News

  • A study by the European Commission on "missing cross-border rail links"

    EUROPE

    A study by the European Commission on "missing cross-border rail links"

    July 2018

    The European Commission has published a report on the existing rail transport connections and the "missing links" on the EU's internal borders. It provides a comprehensive inventory of the 365 cross-border rail links which are underexploited or not exploited at all. In total, there are 176 missing rail links and, after consultation of the stakeholders and competent authorities, 48 of them – 9 of which are located along France's borders – were assessed as "potentially beneficial projects".

  • "Building a Europe of places and links"

    PUBLICATION

    "Building a Europe of places and links"

    June 2018

    The journal "Urbanisme" has devoted a special issue to the topic "Construire l'Europe des lieux et des liens" ("Building a Europe of places and links"). This issue summarises the 38th conference of urban planning agencies that took place in November 2017 in Strasbourg, in which the MOT actively participated. An extensive chapter in the special issue looks at "territories without borders".

  • TERRITORIES

    Nice takes action for cross-border cooperation projects

    May 2018

    The city of Nice and the Nice-Côte d'Azur Metropolis are engaged in many cooperation projects within the framework of the ALCOTRA and MARITTIMO European programmes, in very varied areas such as: territorial development, strengthening links between urban and rural territories, innovation and support for businesses, sustainable development and combating climate change, healthcare and social inclusion, youth, culture and strengthening digital networks.

  • TV programme "Avenue de l'Europe" devoted to cross-border workers

    TERRITORIES

    TV programme "Avenue de l'Europe" devoted to cross-border workers

    May 2018

    "They are French and live in France, but work on the other side of the border, in Italy, Switzerland or Germany. They are known as the 'transfrontaliers' [cross-border workers]… There are 500,000 of them – the highest number in Europe. But is there an entente cordiale between these French people and their neighbours?"

  • Launch of the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis's "Parc Bleu"

    TERRITORIES

    Launch of the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis's "Parc Bleu"

    April 2018

    More than 100 people – elected representatives, technicians and civil society players – took part in the event on 22 March to launch the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis's "Parc Bleu".

  • Towards a new European legal tool: the ECBC

    MOT

    Towards a new European legal tool: the ECBC

    March 2018

    The intergovernmental working group on innovative solutions to cross-border obstacles met for the sixth time on 6 February 2018. It is working on the proposal for a new European tool dedicated to cross-border cooperation: the European Cross-Border Convention (ECBC).

  • The Basel tram network extended to Saint-Louis!

    TERRITORIES

    The Basel tram network extended to Saint-Louis!

    February 2018

    On 10 December 2017, the elected representatives of the Basel trinational conurbation had the pleasure of opening tram line 3 linking the centre of Basel-Stadt (CH) to the railway station of Saint-Louis (F). With this tram line it is now possible to travel from Saint-Louis station to Basel city centre in under 15 minutes.

  • Launch of the MOT's online forum

    MOT

    Launch of the MOT's online forum

    November 2017

    The MOT's Forum is up and running!

  • President Emmanuel Macron's visit to French Guiana

    FRANCE

    President Emmanuel Macron's visit to French Guiana

    November 2017

    During his visit to French Guiana in October, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, stressed the importance of France's outermost regions.

  • 38th Conference of Urban-Planning Agencies: "Building a Europe of Places and Links"

    FRANCE

    38th Conference of Urban-Planning Agencies: "Building a Europe of Places and Links"

    November 2017

    The 38th Conference of Urban-Planning Agencies was held on 8-10 November in Strasbourg, with the theme "Building a Europe of Places and Links" ("Construire l'Europe des Lieux et des Liens").

  • ESPON - Territorial impact assessment tool, Cross-border public services

    EUROPE

    ESPON - Territorial impact assessment tool, Cross-border public services

    October 2017

    Developed over the course of the 2007-2013 programming period, the ESPON territorial impact assessment tool aims to support political decision-makers in identifying the potential territorial impacts of EU policies and legislative proposals in the regions.

  • "Promoting cohesion and development in the ORs"

    TERRITORIES

    "Promoting cohesion and development in the ORs"

    October 2017

    In light of the elaboration of a new European strategy for the “outermost regions” (ORs), the Regional Development Commission of the European Parliament published a report in March 2017 to promote cohesion and development in the ORs by applying article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) in an innovative and positive manner.

  • Greater Geneva: 3 major infrastructure projects co-financed by the Swiss Confederation

    FRANCE

    Greater Geneva: 3 major infrastructure projects co-financed by the Swiss Confederation

    September 2017

    On 19 June 2017, new conventions were signed between the President of the Council of State of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, François Longchamp, and the President of the Agglomeration community of Annemasse ,Christian Dupessey, enabling the Swiss Confederation’s participation in the financing of 3 Greater Geneva flagship projects, at a level of 26 million euros.

  • 2017 project files

    MOT

    2017 project files

    September 2017

    Every year, the MOT publishes a dossier highlighting exemplary cross-border projects along French borders.

  • TERRITORIES

    Cerdanya cross-border abattoir up and running

    June 2017

    The cross-border abattoir in Ur (French Cerdanya) has been operating since the start of April. The facility promoted by Cerdanya District Council (Spain) and the Bourg-Madame abattoir (France) has been 50% financed by the two partners and European funds, with a total cost of €5.4 million.

  • A cross-border tramline once again links Strasbourg to Kehl

    TERRITORIES

    A cross-border tramline once again links Strasbourg to Kehl

    May 2017

    It was at 4.52 in the morning of 29 April 2017 that the first tram of Line D set off from Strasbourg in the direction of neighbouring Kehl, with the two cities now even more closely linked, within the framework of a project that has profoundly changed the urban landscape.

  • The French Geneva Area turns into a Pole Metropolitain

    TERRITORIES

    The French Geneva Area turns into a Pole Metropolitain

    May 2017

    In order to increase its influence in the development of the Greater Geneva cross-border territory, on 1 May 2017 the French Geneva Region Cooperation Assembly (ARC), the French side of the Local Grouping of Cross-Border Cooperation, became the French Geneva Area Pôle Metropolitain.

  • "PASSAGE" to a low-carbon economy in the Dover Strait

    EUROPE

    "PASSAGE" to a low-carbon economy in the Dover Strait

    April 2017

    On 13 March 2017, around 50 French and British stakeholders from either side of the Dover Strait met in St Margaret's Bay, in Kent, to discuss an action plan for the low-carbon transition.

  • Field visits: the MOT's network in Alzette-Belval

    MOT

    Field visits: the MOT's network in Alzette-Belval

    March 2017

    The field visits offered for the first time to participants in the MOT's 2017 general assembly, to Belval and Villerupt, proved to be a moment of very fruitful exchanges.

  • Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on "missing links"

    EUROPE

    Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on "missing links"

    March 2017

    At its plenary session in February, the Committee of the Regions adopted an opinion entitled "Missing transport links in border regions".

  • Editorial from Xavier Faure, Project Manager, Occitanie Regional Healthcare Agency

    TERRITORIES

    Editorial from Xavier Faure, Project Manager, Occitanie Regional Healthcare Agency

    December 2016

    The Cerdanya Hospital, which is located on the border between France and Spain in the Catalan Pyrenees, is an unprecedented example in Europe of cooperation in healthcare (between the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and France).

  • The cross-border Cerdanya Hospital: an example of successful cooperation

    TERRITORIES

    The cross-border Cerdanya Hospital: an example of successful cooperation

    December 2016

    To be able to treat someone rapidly after a stroke requires coordination between local emergency services and specialist neurology and neurosurgery departments.

  • Signature of the "Greater Geneva Territorial Project 2016-2030"

    TERRITORIES

    Signature of the "Greater Geneva Territorial Project 2016-2030"

    December 2016

    Nearly 200 people gathered on 8 December 2016 in Geneva for the signature of the "Greater Geneva Territorial Project 2016-2030", a third generation conurbation project: "We want to move from a financial rationale to a common political vision. We want to make Greater Geneva a collective, shared project that is led by the territory's citizens and stakeholders. We want to work towards the concrete and effective realisation of projects."

  • Call for proposals for facilitating transport connections in Europe

    EUROPE

    Call for proposals for facilitating transport connections in Europe

    November 2016

    Within the framework of the Connecting Europe Facility, the European Commission has launched three calls for proposals concerning the implementation of large European transport networks, amounting to 1.9 billion euros. One of the main goals of these projects focuses on interoperability and the reduction of “missing links” in infrastructure, at a cross-border scale.

  • Atlas of Greater Geneva: taking stock for sustainable progress

    PUBLICATION

    Atlas of Greater Geneva: taking stock for sustainable progress

    November 2016

    The work of 174 pages offers an environmental, social and economic inventory of the cross-border territory of Greater Geneva on the French-Swiss border.