P. 2 Events Future visions for a trinational space In brief P. 3 Europe news MOT news P. 4 Press review Maubeuge and Charleroi strengthen their links On 17 November in Charleroi, the Agglomération de Maubeuge-Val de Sambre 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 (France) 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 suc h as a s tan 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: streng thening 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 munic ipa lities of dtdeterm iigining 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 (Belgium) 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 ial 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 whic h 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 discusse d. 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