P. 2 A Straits Committee on either side of the Channel Covid-19 : Calls in the territories for an easing of border restrictions - GeoRhena P. 3 Covid-19 : Players in cross- border territories have their say - Europe News P. 4 Press review Covid-19 – The MOT's maps

Covid-19 -The Franco-German border Towards a cross-border model of crisis management?

Interior Ministry. These daily exchanges facilitated the transfer of patients from the Grand Est Region to the neighbouring Länder. A concrete expression of Yves Le Breton multi-partner and cross-cutting communication, the setting-up of Director-General of the National Agency for this binational group in the Territorial Cohesion context of the crisis made it (ANCT, France) possible to forge a joint response to the health emergencies, while "The National Agency for Territorial Cohesion, also enabling information to be which was created out of the merger of the passed on about the difficulties CGET, the EPARECA and the Digital Agency, was founded on 1 January 2020. Its name well linked to crossing the border encapsulates its purpose – which is to faced by economic players who strengthen territorial cohesion and combat found themselves on the social division. To do this, the ANCT supports frontline. A local contact group local elected representatives in the The barriers that were put up between the also involves the departments, chambers of implementation of their projects, adapting to two countries from the start of the health commerce and industry and Eurodistricts. the needs on the ground. crisis have had a major impact on citizens More info It offers to all of France’s territorial authorities, who were used to crossing the border on a This cooperation is occurring within the whether rural, urban or in mountainous, coastal daily basis*. In this context, there have framework put in place by the Aachen Treaty or border areas, a range of services including the been many local cooperation initiatives and and its Cross-Border Cooperation Committee, provision of technical assistance tailored to their the MOT would like to highlight them. which brings together French and German projects, support of national programmes, and players, and whose last meeting was held on territorial contracts between the ANCT and Already on 16 March, the date on which the 23 April, with the stated goal of: “Stepping territorial authorities to ensure implementation border between France and Germany was of their development strategies. Day-to-day, the closed, a contact group was set up between up cross-border cooperation at the time of Agency’s territorial delegate, i.e. the Prefect, will the Grand Est Region, the regional Covid-19 and moving together towards more be the primary contact person on the ground. Prefecture and the three German Länder Europe”. More info Regarding cross-border territories in particular, along France’s border. The aim of the group At a time when the easing of lockdown the Prefect Christian Rock has been tasked with was to be in daily contact about the measures is raising thorny questions in the developing the procedures and conditions for restrictions on free movement and their cross-border setting, the functioning of this the mobilisation and governance of support impact on cross-border workers. The group crisis contact group is highlighting the facilities for players in border territories, and was later expanded to include the regional ability to act urgently at the level of a looking at the interaction between the Agency health agency, the French border shared living area rather than through and its territorial delegates. The Covid-19 health predefined territorial structures. crisis has demonstrated our territories’ departments, the German health and police interdependence, which demands joint actions authorities, the German Federal Ministry of * As illustrated by the little border village of and efforts at all levels. […]." Continued on p.3. Foreign Affairs, as well as the French Scheibenhard, cut in two: see Arte’s news report. EVENTS A Straits

Launch of three MOT Committee has working groups in the form of webinars, co-facilitated been set up by the with several members: - “Territorial solidarity” local authorities on working group, 12 June; - “Cross-border governance” working group, 17 June; either side of the - “Metropolitan cooperation initiatives” working group, 24 Channel June. More info [FR] Six local authorities bordering the Strait of Dover and the North Sea have decided to turn their 2020 MOT’s general bilateral relations into a multilateral area for assembly and conference on dialogue in order to encourage the emergence of Franco-German cooperation, cross-border projects across the territory of the 8-9 September, in Colmar Strait. [FR] and Freiburg [DE], at the Following its launch at a conference that took Faced with the impact of Brexit on the territories invitation of the Haut-Rhin place in Arras on 5 February and that brought that border the Strait, it seeks to strengthen the Department. More info [FR] together 200 people from the public, higher interinstitutional relations that have existed for Regional conference “What education, business and voluntary sectors from over 30 years, by extending this cooperation to is the outlook for Franco- across the whole area of the Strait, the Straits include the territory’s stakeholders. Committee was able to begin its work in spite of Italian cooperation initiatives Among the three work areas that have been the constraints linked to the current health crisis. in the Provence-Alpes-Côte targeted by the Committee are young people, the This initiative by the Pas-de-Calais Department and d'Azur Region?”, ecological transition and economic development. Kent County Council, which also includes the Nord 17 September in Marseille This latter area is the subject of the Committee’s Department, the provinces of West and East initial work, with the setting-up of a working group 1st Borders Forum, 9-10 Flanders (Belgium) as well as the province of on tourism in order to support the territory’s Zeeland (Netherlands), aims to facilitate flexible November, in Paris. players in dealing with the consequences of the governance of the Strait of Dover and is setting current travel restrictions. All the events itself up as a new space for dialogue and cross- More info border collaboration.

Covid-19 - Calls for an easing of border restrictions Covid-19 - While a circular issued by France’s Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, dated 12 May has just extended France’s GeoRhena, an internal border controls until 31 October 2020, 1 there have been growing calls to give attention to the difficulties faced in border territories, notably for the 360,000 cross-border workers who cross the French observation tool border every day to work in a neighbouring country. The President of France’s Assemblée Nationale, Richard Ferrand, and his German counterpart have called for the rapid reopening of borders between European for the Upper countries. The Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly, which is co-chaired by Christophe Arend, the LREM MP for Forbach, and Andreas Jung, Vice-President of the CDU-CSU group in the Bundestag, has adopted a position Rhine in favour of reopening the entire border between Germany and France. Brigitte Klinkert, President of the GeoRhena, the Upper Rhine Haut-Rhin Department, and the MEPs Fabienne Keller and Anne Sander have issued a joint appeal to the geographic information French Prime Minister to reopen the country’s borders immediately. On the German side, political pressure is system, has developed a mounting for the border with France to be completely reopened. German ministers and MPs, and mayors of simplified dynamic mapping border region municipalities have issued many calls to this end. On the Franco-Belgian border, a petition has tool that enables people to received 7,000 signatures. On the Franco-Swiss border, elected representatives in the Greater Geneva area call view and search for for the cross-border situation to be taken into account. On the Franco-Spanish border, Michel Pelieu, regularly updated data on President of the Hautes-Pyrenées Department, has alerted the French President, Emmanuel Macron, to the developments in the Covid- economic need to remove the cross-border movements to and from. Lastly, around 20 MPs have also called on 19 epidemic in the Franco- the French Interior Minister to ease the restrictions on the EU’s internal borders. More info. German-Swiss trinational Covid-19 - Restrictions on movement and introduction of health region. measures along France's borders More info French government press release of 22 May.

2 - CROSS-BORDER NEWS N°159 EUROPE Covid-19 - Players in cross-border territories NEWS have their say "The coronavirus crisis is putting our European ideals to the test, and obliges us to invent tomorrow’s world. We need to think, in the design of our policies, about the impact of our decisions on our Covid-19 – MEPs call neighbours. This is how we will create European value added and the cohesion that characterises our Saarland-Moselle cross-border area and makes it so unique." Stephan Toscani, President of the Saarland for the removal of Landtag, and Patrick Weiten, President of the Moselle Department. border restrictions "Our cross-border cooperation in the Upper Rhine and PAMINA Eurodistrict has never gone through such a dark period. The border closed, controls for cross-border workers at crossing points, […]. The challenges that await us as we come out of this crisis are huge. We are making the wish that we will be able to review our policies and vision for the future up to 2030 and the governance of our cross-border structures." Rémi Bertrand, President of the PAMINA Eurodistrict, and Patrice Harster, Director of Services

"Covid-19 knows no borders. That is why cross-border cooperation is crucial to combat this virus effectively. In the Franco-Geneva area, it has been possible to step up the already concrete and well- Anne Sander, Vice-President of established cooperation thanks to the mutual trust and solidarity that have built up between the French the MOT, and Pascal Arimont and other MEPs have called on the and Geneva authorities over many years." Press release from the Canton of Geneva, the Ain President of the European Department Prefecture and the Haute-Savoie Department Prefecture. Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, “to firmly recommend the "Covid-19 is prompting us to think about the new challenges for European territorial cooperation. Will immediate ending of checks and we succeed in our transition from caterpillar to butterfly? What kind of butterfly will we be? No idea! entry restrictions on our internal Nonetheless, we need to think about the future of our shared living areas. How will Europe help us to do borders”: “the current situation is this? By focusing the political agenda on the issues of healthcare, mobility, solidarity, environmental putting great pressure on citizens protection and citizenship. And by daring to put in place a large-scale European Marshall Plan to help and workers living in border regions, and the negative countries to get back on track." Loïc Delhuvenne, Director of the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis. socioeconomic impact is huge”. Read the call "The health crisis is having a major impact on cross-border territories. Cross-border cooperation will be vital to address the coming difficulties." Arola Urdangarin, Director of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine-Euskadi- Navarra Euroregion.

Covid-19 – Reopening Covid-19 – The INTERACT – Continuation of borders and free Committee of the "Introducing more editorial on page 1 movement: Europe's Regions' exchange territoriality into "[…] In this context, the ANCT is mobilising, in close recommendations platform Interreg" coordination with the regions and managing authorities, in On 13 May 2020, the European The European Committee of the The INTERACT programme offers order to optimise the use made Commission set out a coordinated Regions, the European training courses to players of European funding to tackle approach in three phases to Commission (DG REGIO), the involved in the management of the Covid crisis. This follows on gradually reopening the EU’s MOT, the Association of and decision-making for Interreg from the launch by the European internal borders. More info European Border Regions (AEBR) programmes. Jean Peyrony, the Commission of a Coronavirus and the Central European Service MOT’s Director-General, It is also providing a list of the Response Investment Initiative for Cross-Border Initiatives contributed to a training session internal border controls in place (CRII) in order to utilise (CESCI) are working together to devoted to the relevance and at any given time. More info European funding available from give a voice to local and regional concepts of territoriality and the 2014-2020 period to step up On 8 May, it published guidance players in border territories in functional areas in the upcoming our collective response capacity. on the free movement of health the context of the Covid-19 2021-2027 programming period, In parallel, the preparation of professionals and harmonisation health crisis. You can now share in which political objective 5 European programmes for 2021- of training in relation to Covid-19 your border region and cross- aims to give greater prominence 2027 is continuing, with the aim emergency measures. More info border experiences on the to territorial strategies and of contributing to the post- platform created by the action by local players. The Covid recovery. This has become Committee of the Regions. presentations can be consulted our priority for action in the More info on INTERACT’s website. territories."

CROSS-BORDER NEWS N°159 - 3 PRESS RE VIEW A reopening of EU People in border The border has Switzerland reaches borders – on a bilateral areas forgotten in the been reopened an agreement with basis at best lifting of the lockdown DNA, 17 May Germany, Austria and “Closed unilaterally by Germany Localtis/ Banque des L'Avenir, 13 May on 16 March, the border was France on the opening of Territoires, 18 May “As the lockdown is lifted, not reopened on the morning of 16 “In a circular to ministers on 12 everyone can be reunited with May. Local elected its borders May, the Prime Minister recalled their loved ones. The reason for representatives are pleased, Zone Bourse, 13 May the measures taken to combat this? The border, which is due but are waiting to see what “The borders with Germany, Austria the spread of Covid-19 with to be closed until June.” happens next. […] ‘Europe is and France should be completely respect to border controls. like a jointly owned property, opened on 15 June 2020, provided France’s external borders will Homeworking, it doesn’t have competence for developments in the epidemiological remain closed until further notice healthcare,’ Antoine Herth goes situation allow it.” and controls will continue on its culture and tourism: on. Closing the border marks a EU internal borders until 31 three levers to step backwards’, whereas local Lifting the lockdown: October, with access remaining players have always worked extremely limited until 15 June, restart cross-border hand-in-hand. ‘The Germans an MP from the Hautes- or later. Some initial adjustments have treated French patients Alpes calls for 'free have however already been cooperation and I thank them again for agreed with Germany. In spite of La Semaine, 7 May that. The Franco-German movement' with Italy the EU’s recommendations, the “Following the shock of the Parliament has been very active La Provence, 7 May reopening of its internal borders closing of borders within the during the crisis’ and will “Joël Giraud raises particular situations is fairly disorderly.” Greater Region, the situation is continue to be, the situation including that of the Briançon area, conducive to restarting cross- being far from stabilised. ‘An where there is substantial cooperation border cooperation. This is the economic and social crisis is Coronavirus: can in the fields of healthcare, education view of Roger Cayzelle, coming. We need to strengthen and transport with neighbouring the health crisis President of the Greater Region our cooperation to address it.’” restart the Europe of Institute.” Piedmont.” healthcare? 20 Minutes, 15 May Covid-19 – The MOT's “The coronavirus crisis has witnessed nationally-based and maps showing the easing divergent responses across Europe, and highlighted the importance of of lockdown measures better coordination of healthcare policies.” along France's borders

Borders open or Since 11 May, the MOT has published on its website and on social media a series of closed? An update on maps showing the situation with respect the situation in EU to the easing of lockdown measures along countries France’s borders. To download the maps: Le Monde, 20 May http://www.espaces- "While borders in the Schengen transfrontaliers.org/en/news/news/news/show/ Area were closed within a few a-lheure-du-deconfinement-la-mot-publie-des- days, the lifting of these cartes-de-la-situation-aux-frontieres/ restrictions is taking place in an extremely disorderly fashion."

CROSS-BORDER NEWS

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