News

Two urban planning agencies join the MOT network

We are letting them speak for themselves to gain an insight into their cross-border issues and their aspirations with respect to the network:

Isabelle Maquin, Deputy Director of the AUDAB:

"The AUDAB decided to join the MOT network in July 2021. Becoming a member follows on from several years of cooperation: preparing and running a workshop at the FNAU⁽⁴⁾ conference, coordination of an MOT working group and co-drafting of a position paper⁽⁵⁾.
In the Centre Franche-Comté area, the particularity of the cross-border technical and political exchanges is that Switzerland is not in the EU. But on a day-to-day basis, the inhabitants disregard this specificity and cross-border issues come up in all of the discussions about the territory: recognition of the cross-border context in the SRADDET⁽⁶⁾, the Centre Franche-Comté Metropolitan Pole’s cooperation goals with Switzerland and the development of territorial projects in border areas such as Morteau. The AUDAB is thus working on a daily basis alongside the local authorities to develop recognised and integrated cross-border policies, and is joining the MOT to benefit from its professional networks, knowledge-sharing actions and know-how.
Accordingly, in the short term it has proposed to the Doubs Urban Conurbation to draw up a cross-border strategy in collaboration with a Swiss consultancy (objectif:ne) and the MOT, within the framework of an Interreg project."

Marc Trinqué, Director of Projects at the AUDAP:

"The AUDAP wishes to promote the emergence of cross-border public policies in collaboration with its Spanish members and dialogue partners. In this instance, the aim is to help bring players together around common issues linked to urban planning and territorial development: urban planning documents, planning, the environment, mobility, etc. The AUDAP contributes to the implementation of the Basque Country Conurbation Community’s cross-border cooperation strategy drawn up in 2019 with the urban planning agency and the MOT.
In addition, one of the actions initiated concerns the development of cross-border observation to contribute to shared knowledge of the territories, issues and challenges to inform the design of public policy. Following the completion of ad hoc studies of demographic and commercial dynamics, the aim is to step up cross-border observation by submitting a POCTEFA application with all of the French and Spanish territorial authorities.
The MOT could play a role in supporting this application with the European bodies. The partnership with the MOT already allows us to benefit from active monitoring of developments in European programmes that might be relevant for the AUDAP’s work. The MOT also collates feedback on experiences with regard to cross-border observation initiatives and cooperation strategies in other territories (facilitating networking/looking for synergies, etc.)."
 

(1) Flanders-Dunkirk Region Urban Planning and Development Agency, joined in 2004.
(2) North Lorraine Urban Planning and Sustainable Development Agency, joined in 2009.
(3) St Omer Country-Inner Flanders Urban Planning and Development Agency, joined in 2017.
(4) French Network of Urban Planning Agencies.
(5) In coordination with the conference of university chancellors regarding formulation of future European policy in the area of higher education and research.
(6) Regional Spatial Planning, Sustainable Development and Territorial Equality Strategy.