What have been the impacts of border restrictions on citizens?

February 2021

In July 2020, the MOT was tasked by DG REGIO to conduct an empirical analysis of the effects of the restrictions imposed by governments in the first wave of the pandemic (March-June 2020) on the inhabitants of border regions. In order to carry out this assignment, the contributions received by members of the MOT network were analysed and, with the help of its European partners (CESCI and the AEBR), more than twenty players on other European borders were questioned. The resulting study, entitled “The effects of COVID-19 induced border closures on cross-border regions”, is now available.

The study comprises two volumes

The first comprises four chapters: a mapping of the measures taken on national borders* both during the lockdown phase and the easing of the lockdowns; an analysis of the very concrete impacts of these measures on the daily lives of the inhabitants of border regions in several areas (mobility, employment, public services, economic activity and social, family and cultural activities); an analysis of the role of cross-border structures and agreements during the pandemic; and lessons to be learned from this crisis that has penalised border territories, and recommendations for the future.
The second volume consists of a collection of 20 case studies on 20 different borders. Particular attention is given to citizens’ acceptance of the restrictions.