News
Lessons to be learned following two years of crisis management along borders: a new European assignment for the MOT
March 2022
After a preliminary study carried out in 2020,* the MOT has been commissioned by DG REGIO to conduct another study on the consequences of the pandemic and the impact of the measures taken by countries to combat it in cross-border territories**.
This new mission aims to analyse the whole period from spring 2020 to spring 2022, by investigating in-depth – by means of interviews and online surveys – the following aspects:
1. The impact of the guidelines published by the European Commission between March and April 2020 on national border restrictions (removal of restrictions, exemptions, special regimes, etc.). These guidelines relate to the free movement of workers during the epidemic as well as cross-border cooperation in healthcare.
2. The developments that took place between the first wave of Covid-19 and the subsequent waves concerning the border measures taken in the context of managing the pandemic.
3. The effects of these measures on cross-border interactions and the daily lives of border region inhabitants, identifying in particular the emergence of new obstacles (drawing notably on the questions submitted by citizens via the YourEurope portal).
4. The role of all levels of governance and of the main stakeholders such as EGTCs and Euroregions in facilitating (or not) cross-border life in these exceptional circumstances.
The MOT will draw up its conclusions and recommendations for the future, particularly regarding the governance of cross-border territories. It will do this in the context of the ongoing revision of the Schengen Border Code, which for the first time mentions the need to identify cross-border regions in each Member State, in order to ensure that better account is taken of local issues that are very specific to these territories in times of crisis.
The final results of the study are due to be ready by June 2022.
Photo : iStock / CasarsaGuru
* More info
** Exact title: "Analysis of the impact of border-related measures taken by Member States in the fight against COVID-19"
