MOT publications and studies

The "Resilient Borders - Cross-border Spatial Planning and Crisis Management project", coordinated by the MOT and the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) with the support of DG REGIO, supported nineteen pilot projects across thirteen European borders between 2024 and 2025. Its objective was to strengthen the resilience of border regions by improving cross-border cooperation in the fields of spatial planning and crisis management. The final publication brings together the lessons learnt from the pilot projects, identifies the main methodologies and best practices, and sets out recommendations for public decision-makers. It serves as a reference tool to foster more resilient cross-border cooperation and inspire new initiatives across Europe.

The workshops of the Borders Forum 2024 brought together stakeholders from various levels of cooperation - local, national and European - to exchange and propose concrete recommendations on ten key themes of cooperation; the objective: to resolve the cross-border «blockages» that affect the daily lives of local residents of cross-border living areas,and restore confidence in Europe by developing a sense of «cross-border” and «European» citizenship.

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.

Under the auspices of the French General Commission for Territorial Equality (CGET) and the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, the MOT and the BBSR (Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development) coordinated the publication of this brochure following the signing of the Treaty of Aachen in January 2019.

To mark its 20th anniversary, the MOT has published a brochure providing an opportunity to take stock of its work and look ahead to the future, and, more broadly, to assess the state of cross-border cooperation in Europe. The projects presented showcase the results of more than 20 years of cooperation. Twenty unique initiatives carried out by MOT members to benefit residents of cross-border regions are highlighted, along with other projects submitted by MOT members following the network’s call for proposals.