Editorial by Marion Dammann, President of the Eurodistrict Trinational de Bâle, and Frédéric Bierry, President of the Collectivité européenne d’Alsace

“On 23 and 24 June, our Three Borders region had the pleasure of hosting the General Assembly of the Mission Opérationnelle Transfrontalière (MOT). This annual meeting of the network provided a valuable opportunity for discussion, reflection and the sharing of experiences amongst those involved in cross-border cooperation.

Alsace is situated at the heart of the Rhine region and shares a border of nearly 450 km with Germany and Switzerland. This proximity fosters exchanges and cooperation with neighbouring countries. Here, the border is not a barrier, but a space for encounters, projects and innovation. Every day, thousands of people cross it to work, study, seek medical treatment or simply to experience a region that transcends administrative boundaries.

Since 2021, the Collectivité européenne d’Alsace has been the lead organisation for cross-border cooperation on the French side of the Upper Rhine. It has made this a priority, which is reflected in its commitment to mobility, sustainable development and spatial planning. For the Eurodistrict Trinational de Bâle, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2027, cooperation lies at the heart of its work. Its aim is to bring together local authorities, institutions and residents from the three countries through practical projects that improve their daily lives.

Welcoming MOT members to our tri-national region has provided a tangible demonstration of the extent of the cooperation that is being built day by day between France, Germany and Switzerland. Starting with the FREUND cross-border bus route – which some participants were able to use during the field visits and which links southern Germany to the binational Basel-Mulhouse Airport – and the visit to 3Land, Europe’s largest tri-national urban development project, covering 430 hectares.

For nearly thirty years, the MOT has been supporting this momentum by promoting the exchange of best practice, dialogue between regions and their influence at national and European level. Its work is invaluable in addressing the common challenges facing our cross-border areas.

It was a pleasure to welcome the MOT network to Southern Alsace and the Basel metropolitan area, where the border is seen not as a dividing line, but as a bridge!”