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The H istory of Cross-border C ooperation in Europe

The H istory of Cross-border C ooperation in Europe. Case studies of the Upper Rhine and Franco-Belgian area Bernard Reitel, Professor of geography, Université d’Arras Birte Wassenberg, Professor of history, IEP de Strasbourg. Introduction.

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The H istory of Cross-border C ooperation in Europe

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  1. The History of Cross-border Cooperation in Europe Case studies of the Upper Rhine and Franco-Belgian area Bernard Reitel, Professor of geography, Université d’Arras Birte Wassenberg, Professor of history, IEP de Strasbourg Bernard Reitel-Birte Wassenberg

  2. Introduction • Cross-border cooperation in the process of European construction: a step-by-step history? • What does Cross-border Cooperation (CBC) mean? • Does the history of CBC follow the same temporal pattern on all border regions in Europe? • A comparison between two « old cross-border regions » of the EU • The Upper-Rhine Valley • The Franco-Belgian Region

  3. Cross-border cooperation as a facilitator of peace-building after WWII Bernard Reitel-Birte Wassenberg

  4. The objectives • After 1945: maintain peace • Overcome the obstacles of the national border • Contribute to European Integration • Bring together the European people Birte Wassenberg

  5. The bridge of Kehl (1940-45) The « wall » of Kehl (1945) Bernard Reitel-Birte Wassenberg

  6. The bridge of Kehl (1940-45) The « wall » of Kehl (1945) Bernard Reitel-Birte Wassenberg

  7. Franco-Germanreconciliation Bernard Reitel-Birte Wassenberg

  8. Cross-border initiatives at local level Bernard Reitel-Birte Wassenberg

  9. RegioBasiliensis (1963) The Euroregio Gronau (1958) Bernard Retiel-Birte Wassenberg

  10. The European Union Bernard Reitel-Birte Wassenberg

  11. INTERREG • Creation of the INTERREG program in 1990, financed by the structural funds (ERDF) • Interreg covers: • All border regions of the European Community (12 members states in 1990) and their external neighbours (ie. Switzerland) Bernard Reitel-Birte Wassenberg

  12. INTERREG • 4 generations of INTERREG • INTERREG I 1991-1994 • INTERREG II 1995-1999 • INTERREG III 2000-2006 • INTERREG IV 2007-2014 Bernard Reitel-Birte Wassenberg

  13. The EU-Interreg IV 2007-2013 Bernard Reitel-Birte Wassenberg

  14. The Upper Rhine Region Birte Wassenberg

  15. History • A long history of cross-border cooperation since the 60s • Launched by private actors in Basel in the South of the Franco-German-Swiss Upper Rhine Region • The starting point: creation of cooperation associations Regios: Regio Basiliensis (1963), Upper-Rhine (1976) Freiburg (1984) Birte Wassenberg

  16. The institutionalcooperation • The Upper Rhine cross-border cooperation was institutionalized in 1975 Birte Wassenberg

  17. The Bonn Convention • Creation of an Intergovernmental Franco-German-Swiss Commission for… • … « the study and solution of neighbourhood problems in border regions» (Art.1) • No restrictions of topics to be dealt with • Limitation of the geographical space Birte Wassenberg

  18. Upper Rhine Conference • Creation of the Franco-German-Swiss « Upper Rhine Conference » 1991 • Composition: • France: Préfet de Région (but participation of regional authorities, Départements, Région) • Switzerland: Cantons of Basel • Germany: Land Baden-Württemberg, Rheinland-Pfalz Birte Wassenberg

  19. The Upper Rhine Conference • A session of the Conference Birte Wassenberg

  20. INTERREG • Since 1989, the EEC is involved in cross-border cooperation in the Upper Rhine: • With the implementation of a pilot project tested in 10 regions of the EC in 1989/90 • The Franco-German Region in the North was a pilot Region (PAMINA Palatinat- Mittlerer Oberrhein, Alsace) • In 1991, two Interreg programs were created: PAMINA and Middle Upper Rhine • The two programs were put together in 2007 Birte Wassenberg

  21. INTERREG program(s) Birte Wassenberg

  22. The Eurodistricts • In 2003 • Franco-German Summit for the 40th anniversary of the Treaty of Elysée on 22 January 2003 in Strasburg/Kehl • Joint Declaration by Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schröder for a “Eurodistrict Strasbourg-Ortenau” Birte Wassenberg

  23. 40thanniversary of Elysée Treaty Birte Wassenberg

  24. Eurodistrict Strasbourg-Ortenau • 2003 : Declaration by the Heads of state • 2005 : signature of the convention • 2010 : EGTC Platform for citizen‘s participation

  25. Strasbourg-Kehl Birte Wassenberg

  26. The MetropolitanRegion • The CB Metropolitan Region: a concept from the European Union • Project launched at the 11. Tripartite Congress in Strasburg : the Upper Rhine a model for economic development (2008) in Strasburg Birte Wassenberg

  27. Representatives from poltical, economic, scientific and civil society Experts Politics Upper Rhine Conference, Eurodistricts Upper Rhine Council Economics Chambers of commerce Trade unions, Coprorate Actors Firms Science Universities Research Centers Civil Society Associations Clubs The pillars of the MetropolitanRegion Birte Wassenberg

  28. The Franco-Belgian Area Bernard Reitel

  29. The Franco-Belgian border: an artificial line? • A good example of a peaceful and open border (Lentacker, 1973)? • Non-natural • « Invisible » • Intense and regular interactions Source: http://jelidee.com/Carte-Vidal-Lablache-N3-France-Relief-du-sol-1 Bernard Reitel

  30. A chronology of cross-border cooperation • Bilateral initiatives during the sixties and the seventies • The « Pôle Economique de Développement » - PED (1985), a CB economic reconversion programme (B-F-L) Bernard Reitel

  31. A chronology of cross-border cooperation • The construction of the Channel Tunnel (1987-1993): more than a link? • The foundation of the Cross-Channel region (1987) • The Euroregion as a EEIG (1991) • The central role of Lille and the neighbourhood areas: the COPIT (1991) Bernard Reitel

  32. A chronology of cross-border cooperation • A « new » Cross-border region: the « Grande Région » (1995) Bernard Reitel

  33. A chronology of cross-border cooperation • The strengthening of cross-border cooperation after 2000 • The Brussels Agreement (2002) • The Euroregion: a failure? • 3 Interreg Programmes (IVA) • The Two-seas • France-Wallonia-Vlaanderen • Grande Région Bernard Reitel

  34. The Interreg Programs Bernard Reitel

  35. A chronology of cross-border cooperation • New legal frameworks for CBC of EGTC (Lille, 2008; Dunkerque, 2009; Grande Région, 2011) • A CB regional Parc: the Hainaut natural parc certificated « EUROPARC Transboundary Area” Bernard Reitel

  36. Main trends on CBC between France and Belgium • Institutionnalisation: new ways to deepen CBC? • Rescaling • The Western part • From trinational to bilateral relations • From regional to local/metropolitan scales • The Eastern part • From a local and specialized approach to a muli-sectorial (regional/ metropolitan) approach • The extension of the eligible area during Interreg V (2014-2020) University of Victoria, april 2015, 13th

  37. Conclusion • Long history of cross-border cooperation • Strong political governance structures with legal framework • Mutual influence between cross-border cooperation and European Integration Birte Wassenberg-Bernard Reitel

  38. Thankyouforyourattention! Bernard Reitel-Birte Wassenberg

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