News

COVID-19

European and national legal resources on the latest measures to address the COVID-19 virus

COVID-19

Statements by French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on ‘France Television’, March 17, 2020

"Regarding the question of borders, the President of the Republic has made great efforts with all the Member States of the European Union to reach a common position."

COVID-19

In the Grand Est Region: a European equation to be found between border closures and economic interdependence

Since 16 March, the Strasbourg Transport Company has no longer been authorised to serve Germany, and the tramway going from Strasbourg to Kehl stops at the border. Within a few days, following the spread of the coronavirus in Europe, control and restriction measures were put in place at the Grand Est borders, while population containment was implemented.

COVID-19

The cross-border dependence of the Luxembourg health system on coronavirus tested

While the coronavirus crisis is challenging and will challenge all European health systems, the equation should be even more complex to solve on the Franco-Luxembourg border.

COVID-19

France-Spain-Andorra: controls and health coordination

As of March 18, Spain is the second most affected country in Europe by the COVID-19 epidemic with 13,910 diagnosed cases and 623 deaths. Since midnight March 17, Spain's land borders have been closed "in order to reduce the number of people infected with the virus both nationally and in Europe," according to Spanish Minister of Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska.

COVID-19

The situation at the Franco-British border

Great Britain is considered as part of the European Union until the end of the post-Brexit transition period in December 2020 and even though it had never been part of the Schengen area, facing the closure of this area to third country nationals since 17 March at 12 noon, the border with France remains open.

COVID-19

The influx of cross-border workers remains essential to the economy of the Swiss cantons

When looking at the share of people infected per capita, Switzerland turns out to be the second most affected country in the world after Italy. The large flow of workers between the canton Ticino and the Lombardy region, Italy's first region in terms of total number of infected people, has certainly speeded up the process.

COVID-19

France-Italy, tighter border controls

Italy, the first country to be severely hit by this health crisis, recently called for a "European coordination" in the healthcare and economic field to deal with the coronavirus.

COVID-19

Franco-Belgian coordination

In France, since Tuesday 17 March at 12 noon, for a period of at least fifteen days, and in Belgium, since Wednesday 18 March at 12 noon and at least until 5 April, any unjustified leave from home, any friendly and family meetings and all gatherings are prohibited, on pain of a fine for offenders.

MOT

The MOT’s position on the Territorial Agenda 2030

The Territorial Agenda sets out the European strategy for spatial planning. Following on from its adoption in 2007 in Leipzig, and the first update in 2011, the ministers in charge of territorial cohesion have embarked on a new update of the Agenda. A consultation has been launched, to which the MOT has responded in order to highlight cross-border issues.

NATIONAL LEVEL

Germany and France at the Forefront of Cross-border Observation in Europe

On 5 and 6 December 2019 in Bonn (Germany), the German Federal Institute for Research on Building Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) brought together the signatories of the "Memorandum for the creation of a European network for cross-border observation", representatives from Germany’s different borders (Statistics offices, local and regional authorities, ministries in charge of territorial cohesion, national bodies), as well as DG REGIO, the ESPON programme, and the MOT.

EUROPE

"Together For a Sustainable Alpine Region"

The French presidency of the EU strategy for the Alpine Region, launched on 4 February in Lyon, intends to move into higher gear regarding the ecological transition within this transnational space among the most vulnerable and under threat due to climate change.

NATIONAL LEVEL

Aachen Treaty - First meeting of the Cross-Border Cooperation Committee

One year on from the signing of the Aachen Treaty, a Franco-German "Cross-Border Cooperation Committee" was officially established, in Hambach, on 22 January 2020, in the presence of the German Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Michael Roth, and the French Secretary of State in charge of European Affairs, Amélie de Montchalin. Its objective is "to overcome everyday border problems by means of concrete and reproducible solutions".

TERRITORIES

Editorial by Jean Rottner, President of the Grand Est Region

PUBLICATION

"Agenda-setting dynamics in the post-2020 cohesion policy reform: the pathway towards the European cross-border mechanism as possible policy change"

The article examines issues specific to the development of the European Cross-Border Mechanism (ECBM) proposed by the European Commission for the next programming period. It describes the manner in which the ECBM tool proposal arose through the action of an ensemble of "policy entrepreneurs". The article highlights the role of the MOT as a facilitator and a relay.

MOT

The MOT’s contribution at the conference "Spatial planning in the Franco-Swiss Jura Arc"

On 23 January 2020, the MOT took part in the conference "Spatial planning in the Franco-Swiss Jura Arc", held in La Chaux-de-Fonds (CH) within the framework of the Interreg V – ARC-AD programme. As well as being an opportunity to share views on spatial planning issues in the cross-border territory, the purpose of the conference was to present the ARC-AD tool, a decision-making tool designed to facilitate the coordination of territorial planning across the Jura Arc.

MOT

"Together, Let's Discuss the Added Value of EU Programmes For Our Border Territories"

The MOT and Euro-Institut are carrying out a capitalisation study on behalf of the Grand Est region, funded by the Europ’Act technical assistance programme. Within this framework, three seminars have been held: in Strasbourg on 4 December, in Metz on 3 February, and in Charleville-Mézières on 10 February.

MOT

In 2020, the MOT is organising the first "Borders Forum"

When presenting its New Year’s wishes, the MOT announced the organisation of a large-scale event: the first “Borders Forum”, on 9-10 November 2020 in Paris.

TERRITORIES

The SaarMoselle Eurodistrict is publishing a guide to support cross-border projects aimed at young people

This guide is targeted at those involved in young people’s services across the Eurodistrict: social workers, teaching assistants, youth workers and coordinators, members of associations, administrative staff in the field of young people’s services, teachers, etc. It aims to guide these players in the development and implementation of cross-border projects.

MOT

Cross-border strategies being drawn up in cross-border urban areas

The MAPTAM Act* enables border metropolises to draw up a Cross-Border Cooperation Strategy. Lille, Strasbourg and Nice have taken up this opportunity and have been working since 2018, with support from the MOT, on formulating a strategy to structure their cross-border policy. Other territories have followed suit such as the Basque Country Conurbation Community.

TERRITORIES

Editorial by Michel Charrat, President of the European Cross-Border Grouping: "Greater Geneva at last!"

TERRITORIES

The Léman Express – "a real transport revolution"

The launch of the Léman Express on 15 December 2019 is “a real transport revolution”, according to Greater Geneva’s elected representatives. Made possible by a new 16km central section of track between Cornavin, Eaux-Vives and Annemasse (CEVA), what is now the largest cross-border regional rail network in Europe links up two Swiss cantons and two French departments. It has taken eight years and €1.8 billion worth of investment to complete.

MOT

Meeting of the MOT network: an ambitious programme for 2020

The MOT network met on 12 December 2019 in Paris in the offices of the Caisse des Dépôts, around the meetings of the Board and the Steering Committee. The discussions were an opportunity to report on the findings of the questionnaire on "Communicating the needs of the MOT network to the national level", and to launch an ambitious work programme for the coming year, with a number of key projects.

MOT

Meetings of players involved in Franco-Italian cross-border cooperation: the Sud Region mobilises

In order to make a preliminary assessment of past Interreg programmes and to plan for the future, the Sud Region (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) organised, in partnership with the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes, Hautes-Alpes and Var Departments, a series of three meetings with ALCOTRA and MARITTIMO project developers.

TERRITORIES

Annual summary of the Greater Geneva Cross-Border Statistical Observatory

The Greater Geneva Cross-Border Statistical Observatory has just published its 2019 summary: “The Geneva cross-border area continues to see demographic and economic growth: demographic growth is strong in the Geneva cross-border area (1.6% annually between 2011 and 2016), and is significantly higher than both the Swiss and French averages (1.1% and 0.4% respectively). This large territory […] is now home to more than a million people.”