed also its cultural offer by the creation of several equipments (conference and trade fair center, concert hall, museum,…) and events, most of them in partnership with Slubice. Finally, one of the most significant realizations is the creation in 1991 of the European University Viadrina on both sides of the Oder. This cross-border equipment welcome every year about 5000 students, among them 53% of Germans and 22% of Poles. Today, Frankfurt and Słubice have overcome a part of their difficulties and seem to be better integrated in a common conurbation, especially after Poland membership in the European Union (2004) and in the Schengen zone (2007). Political organisation on both sides of the border At the local level, Słubice is a municipality (gmina). In Poland, the competences of the municipalities are public transport, social services, housing, environment, culture, health and primary education. At the intermediary level, Słubice is also the head of the Słubice county (powiat) of which competences are road building and maintenance, secondary education, civil protection, environment and employment. On the German side, Frankfurt (Oder) is an urban district (Kreisfreie Stadt) and then has the competences of a municipality (Stadt) and of a district (Kreis): urban planning, water management, youth and social aid, building and maintenance of schools, construction and maintenance of roads, collecting and managing household refuse. At the regional level, Słubice belongs to the region (województwo) of Lubusz. In Poland, the tasks of the regions are economic development, higher education, environment, employment, social policy and regional roads management. On the German side, Frankfurt (Oder) belongs to the State of Brandenburg, one of the 16 states (Länder) of Germany. The competences of the state are culture, education, environment and police. History of the cross-border co-operation in the area The cross-border cooperation between Frankfurt (Oder) and Slubice started in the early 1990’s, after the German reunification and the lightening of the border controls. The first initiative was the elaboration of the common document “European city of Frankfurt (O) – Slubice – state of art, tasks and perspectives” about the future actions of the cooperation in the cross-border conurbation. At the same time, Frankfurt and Slubice with other municipalities of both sides of the border, decided to create the Pro Europa Viadrina Euroregion (see the map below) in 1993 when the German part became a region eligible within the framework of the INTERREG II and the Polish by PHARE CBC (Cross Border Cooperation). In 1994, the two towns elaborate a common planning document “Räumliches Strukturkonzept” catching the whole cross-border urban area. During this period, the two municipalities started to organize meetings of both mayors and common town councils (11 since 1993). Members of the Pro Europa Viadrina Euroregion
Cross-border territorial cohesion policies
In 2004, Frankfurt and Slubice worked out a programme for common development and cooperation of a European City. During the years 2004-2006, both towns took part in the “City Twins Cooperation Network”, within the framework of Interreg IIIC, with four other cross-border conurbations (on the borders of Northern and Eastern Europe) as a result the creation of the City Twins Association. In 2007, this association signed the partnership EUROMOT to promote cooperation in cross-border local authorities in Europe. Current cross-border governance in the Frankfurt (Oder) – Słubice conurbation The common agreement on cross-border cooperation signed in 1990 was the first step of a common political will to develop cooperation and go towards an integrated cross-border conurbation. This document has been the basis to set up many common actions in the fields of urban planning, flood prevention, culture, tourism… In spite of this active process to promote a better cross-border governance in the conurbation, Frankfurt (Oder)-Slubice has no common working structure. Its function is played by a Common Committee of both City Councils and the regular mayors’ meetings. A short description of the organisation The Frankfurt (Oder) - Slubice is conurbation is not a formal cross-border structure. However, on the political level, the cross-border cooperation was managed by both mayors (they meet five of six times a year) and a common city council assembly (meeting once a year). Concerning the technical work, it was ensured before 2006 by three Common City Council Committees (Economic Development/ European Integration, Ecology and Culture/Sport). Today, it remains only one Common Committee of both City Councils (since March 2007, meetings four times a year) with five members from each city under common presidency of one Polish and one German member. The Common Committee can require the participation of external experts, according to the subjects. An overview of finance The actions are financed on the own budget of both towns. The cross-border projects are mainly financed by the European Interreg funds. On the other hand, federal or national funds concerning cross-border cooperation are very weak. Cross-border communication The Frankfurt-Slubice conurbation has yet neither developed a communication strategy nor a common logo. However, it exists many examples of common communication to advertise the cross-border conurbation (example: a parlour game about the history of cross-border cooperation). Existing programme in favour of territorial cohesion Projects Education Different levels of education have been the object of cross-border achievements. For the children, a bilingual European kindergarten “Euro Kita” was created in Frankfurt (Oder) in 2000. Concerning the secondary education, a polish branch has been opened in the “Karl-Liebknecht-Gymnasium” in Frankfurt (Oder). Finally, on the highest education level, the European University Viadrina was created in 1991 in collaboration with the Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznan (Poland). All of theses different projects were financed by funds of the EU programs Interreg IIIA. Urban planning Concerning urban planning, the main achievement is the transformation of an island on the Oder River into a European park with a cross-border dimension (signs in both languages, common events). This project was financed by the programs Interreg IIIA and PHARE. Tourism One of the last projects has been the creation of a common web page for common tourism development and marketing (2005-2007). The global framework The participation of Frankfurt (Oder) and Slubice to a network of cross-border conurbations through the Interreg IIIC project City Twins Cooperation Network (2004-2006) has been very useful for the structuring of its cross-border governance. The main achievements of the project (and later the City Twins association) has concentrated on developing cooperation between the “city twins” especially in following sectors: cooperation between the city administrations; local industrial development; promotion of labor mobility; social and health issues; border crossing; education and training; culture; services and citizens; and promotion of interests of the “city twins” in different political levels (national, EU-level). Moreover, by signing the EUROMOT agreement, the Frankfurt (Oder) – Slubice conurbation, through the City Twins Association wants to contribute by active lobbying to make cross-border conurbations places of convergence of national and European policies within the framework of European strategic implementations and network them at European level. Added value of the «EGTC» URBACT Project A general overview of the Local Action Plan and the URBACT Local Support Group The Frankfurt (O) – Slubice conurbation faces the challenge to enhance the coordination of all actors and policies in order to find a common answer to urban challenges, such as the decreasing of the population, unemployment and social tensions, the “energy question” and the lack of identification of the citizens with the cross-border urban area. The municipalities elaborated in 2005 the concept of the “City Councils Commission Frankfurt Oder - Slubice” for a common urban strategy and organised the “Future Conference Frankfurt Oder-Slubice” in 2007. The «EGTC» URBACT project will give the opportunity to deepen these debates. Based on these results, the Frankfurt Oder – Slubice cross-border conurbation is planning to organise a meeting of all local stakeholders in order to conclude the “state of the art” of cooperation in all urban policy fields so as to propose to the city councils to adopt a local measure plan and to control its implementation. The establishment of a cross-border governance structure might allow for a cross-border dialogue to combat these challenges. Consequently, participating to the «EGTC» URBACT Project would enable the cross-border conurbation to learn from best practices and experiences of other cross-border urban areas in Europe, on approaches in favour of a common urban development and particularly on how to establish and develop sustainable cross-border structures so as to formalise the cooperation. Moreover, the Frankfurt (O) – Slubice conurbation will provide to other cross-border urban areas a good practice as the Euroregional level. Indeed, the Euroregion Pro Europa Viadrina, is strongly involved in the reflexion of both cities. The Local Action Plan of this cross-border conurbation will deal with the establishment of a cross-border legal structure of governance with an efficient operational management (e.g, staff with a strong expertise). The ULSG, which will be strongly involved in the elaboration of the Local Action Plan, will be composed of the Mayors from both cities, the relevant departments of the municipalities, regional levels, the German managing authority of the INTERREG IVA programme, the Euroregion Pro Europa Viadrina and socio-economic actors. The ULSG will be headed by a council committee composed by the Mayors, leading to a clear commitment of the local elected representatives.
Conclusion
In spite of nearly 20 years of active cooperation, and the common participation of Frankfurt and Slubice in many actions on the local, regional or European level, the cross-border conurbation lacks a real structure in order to establish long term cooperation. At a larger scale, this kind of structure could be established for the Euroregion Pro Europa Viadrina, in which both towns are involved (the mayor of Frankfurt is for now the president of the Euroregion) and which could adopt a legal form like the EGTC in the next years. For now, Frankfurt and Slubice need to organize their technical work. The «EGTC» URBACT project should be the occasion for both towns to develop a reflexion about common strategy as a result the formalization of a structure of governance, coordinated to the Euroregion. Photos:

Frankfurt (Oder) - Słubice

Overall situation Cross-border territorial cohesion policies Conclusion


Conurbations