News

TERRITORIES

A territorial project for Greater Geneva

In October 2015, the Greater Geneva local grouping of cross-border cooperation (LGCC) launched an initiative to draw up a territorial project for the whole of the French-Vaud-Geneva conurbation for the 2016-2030 period. This process of reflection will be completed at the end of this year. It involves the elected representatives of the region, both Swiss and French, and cross-border civil society organised through the Greater Geneva Conurbation Forum.

TERRITORIES

Editorial from the political representatives of the Greater Geneva

TERRITORIES

Unemployed in France, unemployable in Switzerland

At the end of 2015, the European Cross-Border Grouping (Groupement Transfrontalier Européen, GTE) was alerted by Switzerland's temping agencies regarding the difficulties they are encountering in hiring French unemployed people as temporary workers.

TERRITORIES

A new president for the Leman Council

On 3 December 2015, Jacques Melly, the President of the Conseil d'Etat of the Canton of Valais, handed over the presidency of the Leman Council to Virginie Duby-Muller, Vice-President in charge of cooperation and cross-border affairs of the Haute-Savoie Conseil Départemental, who is also Vice-President of the MOT.

TERRITORIES

Tensions around the Öresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden

Following Sweden's decision to introduce on 4 January 2016 systematic checks on all people coming from Denmark in order to better control the influx of refugees, the 15,000 cross-border workers who every day travel by public transport between the two countries across the famous Öresund Bridge, a symbol of the two countries' long-standing and extensive cross-border integration, are facing long queues on a daily basis.

EUROPE

Interact publications: a typology of Interreg projects and a project management handbook

NATIONAL LEVEL

2015 regional elections in France: an update on the territorial reform and cross-border cooperation

Following the regional elections and the reform which reduced the number of regions in mainland France from 22 to 13, the MOT has published a note (in French) on the new French regions and the territorial reform: what will be the impact on cross-border cooperation?.

EUROPE

The conclusions of Luxembourg's presidency in the area of cross-border cooperation

Within the framework of its presidency of the EU Council, on 26-27 November 2015, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg brought together the European ministers responsible for territorial cohesion and urban policy for an informal meeting in Luxembourg. The discussions fed into the conclusions of the Luxembourg presidency, which is proposing actions to facilitate cross-border cooperation within the EU.

EUROPE

François Bausch, Minister for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Luxembourg's presidency of the EU Council has given high priority to cross-border cooperation.

TERRITORIES

Seminar on French-British cooperation

The Pas-de-Calais Department has solid relations with its British neighbours, which have resulted in many projects and the signature of a cooperation agreement with the County of Kent.

EUROPE

ESPON Seminar: "A world without borders - Refugees, cooperation and territories"

A seminar entitled "A world without borders - Refugees, cooperation and territories" was held within the framework of the ESPON 2020 programme, in cooperation with the Luxembourg presidency of the EU Council, on 8-9 December 2015 in Luxembourg.

NATIONAL LEVEL

Seminar for government departments in Toulouse

At the instigation of the Midi-Pyrénées General Secretariat for Regional Affairs, a working seminar aimed at the decentralised government departments in the regions bordering Spain and Andorra was held on 25 November 2015 in Toulouse to discuss practices and consider new modes of organisation designed to remove the obstacles to French-Spanish-Andorran cooperation.

TERRITORIES

The "Learn do share" day of the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis

On 26 November in Kortrijk, a day based around the theme of innovation and the concept of "Learn do share" was held by the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis. Nearly 120 people reflected together on how to develop the Eurometropolis and be involved in it.

TERRITORIES

Greater Geneva in lycées' school programme

The local development council of the French Geneva area has presented a new edition of the educational material on Greater Geneva, which is entitled "Greater Geneva, our daily territory" and aimed at students in the penultimate year of lycée as part of the geography syllabus.

TERRITORIES

40 years of cross-border cooperation in the Upper Rhine

The Joint Secretariat of the Upper Rhine Conference and the journalist Reinhard Reck have produced a booklet to mark the 40th anniversary of the French-German-Swiss intergovernmental commission. The booklet presents the evolution, diversity and dynamism of cross-border cooperation in the Upper Rhine since the Bonn Agreement signed in 1975.

EUROPE

Annual Conference of the AEBR

After a workshop on EGTCs and territorial cooperation in association with the EGTC Platform of the Committee of the Regions on 12th November 2015 in Brussels, a conference was held the following day on “The Future of Cross-Border Cooperation in Europe”. It was jointly organised by the AEBR, DG REGIO, the Committee of the Regions and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

MOT

The Proceedings of the MOT Annual Conference are online!

The topic of the conference was: “Territorial Reforms: what impact for cross-border cooperation?”

NATIONAL LEVEL

An exhibition on the subject of borders at the Musée de l’Histoire de l’immigration, in Paris

The Musée de l’Histoire de l’Immigration (Museum of Immigration History) in Paris is curating an exhibition focusing on borders, from 10th November 2015 to 29th May 2016. From works of art to maps, contemporary photographs and migrants’ own accounts, this unique exhibition sheds light on the role of borders around the world and contemporary issues surrounding them.

MOT

Towards the creation of an online forum for the MOT network

On 18th November, members of the MOT network gathered at the CGET (General Commission for Territorial Equality) in Saint-Denis, for a meeting of the Technicians’ Platform and the Advisory Committee of the MOT.The Technicians’ Platform looked at plans to put in place during 2016 an online forum for exchanges between members of the network.

EUROPE

European Parliament study: "European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation as an instrument for promotion and improvement of territorial cooperation"

The study proposes a critical analysis of EGTCs and emphasises the primordial role of this legal instrument in the development of cross-border cooperation in Europe.

TERRITORIES

A report on TV channel "France 2" covering Franco-Swiss cross-border workers

"More than 150,000 French citizens cross the border every day to go to work in Switzerland, attracted by higher salaries in all sectors. Many believe they will find an Eldorado there. Reality is not always as one imagines…"

EUROPE

Date definitively set for the end of roaming charges

The removal of roaming charges for mobile phones in Europe is definitively set for 15th June 2017, following the passing of legislation by the European Parliament on 27th October 2015.

EUROPE

European Seminar on democratic governance of cross-border areas

A European Seminar on democratic governance of cross-border areas was held on 22 and 23 October 2015 in Saint-Louis (France). The seminar was organised by the Council of Europe with the collaboration of the City of Saint-Louis, the Trinational Eurodistrict Basel, the Mission Opérationnelle Transfrontalière and the Institute of International Sociology of Gorizia (Italy).

TERRITORIES

Trinational Agglomeration Basel unveils the contents of its toolbox for cross-border cooperation

The seminar organised by the Council of Europe was an opportunity to examine cross-border cooperation activity organised around the work of the Basel Trinational Eurodistrict (ETB), the international architecture exhibition IBA Basel 2020 and the Basel Agglomeration programme.

NATIONAL LEVEL

The French Ministry of Finance sets the conditions for the refunding of social contributions from non-residents

Taking note of the “de Ruyter” decision of the CJEU, “the [French] Government specifies in a communiqué published on 20th October the conditions for the introduction of recovery procedures relating to refunds of social contributions made on capital gains by residents and non-residents who are covered by social security schemes of other Member States of the European Union, the European Economic Area, or Switzerland.”