INTERREG II Germany/the Netherlands/Belgium Euregio Meuse-Rhine Examples of projects ¡ The Euregio media centre This project aims to promote the exchange of information between the media of the five partner regions in the Euregio initiative. The idea is that improving information related to news from neighbouring regions will help increase the population’s interest in Euregio. A Euregio media centre was therefore set up in 1996 on the premis- es of the BRF in Eupen (B). It consists of a permanent office manned by three people responsible for collecting, ¡ Eligible areas co-ordinating, processing and disseminating information. Germany: the districts of Heinsberg, Aachen, Düren The office also ensures the translation of the information and Euskirchen; Aachen, the City of and its adaptation to the needs and cultural particularities Aachen (Nordrhein-Westfalen, Köln), as of the partners involved. Five public radio and television well as the districts of Bitburg-Prüm and Daun (Rheinland-Pfalz, Trier) chains from the three countries are currently involved and the participation of new partners from the private sector The Netherlands:the regions of Zuid-Limburg and is expected. Midden-Limburg Belgium: Maaseik, Tongeren (Limburg), Liège and ¡ A plan to assist drug addicts Verviers (Liège) Seven institutions involved in assisting drug addicts have ¡ Financing joined forces to increase and improve the availability of Total cost: 71.910 million euro care and to bring a cross-border approach to bear on the EU contribution: 35.705 million euro drug problem. One of this project’s distinguishing charac- teristics lies in its cross-border team of social workers, ¡ Areas of intervention which take care of foreign drug addicts in particular. Their Economy, technology and innovation 27.7% activities in the field are carried out in co-operation with Environment, nature and countryside 26.4% local colleagues. Contacts with other sectors that deal Socio-cultural integration 14.8% with drug addiction (aid agencies, the police, the legal services) are also provided for, so as to ensure coherence Spatial development 14.7% between the different interventions. Vocational qualifications and labour market 11.5% Technical assistance 4,9% ¡ A revitalised cross-border area The establishment of the Single Market in 1993 led to the closure of customs offices which employed nearly 500 people in the cross-border area of Lichtenbusch between Belgium and Germany. This project consists of reasserting the value of the area to prevent it from becoming a nonde- script piece of land and to create new jobs. First of all, it is promoting the reconversion of the old customs buildings into business centres. Among other things, an information centre will be set up to cater for potential investors and other people seeking information on the region’s economic situation or touristic potential. Other developments will be ¡ Contact undertaken to ensure the safety of pedestrians (walkways Herr A. Kohl over the motorway, pavements) and to enhance the area’s Stichting Euregio Maas-Rijn attractiveness (flower beds, etc.). Postbus 5700 NL - 6202 MA Maastricht Tel: +31/43/89 73 41 Fax: +31/43/89/72/87 22.