Manifesto for cross-border living areas

December 2024

With this manifesto, which complements the ‘Cross-border deal’ of the Borders Forum, the MOT and its network call for a change in the way actors look at spaces crossed by a border as genuine ‘cross-border living areas’: territories linked by functional interdependence and a wealth of historical, cultural and interpersonal links, with an awareness of belonging to a common territory and a desire for cross-border territorial cohesion.

This document is based on the results of the study for a ‘cross-border living areas experiment ’* conducted by the MOT in 2024 in five pilot territories on French borders. It proposes 14 practical measures to transform the challenges border areas face into opportunities. They include:

1.Facilitating access to essential services: health, transport and administrative services adapted to cross-border contexts.
2.Promoting mutual recognition: diplomas, healthcare systems and administrative practices for greater fluidity.
3.Strengthening governance: develop innovative frameworks involving all levels of stakeholders (local, national, European).
4.Better understanding for better action: produce and pool cross-border data to inform public decisions.

Let’s work together to ensure that these living areas are seen as models of European cooperation and integration!

* Download the Manifesto here – In French