News

FRANCE

Incorporating the cross-border dimension into the “3D” bill: the MOT mobilises together with its network

Following on from the words of the Minister Jacqueline Gourault*, which give cross-border territories the role of “laboratories for the next stage of decentralisation”, serving as areas of experimentation at the forefront of territorial differentiation, the MOT wishes to elaborate with its network a joint position to incorporate the cross-border dimension into the 3D bill (Decentralisation, Differentiation and Deconcentration). This is due to be presented in the Council of Ministers in January 2021.

TERRITORIES

Opinion of the Grand Est Regional Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESER) on cross-border civil society

At its plenary assembly in October, the Grand Est CESER adopted an opinion on cross-border civil society. The MOT had been formally heard as part of the preparation of this publication.

PUBLICATION

"FOCUS", a new thematic brochure by the MOT : "Les massifs aux frontières françaises"*

Mountain areas represent over 40% of France’s borders. Among France’s mountain ranges, three of them are located in border regions: the Jura, the Pyrenees and the Alps. This new brochure sets out their common cross-border issues and challenges, while also highlighting concrete cross-border projects.

TERRITORIES

France-Italy: resilience and post-crisis(es) recovery at the heart of future cooperation initiatives

On 17 September, the concluding webinar of the Europ’Act capitalisation project entitled “What prospects for Franco-Italian cross-border cooperation initiatives in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region?” brought together more than 150 people. Organised by the Sud Region and run by the MOT, it aimed to take stock of six years of cooperation initiatives and to outline the Interreg programme for 2021-2027.

Cross-border territories at the time of the "Decentralisation, Differentiation and Deconcentration Act"

To discuss these opportunities for the future of cross-border territories, join us for Round table#7 of the Borders Forum, on 10 November 2020: "Cross-border areas, differentiated areas?"

PUBLICATION

A preliminary assessment of Cross-Border Cooperation Strategies along France's borders

Following the adoption of the first four Cross-Border Cooperation Strategies (Schémas de Coopération Transfrontalière – SCT) by the Nice, Strasbourg and Lille Metropolises, as well as by the Basque Country Conurbation Community, the MOT and its partners embarked on the drafting of a preliminary assessment of these initiatives that has resulted in a publication, co-written with each of these groupings of municipalities.

EUROPE

Launching of a European Cross-border Citizens' Alliance

At a time when Europe is at a turning point and is about to decide on its budget and political guidelines for the period 2021/27, the MOT, AEBR (Association of European Border Regions), and CESCI (Central European Service for Cross-Border Initiatives), are launching an European Cross-border Citizens’ Alliance, which is addressed to the European and national authorities so that they recognise the importance of cross-border cohesion as the cement of the European Union.

MOT

First meetings of the network’s working groups

The MOT network’s working groups met for the first time in the form of webinars on 12 June (the “Territorial Solidarity” group), 17 June (the “Cross-Border Governance” group) and 24 June (the “Metropolitan Cooperation” group). Their purpose is to share experiences along borders, to generate proposals for action, and to contribute to political reflections for the BORDERS FORUM to be held on 9-10 November.

MOT

Contribution from the MOT - Towards a coordination mechanism on the Franco-Italian-Monaco border?

The MOT has contributed to the production of a report together with Professor Philippe Weckel and Robert Botteghi, within the framework of the territorial diplomacy (DITER) programme, of the University of the Côte d’Azur.

MOT

MOT study - The Sud Region prepares the future of its Interreg programmes

A year ago, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region commissioned the MOT to carry out a capitalisation study that gave a voice to regional players involved in ALCOTRA and MARITTIMO projects by means of a broad consultation process.

TERRITORIES

Exchanging views and experiences to shape the future

The current crisis across Europe has sparked criticisms, divisions and inconsistencies between countries, with significant impacts on the lives of people in border regions. However, the European Union – which is working to restart activity – is there to restore free movement in Europe, which is indispensable for the development of European citizenship. As a central part of the recovery, we need to rethink the challenges of the post-Covid period, such as education, agriculture, healthcare, trade, eco-friendly mobility and sustainable development.

TERRITORIES

Editorial by Loïc Delhuvenne, Director of the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis

TERRITORIES

France-Switzerland: A Léman Coherence Strategy

Since 2008, the Léman Council has provided a Léman Coherence Transport Strategy. This initiative, which is led by the Canton of Valais, provides an overview for the whole of the Léman region.

TERRITORIES

The "Espace Mont-Blanc" refines its strategy for adapting to climate change

Drawing on 29 years of cross-border cooperation, the "Espace Mont-Blanc" ("Mont-Blanc area") on the Franco-Italian-Swiss border is striving to adapt its territory by seeking joint responses to the impacts of climate change.

COVID-19

The Franco-German border: Towards a cross-border model of crisis management?

The barriers that were put up between the two countries from the start of the health crisis have had a major impact on citizens who were used to crossing the border on a daily basis*. In this context, there have been many local cooperation initiatives and the MOT would like to highlight them.

FRANCE

Editorial by Yves Le Breton, Director-General of the National Agency for Territorial Cohesion (ANCT, France)

The National Agency for Territorial Cohesion, which was created out of the merger of the CGET, the EPARECA and the Digital Agency, was founded on 1 January 2020. Its name well encapsulates its purpose – which is to strengthen territorial cohesion and combat social division. To do this, the ANCT supports local elected representatives in the implementation of their projects, adapting to the needs on the ground.

EUROPE

INTERACT – "Introducing more territoriality into Interreg"

The INTERACT programme offers training courses to players involved in the management of and decision-making for Interreg programmes. Jean Peyrony, the MOT’s Director-General, contributed to a training session devoted to the relevance and concepts of territoriality and functional areas in the upcoming 2021-2027 programming period, in which political objective 5 aims to give greater prominence to territorial strategies and action by local players.

TERRITORIES

The Basque Country Community has also adopted a strategy based on the Cross-Border Cooperation Strategy

On 15 December 2018, the Basque Country Community approved a “cross-border cooperation” competence. Drawing on the Cross-Border Cooperation Strategy approach, it embarked on a consultative process to draw up its cross-border cooperation strategy up to 2030. The objective was to codesign cross-border public policy and to be aligned with the framework of the forthcoming 2021-2027 European programming period.

TERRITORIES

The four levels of cooperation of the Nice Côte d'Azur Metropolis

The Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis is a unique cross-border territory, located between the sea and the mountains and adjacent to two borders: an internal EU border over 100 km long with the Piedmont Region in Italy and an international border with the Principality of Monaco. Its 2020-2030 Cross-Border Cooperation Strategy, adopted on 16 December 2019, is organised into four complementary levels of work.

TERRITORIES

The Strasbourg Eurometropolis’s Cross-Border Cooperation Strategy

The territory of the Strasbourg Eurometropolis has an abundance of players and initiatives in the area of cross-border cooperation, for the most part designed and implemented with its German partners in Kehl and Ortenau. It also has several tools for dialogue and cross-border governance that enable it to foster and coordinate the daily contacts that make it one of the centres for cooperation in the Upper Rhine area.

TERRITORIES

The Lille European Metropolis’s Cross-Border Cooperation Strategy – an opportunity to rethink its cross-border strategy

The need to draw up a Cross-Border Cooperation Strategy was an opportunity for the Lille European Metropolis to rethink its cross-border strategy and regional leadership in this regard. In order to better assess the aspirations and orientations of its Cross-Border Cooperation Strategy, in 2016 the MEL commissioned the MOT to help prepare it, and set up a technical committee bringing together central government, the Region and the Department as well as the territories and urban planning agencies along the Franco-Belgian border.

FRANCE

What is a Cross-Border Cooperation Strategy?

The Cross-Border Cooperation Strategy first appeared with the French MAPTAM Act of 2014, which affirmed the role of metropolises. It is a strategic coordination document for the French side of the border aimed at enabling cross-border actions. The act provides for its drafting by metropolises that border on a foreign country, in association with "the department, the region and the municipalities concerned".

FRANCE

Prefects' power of derogation: a new decree in France

A new decree concerning the right of derogation available to prefects was adopted on 8 April 2020, in France. In accordance with the commitment made by the French President, and following an experiment conducted over nearly two years, it was decided to extend the power of derogation to all prefects and thereby step up the devolving of decisions to the local level.

ETATS

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.

ETATS

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".