P. 2 Events Future visions for a trinational space In brief P. 3 Europe news MOT news P. 4 Press review

Maubeuge and strengthen their links On 17 November in Charleroi, the Agglomération de -Val de and the Intercommunale de Charleroi signed an agreement setting up a “cross-border cooperation platform”.

The cross-border space extends along the river also intended to boost and define joint action Sambre between Maubeuge and Charleroi on programmes, assimilate the 2014-2020 Rém i Pauvros the French-Belgian border. Its common European priorities and prepare the formation history, stretching back to the time of the of an EGTC. President of the Communauté d'Agglo- great abbeys, continues today through The priorities are economic development, mération de Maubeuge Val economic exchanges and the repercussions of employment and training, infrastructure and de Sambre, Mayor of Maubeuge () the restructuring of the Sambre industrial transports, the environment and tourism. area. To ensure the success of this cooperation, the Drawing upon a rich and eventful history, the This signature is the result of cooperation platform intends to be pragmatic by setting conurbations of Charleroi and Maubeuggye are today supportdbted by thItthe Interreg programmes an d up cross-bdborder bdibodies such as a st an ding deciding, by signing a cooperation agreement, to backed by strong political determination of conference, an executive office, a technical unite their efforts and increase their the presidents of the two institutions. coordination unit, and thematic working attractiveness. This is more than just a marriage The objectives are to bring territories and groups. The initial priorities will be of convenience. It confirms the close and populations on either side of the border infrastructure and transport (through the constant links bringing together these two closer together, ensure balanced development RN54 project), along with economic industrial areas. It prepares a future based on of the cross-border area, and establish a development and employment, in view of the creativity, opens up to new recognition and affirms a c lear pos it ion ing between t he ma jor consistent political dialogue. The platform is unemployment rate in the two territories. European metropolitan centres at the heart of the European pentagon. This cooperation concerns the daily life of the citizens, and in the first place employment; it develops resources and looks for economic, social and environmental added value. It aims to make the cross -border situation a resource and encourage the feeling of having a common future. The priorities demonstrate the shared ambition of the stakeholders to encourage mobility, exchanges and collective projects. This innovative agreement is intended to lead to the creation of a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation, or EGTC. Charleroi and Maubeuge, closely-related cities, have the firm intention to take this path of the future and be pioneers of European construction, so desired and so The cross-border cycle necessary. This signature manifests the track along the river unflinching determination of the elected Sambre between representatives to move forward into a new era. Maubeuge and Charleroi EVENTS Future visions for a trinational space

DECEMBER

CfConference – “Être trava illeur frontalier aujourd’hui : réalités et enjeux” (Working across the border today: realities and issues) 6 December 2011 in Longwy (France)

International Conference “Future cohesion ppyolicy: stren gthenin g territorial cooperation” On 3 November, 400 persons cross-border level. Among the selected projects, 8 and 9 December 2011 in Bratislava (Slovakia) from very varied professional Its goal is to impart impetus “3Land” proposes the Conference organized by the sectors participated in the and promote the emergence redevelopment of Basle’s INTERACT programme first forum of the IBA Basel of projects aiming to urban port on the Rhine, with Conference “Crises et 2020 international strengthen cross-border new developments for redéploiements des territoires architecture exhibition. The development around Basle, housing, research, en Europe” (Crises and MOT took part as an “external while involving civil society. pharmaceutical activities and redeployments of territories in Europe) expert”. Forty-four selected The projects concern leisure spread over the three 12 and 13 December 2011 in projects for building the construction, architecture, countries. The introduction of Nancy (France) future trinational Basle urban development and a shuttle service on the river Event organized as part of the CoesioNet project (network of metropolis (CH/FR/DE) were spatial planning, as well as between the city centre, the studies and research on cohesion officially presented at the culture and economic other districts and the and territories in Europe/CERI- forum. development. The cross- municipalities of the Three DATAR) From 2010 to 2020, the border aspect was the Borders region should also 4th IdCfhIntermodes Conference: the towns and mun ic ipa lities of dtdetermi iigning fact or in the encourage cross-bdborder actors engaged in passenger the Basle trinational selection of the first projects. connections and sustainable transport intermodality 8 February 2012 in Brussels conurbation are organizing According to IBA programme mobility, as part of an () this exhibition, which has a director Martin Jann, “we attractive cross-border living Registration fee: €410 long tradition in Germany. received around a hundred environment. Note a round table entitled “Cross- One of the best-known applications […]. Some were border regions: actors of an Further information: intermodality that has an instruments in urban and not selected, because their www.iba-basel.net econo mic a nd soc i al pu rpose ” . regional development in cross-border or trinational Further information: Europe, this is the first time it aspect did not appear www.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu has been organized on a obvious.”

IN BRIEF CEVA: ground broken Ground was broken for rejoiced Mark Muller, scheduled to come into this cross-border railway president of the Geneva service 6 years from now Towards a LCCG project between France Council of State. to interconnect the and Switzerland on 15 “I can assure you that the French and Swiss The last partner to come to a November. “Geneva has CEVA will in fact go to networks from lake decision on the subject, Nyon been waiting for this Annemasse, and will not Geneva to lake Annecy, regional council has adopted missing link in the stop at the French-Swiss and from the Jura the convention defining the French-Swiss railway border”, confirmed Jean- mountains to Mont Blanc, future governance of the network for more than a Jack Queyranne, is a response to the France-Vaud-Geneva hundred years. president of the Rhône- major development and conurbation project . The Genevese, French, Alpes regional council. growth challenges facing convention gives the go- Swiss; citizens, “We have reached an the whole of the France- ahead for the creation of a politicians, protagonists agreement on the French Vaud-Geneva Local Cross-border in regional life: beyond side, and I confirm to you conurbation. Cooperation Grouping divergences, we are here the commitment of the (LCCG) to run the cross- today to celebrate - at French government to www.ceva.ch border conurbation project. last! - the start of this this project”, he stated. www.projet-agglo.org project of the century”, The CEVA, which is EUROPE MOT NEWS NEWS Changes in the MOT for TEIN net work meeti n g greater The network of the Euro-Institutes in Europe, invited by the Centre for multi-level Cross Border Studies in Armagh, “ ” held a meeting on 26 October as Marie-Thérèse Sanchez-Schmid, MEP, effectiveness MOT meeting on 23 November. part of the TEIN project. The MOT is an associate partner of this project, Following the MOT board membershippyy of nearly sixty French State,,y as well as any which concerns cross-bdborder tiitraining and research. It plans to produce meeting on 23 November, the local, regional or national neighbouring states that wish educational toolkits, resources on network members met to entities, operating as a centre to participate. territorial cooperation, a charter and discuss the procedures for of cross-border resources and This transformation will a TEIN label. The project ends in transformation of the expertise. strengthen the strategic June 2012, and ideas for pursuing association into a Groupement In accordance with the positioning of the MOT at the the activities, with which the MOT d'Intérêt Public (GIP, public conclusions of the Blanc-Keller- service of the local level and will continue to be associated, were discussed . interest grouping), looking Sanchez-Schmid report, the the national and European forward to the next general bodies of the association have levels, the sharing of Over the next two days the participants were invited to the assembly meeting scheduled on decided to transform the MOT experiences and the upward conference “Cross-Border Training 4 April 2012 in Paris, during into a GIP in order to reinforce communication of needs and Impact Assessment in Ireland which the draft constituent its operational effectiveness, remaining its priorities. and Europe” in Cavan. A toolkit for convention should be validated. its financial stability, and its This change will also be an assessment of cross-border Since its establishment in 1998 institutional visibility. opportunity for the MOT to cooperation in Ireland and in Europe on the initiative of local cross- The GIP will take over the tasks welcome new members wishing was launched at the conference. border stakeholders, the Caisse of the association and its to join the GIP. http://www.crossborder.ie/news/ des Dépôts and the French present technical team. It will cross-border-training-and-impact- State, the MOT has become a include in its partnership the assessment-international- Further information in the members’ conference-date-is-27-28-october multi-level governance tool on local cross-border stakeholders space of the MOT website: www.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu cross-border issues, with a and the representatives of the

Conference “Regards CoR draft opinion on Pamina mayors'day: developing local croisés” (comparing the EGTC energies discussions and showed the interest of expanding On 20 October, the Regio views) The draft opinion of the COTER cooperation in this area. A MOT Commission of the Committee Pamina Eurodistrict for the This one-day conference on 21 network working group on this of the Regions (CoR) on the fourth time invited the elected October in Avignon, organized by titopic w illbill be organized i n 2012 , revision of the EGTC regulation representatives of the territory’s the CNFPT Paca and its inter- coordinated by the Eurodistrict. has been posted on the CoR municipalities to share their regional network of territorial and www.eurodistrict-regio- website. The document will be experiences of local policy and pamina.eu decentralized cooperation discussed on 5 December at the their ideas, with the aim of professions (in liaison with the meeting of the Commission, in strengthening and initiating TEIN project, and with MOT the presence of Michel cross-border partnerships. This participation), was the Delebarre, rapporteur for the one-day conference brought opportunity for fruitful discussions regulation. together some 80 participants between cross-border cooperation https://toad.cor.europa.eu/CO on the topic of renewable professionals. The conference RAgendas.aspx?body=COTER-V energies. Development in presentations are available at: Germany, of wind energy in www.paca.cnfpt.fr/sophia/rpmcei particular, provided input to the

CROSS-BORDER NEWS -3 PRESS REVIEW Health, energies and Extra time for The border retreats Improving the Saar to eliminate the PAMINA21 until 2013 La Tribune de Genève, 8 Nov. health and the quality “Oyonnax. Located 90 km from border Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace, Geneva, this town in the Haut- of life of French and 16 November Bugey district numbers some sixty Le Républicain lorrain, 6 Nov. “In 2012 and 2013, border workers. Recently the Italian citizens “The SaarMoselle Eurodistrict has microprojects encouraging cross microprojects encouraging cross- iflinfluence of fh the G eneva conurb a- Le Dauphiné libéré, 17 Nov. held its assembly in Forbach. border meetings of citizens in tion has extended to reach this part “On 17 November in Embrun the Energy, health, marketing, the Regio Pamina Eurodistrict of the Ain department, despite its launch seminar of the ‘Star Bene- development of the banks of the will still be able to receive distance from the border.” Bien être’ project, which is part river Saar: all these cross-border financial support.” of the European Alcotra project, issues were discussed.” Gipuzkoa and took place.” Inter-regional In Alsace, the Iparralde draw up a decline of the German positive assessment A tram between research awards EITB, 22 November Le Républicain lorrain, language raises fears “The Bihartean cross-border CCI Germany and Poland 22 November for jobs (Chambers of Commerce) has drawn Ville et Transports Magazine, “The Lorraine region is up a positive assessment after more 16 November th AFP, 16 November launching the 5 edition of the than a year of operation.” “The city councillors of “The decline of the German inter-regional research awards, Frankfurt/Oder, Germany language in Alsace would organized by the Greater Region French and Catalan (population 60,000), and of threaten tens of thousands of higher education and research Slubice, Poland (population border jobs: that is the working group. These awards are paramedics wor king 16,000) intend to set up a cross- conclusion of a study that raises intended to reward flagship border tram route which would once again the still controversial together scientific cooperation projects connect their two towns by issue of a reform of the teaching conducted by at least two L'Indépendant, 15 November 2015. Co-funded by the EU, this of the language of Goethe to the laboratories in two partner “A three-day training course link could carry 3,200 passengers Alsatians.” regions of the Greater Region.” organized by the University of per day.” Barcelona and the Puigcerdà cross- border hospital […]” Border workers: what changes on MOT conference: 1 January Eclair, 22 November proceedings published “Since 2008 several amendments have been made to the status of Described by MEP Marie-Thérèse Sanchez-Schmid as “a concentrate border worker. From 1 January of Europe and a source of competitiveness”, European territorial 2012 it will no longer exist in cooperation must be based on genuine economic development its present form. French workers strategies, adjusted to the specific nature of each territory. During employed in Belgium will be the MOT annual conference “Cross-border cooperation: from taxed at the source. The French- national strategies to territory projects”, on 15 June 2011 in Reims, Belgian tax convention signed two principal aspects were identified: on the one hand, cross-border in 1964 has reached the end of cooperation is characterized by its cross-functionality; on the other its life. A substantial reform will hand, it requires multi-level governance. be applied to the status of border workers with effect from To download the proceedings (in English) of the conference: 1 January.” www.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu/en

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