INTERREG II Germany/Luxembourg/France Rheinland-Pfalz- Saarland-Lorraine Examples of projects ¡ Cooperation between chambers of trades This project covers a cross-border area, which also includes Luxemburg, and is known as the “Great Region”, symbolising well its role as a cross-border economic area. The three projects undertaken by the Inter-regional Council of Chambers of Trades emphasises this aspect. One of them concerns the environment and involves the provision of environmentally-linked aid to SMEs-SMIs engaged in cross-border activity. The second is a perma- ¡ Eligible areas nent forum for co-ordinating cross-border market strate- Germany: urban community of Saarbrücken, gies les by the various chambers. Landkreise Saarlouis, Merzig-Wadern and Saarpfalz (Saarland); Pirmasens- Really, it is not just a question of cross-border initiatives Zweibrücken area (Rheinland-Pfalz). springing up here and there, but ensuring that overall they France: Moselle department (Lorraine) produce co-ordinated effects which in turn stimulate new initiatives. Finally, the “Culture and Material” project aims ¡ Financing to establish an inter-regional price for craft products to Total cost: 47 million euro, 304 million FF make artisan businesses aware of the commercial impor- EU contribution: 23 million euro, 152 million FF tance of maintaining a product quality policy, something which will also contribute to opening up new markets. This ¡ Areas of intervention project builds on the experience of exhibitors at interna- Higher education, employment, tional fairs and includes measures to support marketing. professional development and continual training 35% Economic development, research and development ¡ Moselle European Valley and technology transfer, tourism 30% In 1974, on the French side of the Franco-German border, Environment and regional development 24% archaeological remains dating back to the Celtic period Information exchange and networking 10% were discovered between the Lorraine village of Technical assistance 1% Bliesbruck and the Saarland village of Reinheim (Gersheim commune). A Bliesbruck-Reinheim European archaeological park is to be created for the year 2000 to develop this heritage and create a tourism resource. ¡ Contact ¡ Joint treatment of waste water Ministerium für Wirtschaft und Finanzen des Saarlandes Am Stadtgraben 6-8 The construction of a water purification station not far D - 66111 Saarbrücken from the French commune of Dorst, in the Bitche region Tel: +49 681 501-00 (Bitscher Land) enabled two birds to be killed with one Fax: +49 681 501-1620 stone: provide the small and sparse French villages in this region with an infrastructure and treatment system for Ministerium für Wirtschaft und Verkehr waste water which meets current standards, and reap Stiftsstraße 9 economies of scale by connecting German communes to D - 55116 Mainz the future plant, thus giving it greater capacity. Tel: +49 6131 16 22 61 Fax: +49 6131 16 22 07 Préfecture de la Région Lorraine Secrétariat général pour les Affaires régionales 9, place de la Préfecture F - 57034 Metz Tel: +33 3 87 34 89 81/87 34 Fax: +33 3 87 32 71 78 21.