An event organised in the framework of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union

BORDERS FORUM

Cross-border territories: fatalism or resilience?

21-22 June 2022

HYBRID FORMAT

at the Cité Internationale Universitaire in Paris

+ Live streaming

Organised by

WHAT IS IT ABOUT ?

The meeting place for cross-border actors

How should we react to the crises we have been facing for the last 20 years? Should we resign ourselves to a situation where countries turn in on themselves and borders are reduced to mere demarcation lines? Or are we capable collectively of demonstrating resilience, of adapting to an uncertain world, and of regarding borders as shared territories that are sources of progress?

At a time when war has broken out again on Europe’s doorstep, the failures both of closing borders and of opening them up without limits should once again call into question our cross-border model in order to construct a Europe of solidarity.

1

CITIZENS' DIALOGUE

9

ROUND TABLES

50

SPEAKERS

Vasco Alves Cordeiro, 1st Vice-President of European Committee of Regions

María Ángeles Elorza Zubiría, Secretary-General for External Action, Basque Parliament (ES)

Christian Dupessey, President of the MOT, Mayor of Annemasse (FR), President of the Pôle métropolitain du Genevois français

Chantal Jouanno, President of the French National Commission for Public Debate

Sandro Gozi, Member of European Parliament

Sandra González Álvarez, Mayor of Tomiño (ES)

Thomas Zeller, President of theTrinational Eurodistrict of Basel (FR-CH-DE)

Charlotte Halpern, PhD in political science, FNSP tenured researcher at Sciences Po Paris

Pavel Branda, Deputy Mayor of Rádlo Municipality (CZ), Member of the European Committee of the Regions, COTER

Hiba Debouk, Deputy Director - Territories at AREP (Interdisciplinary Architecture practice)

Jean Rottner, President of the Grand Est Region (FR)

Nathalie Sarrabezolles, President of the COTER Commission, European Committee of the Regions

Gabriela Staszkiewicz, Mayor of Cieszyn (PL)

François Decoster, Vice-President of the Hauts-de- France Region, Mayor of Saint-Omer (FR), Member of the French Delegation to the European CoR

Anna Karina Kolb, Director of the External and Federal Affairs Department, State of Geneva (CH)

Xavier Pelletier, Prefect delegated to the reconstruction of the valleys, Prefecture of Alpes-Maritimes (FR)

Béatrice Godefroy, Director - Europe at CIVIC (Center for Civilians in Conflict)

Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the Parliament of the German-speaking Community (BE), President of the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR)

Iliyana Cvetanova, Project and Program Coordinator, Association of South-western municipalities (BG)

Gaetano Vivo, Deputy Head of Unit, Disaster Risk Management, Directorate General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Operations (DG ECHO), European Commission

Katy Hayward, Professor of Political Sociology Queen’s University Belfast and Senior Fellow, UK in a Changing Europe think-tank

21 JUNE

On the way to cross-border
sustainable development

The first day will be dedicated to the current challenges of European citizenship and belonging, green transition and economic recovery that cross-border territories are facing.

22 JUNE

Cross-border alliances:
compasses to be (re)imagined

The second day will be dedicated to the organisational solutions that could be brought to the challenges presented the day before.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE BORDERS FORUM

«In 2020, the Borders Forum took place whilst we were still very affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the particularly serious consequences it had for border populations. This year, the Borders Forum takes place in an even heavier context, with the consequences of war on the European Union’s doorstep, something that none of us could have imagined. I would like the Borders Forum to be the place where we can exchange views on our core European values and reiterate how committed we all are to live in peace, in a Union of democracy and solidarity, across all borders. United in diversity is our motto. Let us remind ourselves of how powerful those words are in cross-border cooperation.»

Elisa Ferreira

European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms

More info

«In 2020, despite the difficult situation, the Borders Forum set new standards for events on cross-border cooperation. This year’s programme looks even more interesting and highly relevant, as we finalise our recommendations for the Future of Europe, which must include improvements in cross-border cooperation and in the overall quality of life in border regions. I expect fruitful discussions and a showcase of what border regions can bring to the EU’s development in different policy areas.»

Apostolos Tzitzikostas

President of the European Committee of the Regions

More info

«I hope the Borders Forum will continue the reflections and work initiated at the first edition, which was a success. And that it will underscore even more the role of respect for borders that bring people together to ensure peace, at a time when we express our solidarity with Ukraine. Bringing together local, national and European actors over two days allows us to share our experiences, but also to begin a new cross-border chapter that will learn, I hope, the lessons of the pandemic. The EU2022FR should help us to make heard the importance of cross-border issues, which should be incorporated into the design of French and European public policy.»

Christian Dupessey

President of the MOT, Mayor of Annemasse, President of the Pôle métropolitain du Genevois français