P. 2 Events The Frankfurt-Slubice cooperation centre In brief P. 3 Europe news MOT news P. 4 Press review Practical projects between Strasbourg and Kehl A bridge between France and Germany, the Strasbourg-Kehl cross-border conurbation is at the heart of the Upper Rhine region and, more locally, of the Strasbourg-Ortenau Eurodistrict, a cooperation body set up in 2005 which established itself as an EGTC in 2010. Close cooperation has been under way for urban development competition was held many years between the two cities, with a covering “La Cour des Douanes” on the broad range of projects to meet the needs French side and the “Zollhofareal” on the of the populations. A few examples: German side, judged by a French-German - The aim of the “EcoCités Strasbourg, jury. The winning teams were revealed on métropole des deux-rives”* urban 18 January. development project is to lay the - The Cross-border nursery project meets Roland RIES Jacques BIGOT foundations of a sustainable, attractive the needs of the two cities for additional Senator - Mayor of Mayor of Illkirch- and inclusive cross-border metropolis, places in collective facilities for children Strasbourg Graffenstaden open to the Rhine and to Europe. from two and a half months to three Honorary president President of the Strasbourg Consistent with this project, the public years of age. An innovative structure in of the MOT Urban Community transport master plan includes the terms of both its architectural design and Boost the construction of Europe through cross-border extension of the Strasbourg tramway to its teaching project, which will combine cooperation Kehl to ease mobility on both banks of French and German approaches to early “On 24 and 25 April 2013, Strasbourg will have the pleasure the Rhine. This cross-border line is childhood, this facility will enable the of welcoming the General Assembly of the Mission scheduled to open in early 2016. two towns to face up together to the Opérationnelle Transfrontalière, an organisation of which it - The redevelopment of the former social issues of the territory, and to take is a founding member and whose action is recognised well customs areas , vacant spaces at the action in close proximity to the local beyond the French borders. moment, which have high urban populations on both sides of the border. At a time when Europe is giving rise to distrust and development potential. A cross-border * Click on the project names for further questioning, the cross-border territories are an essential information factor in winning back the European project. For many years the city council and the urban community of Strasbourg have been firmly committed to the path of cross-border cooperation, a driver of their development and a vector of meaning for the citizens. The celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty gives a special resonance to the cooperation actions undertaken in Strasbourg at various levels. The projects developed with the neighbouring town of Kehl are manifestations of this determination to construct a shared French-German services and employment area that answers the concerns of everyone living the cross-border life day by day. The Strasbourg-Ortenau Eurodistrict has experienced a new phase since 2010 thanks to the establishment of the EGTC, transitioning from a cooperation approach to a co- decision approach. […]” Continued on page 2. EVENTS The Frankfurt-Slubice cooperation centre MAY-JUNE ESPON 2013 Programme “Inspire policy making by territorial evidence” Workshop “Stepping into the sea - New evidence on territorial development and the opportunities and risks for European seas and maritime regions” 15 May 2013 in Brussels Transparcnet meeting: annual meeting of cross -border natural spaces 4 to 7 June 2013 in Roermond The Frankfurt-Slubice Slubice shopping centre, in (Netherlands) cooperation centre, on the thirty to sixty minutes. The German-Polish border, is a keys to the project: for joint municipal institution of €1.40, the bus ticket is Seminars on cross- Frankfurt (Oder) (Germany) valid for the whole urban and Slubice (Poland), in network, and the train border operational which six bilingual persons ticket from Berlin to programme. (three German and three Frankfurt (Oder) covers the Three major upcoming arrangements Polish) develop the cross- bus to Slubice. cultural events will mark The MOT is organizing five border cooperation • The cross -border 2013: “Europe Day” on 8 information seminars between June between the two towns. In assemblies of the municipal and 9 May, with forty cross- and November 2013 on operational this context, two major arrangements for cross-border authorities, which meet at border workshops; the projects on the German- projects on French borders within the the Frankfurt (Oder) town three-day joint town festival Polish border were crowned framework of the French Europ’Act hall, have decided to bring in July; and the European assistance programme. Each seminar with success in December the cross -border rock festival, “Przystanek will cover one of the French borders. 2012: populations together as the Woodstock”, to take place The first seminar will be organised on the French-Spanish border. The • On 9 December, a cross- “first German -Polish twin in the Polish town of place and the date will be posted border bus route was town” with its own symbol. Kostryn with the attendance soon on the MOT website. inaugurated at the Plac From this year, a blue and of students from the two Bohaterów (Heroes Square) green “Frankfurt (Oder) - towns. Study co-funded by the European Union. Europe in Slubice. The five- Slubice Ohne Grenzen-Bez www.frankfurt-slubice.eu is committed in France kilometre route links granic ” logo has been with the European Regional Development Frankfurt railway station, introduced in the Fund. the two town centres, the publications and websites two universities and the through the Interreg IVA Editorial continued from page 1. A newsletter for the “[…] We are now considering our and the Trinational Metropolitan advances of the European project, Basque Eurocity! conurbation and the development Region. in order to give it a new lease of of our 360 °metropolis. These different approaches bear life. Bayonne San Sebastian Basque The reinforcement of the European witness to the richness and the The next General Assembly of the Eurocity has launched its status of Strasbourg thus deep roots of a cross -border MOT, in Strasbourg, will be the newsletter. Read the first issue. necessarily involves laying greater cooperation that has become occasion to discuss these various stress on its cross-border essential, bringing practical issues in the context of the dimension, by working on inter- results materialising the preparation of the forthcoming municipal governance but also at construction of Europe in our community cohesion policy and to metropolitan level with the Upper territories. They constitute a boost the appropriation of cross- Rhine conurbations within the unique opportunity to reconcile border cooperation by the framework of the Network of Cities the citizens with the basis and the citizens.” 2 – CROSS-BORDER NEWS MOT EUROPE NEWS NEWS The Euroregional Alcotra study Cooperation A study on knowledge management Grouping may become members of an ECG, protocol; the ECG is governed by for the projects of the 2007-2013 on condition that the partnership the law of the State in which it Alcotra programme 1 was conducted On 1 March 2013, Protocol No. 3 includes a territorial community has its headquarters, the by the MOT 2 between August 2012 to the European Outline or authority located on their members being able to opt for the and January 2013. The objective of Convention on Transfrontier territory. Territorial communities legal form most suitable for their the work was to conduct a Cooperation between Territorial and authorities of a State that objectives. The members must qualitative assessment of the Communities or Authorities [the has not yet ratified the protocol also facilitate the implementation Interreg projects and manage the Madrid Outline Convention] may become members of an ECG if of the ECG decisions falling experiences after more than twenty concerning Euroregional they belong to a State bordering within their competences. years of the European programme, Cooperation Groupings (ECGs), the State in which the ECG has its The establishment of the ECG, and with a view to the new 2014-2020 drafted by the Council of Europe, headquarters and if there is an any amendment of the content of programming period. The complete entered into force in Germany, agreement between the two the agreement establishing the study is now accessible in French to Switzerland, Slovenia and States providing a legal basis for ECG (list of members, name, members in the Members’ space of Ukraine. It will enter into force in such participation. headquarters, duration, object, the website. France on 1 May 2013. The future members define the tasks, geographical scope) must The EGC, established voluntarily, terms of operation of the ECG in be subject to prior approval by all enables legal persons governed by compliance with the principles the States concerned. public law to work together to defined in the protocol: the tasks The ECG is an alternative promote, support and develop, for of the ECG must be in accordance instrument to the European the benefit of their populations, with the competences of the Grouping of Territorial cross -border and interterritorial members; the ECG cannot exercise Cooperation (EGTC), and could, cooperation actions (without police or regulatory powers; the for example, be used on the Swiss geographical continuity), on the member territorial communities or border for associating within a territory of the member States of authorities of the ECG must have single structure (possibly 1 Implemented in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. the Council of Europe. the majority of voting rights in governed by Swiss law) all levels 2 Commissioned from the MOT by the PACA Territorial communities and the assembly; the ECG must be of competence, including the region council and the department councils of authorities belonging to a State established on the territory of a State level.