News

NATIONAL LEVEL

Berlin Franco-German Declaration and implementation of the Aachen Treaty

The latest Franco-German Council of Ministers, which met on 31 May 2021 alongside the meeting between Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel, took stock of the implementation of the Aachen Treaty and the substantial advances in Franco-German cooperation over the past few months. It was also an opportunity to launch new cooperation initiatives, notably in the areas of healthcare, culture and youth, as well as to prepare for the major upcoming international and European events.

TERRITORIES

Online survey - Franco-Belgian border: share your experience of the Covid-19 crisis

The health crisis put the inhabitants of border regions in an unprecedented position that placed a strain on all aspects of their daily lives. In this case, the daily lives of the inhabitants of the cross-border living area of the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis were seriously disrupted. The concrete effects of these restrictions need to be analysed in greater depth to learn the lessons in order to act better in the future.

FRANCE

4D bill: The MOT's proposals to strengthen the cross-border component

In anticipation of the reading of the 4D bill in Parliament, the MOT, on behalf of its network, has sent to the co-rapporteurs of the Senate’s Law Commission on this legislation proposed amendments aimed at strengthening its cross-border component.

EUROPE

ESPON survey: How digital are French cities and towns?

As part of the ESPON DIGISER project (Digital Innovation in Governance and Public Service Provision), the EPSON program is currently collecting data on the practices and the current state of digital innovation in European cities and regions. The program also wishes to obtain information on French towns and cities. The questionnaire is available until July 9, 2021.

FRANCE

A cross-border component in the ‘4D’ bill

The “4D” bill was presented during the Council of Ministers’ session on 12 May. It will be subject to an accelerated parliamentary procedure, and its reading in the Senate is scheduled for July.

FRANCE

Editorial by Sylvain Waserman, Member of Parliament for the Bas-Rhin, Vice-President of the French National Assembly, and Christophe Arend, Member of Parliament for Moselle

Since 2018, the advances in Franco-German relations are major: the signing of the Aachen Treaty, the creation of the Franco-German Committee on Cross-border Cooperation (CCT) and the Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly. These democratic innovations, a first in Europe, are enabling us to identify territorial dissonances and to take action to harmonise our national legal frameworks.

MOT

"Cross-border Governance" Working Group: Towards the creation of a cross-border status?

Feedback on the MOT Network’s Working Groups: Since 2020, the working groups of the MOT network have been bringing together MOT members at regular intervals to share the experiences of border areas and encourage the emergence of propositions for action. Here we present the findings of the first three groups established.

MOT

"Metropolitan Cooperation" Working Group: Strengthening cross-border cooperation between universities

Feedback on the MOT Network’s Working Groups: since 2020, the working groups of the MOT network have been bringing together MOT members at regular intervals to share the experiences of border areas and encourage the emergence of propositions for action. Here we present the findings of the first three groups established.

MOT

"Territorial Solidarities" Working Group: For the consideration of cross-border living areas in times of crisis

Feedback on the MOT Network’s Working Groups: Since 2020, the working groups of the MOT network have been bringing together MOT members at regular intervals to share the experiences of border areas and encourage the emergence of propositions for action. Here we present the findings of the first three groups established.

EUROPE

Conference on the Future of Europe: Advancing cross-border issues in the Europe of Tomorrow

The Conference on the Future of Europe was launched on 9 May. A local dialogue in Strasbourg marked the territorial dimension of the conference, and highlighted that local and regional authorities are essential in taking it beyond Brussels and the European capitals.

EUROPE

Cross-border healthcare: two public consultations launched by the Commission, two seminars on French borders

MOT

Meeting between the President of the MOT and the Minister for Territorial Cohesion

On 29 April, the President of the MOT, Christian Dupessey, was received by the French Minister for Territorial Cohesion and Relations with Local Governments, Jacqueline Gourault. It was an opportunity to address several key topics for the MOT: the “4D Bill” which will include, as confirmed by Ms Gourault, a cross-border component; the French Presidency of the EU during the first half of 2022; as well as the partnerships with the minister’s office, the ANCT and the DGCL (Directorate-General for Local Government).

TERRITORIES

Eurodistrict Pamina takes stock after a year of crisis

“The effects of the health crisis are even more evident in cross-border catchment areas like those of Eurodistricts. [...] One essential criterion in cross-border cooperation is the reduction of inequalities, of differences and disparities between territories, given the proximity to citizens’ experiences. Yet, for over a year now, we have been seeing increasing disparities in our cross-border territories.”

FRANCE

First national meetings of the Small Towns of Tomorrow programme

These meetings were held on 22 April 2021, organised by the ANCT, with the Minister Jacqueline Gourault and Minister of State Joël Giraud in attendance. All beneficiary towns were invited, and examples of territory projects were presented. Among these, several border towns were highlighted, including Saint-Jean de Maurienne and its valley in Savoie, Bouzonville and Sierck-les-Bains in Moselle, along with Hirson and the Thiérache in Aisne.

EUROPE

Study on national networks of border regions: the MOT highlighted

This study, conducted for the German Ministry of the Interior by Professor Tobias Chilla, of Erlangen-Nuremberg University, confirms the need to take account of cross-border issues not only at local and European levels, but also at national level. It highlights the MOT for France and the CESCI for Hungary, which enable these two countries to be the most active in the development of their cross-border regions.

TERRITORIES

Editorial by Uwe Conradt, Vice-President of the SaarMoselle Eurodistrict and Mayor of Saarbrücken

“The border had practically been erased”

TERRITORIES

Projects of the SaarMoselle Eurodistrict up to 2027

The Eurodistrict is in the final phase of the process of drawing up its new territorial strategy. The issues it addresses are varied, and in the special context of the pandemic, cross-border cooperation has taken on particular importance, notably in the area of healthcare.

MOT

A webinar aimed at border region prefects

On 24 March, the MOT made a contribution in a webinar of the National Agency for Territorial Cohesion (ANCT) on cross-border issues, which was facilitated by its director-general, Yves le Breton, and the prefect responsible for cross-border matters, Christian Rock.

TERRITORIES

Focus on the Franco-Italian project PROSANTE, and assistance from the MOT

Funded by the Interreg programme Alcotra, the "PROSANTE" project is dedicated to the creation of a cross-border healthcare network linking the hospitals in Briançon and Susa on the Franco-Italian border.

FRANCE

An observatory of the territorial impacts of the crisis

This new observatory (French level) presented its preliminary findings at a webinar on 19 March, entitled “What is the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on territories’ economic and social dynamics?”, in which the MOT participated.

TERRITORIES

"Luxembourg in transition": a model for zero-carbon cross-border territories?

In December 2020, under the German presidency of the EU Council, a pilot action of the Territorial Agenda was approved, entitled “A vision for a zero-carbon cross-border functional region”. Its aim is to promote and transpose in other European regions the project “Luxembourg in transition”.

TERRITORIES

Forum on Mobility in Lorraine: white paper adopted

Led by the Lorraine Corridor Metropolitan Pole and the Grand Est Region, on 16 March 2021 the “Grenelle des Mobilités” (“Forum on Mobility”) published a white paper setting out “nine commitments over the next ten years designed to connect Lorraine to its neighbours”.

FRANCE

Adoption of the “Experimentation” bill

On 16 March 2021, French Parliament definitively adopted the draft legislation aimed at simplifying and developing local experimentation initiated by territorial authorities.

TERRITORIES

26th Franco-Spanish summit: towards “a comprehensive cross-border strategy”

On 15 March 2021 the 26th Franco-Spanish summit was held in Montauban, the first to be held between the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the President of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez. As well as an agreement on recognition of dual nationality and management of the Covid crisis, cross-border issues were at the heart of the discussions.

MOT

Mountain shelters in the Pyrenees: setting up a cross-border cooperation structure

At the request of the French Federation of Alpine and Mountaineering Clubs, the MOT assisted – between April 2019 and November 2020 – the partners in the Interreg project "ENTREPYR II" in the choice and implementation of a cross-border legal structure to ensure the long-term future of cross-border cooperation regarding mountain shelters in the Pyrenees.