This forward-looking body, open to the living and creative forces of the territories, constitutes a cross-border space for dialogue and cooperation.
A meeting was co-organized on July 6 in Arras by the Detroit Committee and the French Society of Urban Planners (SFU) in conjunction with the European Council of Urban Planners. The objective was to share and compare planning practices and challenges at the cross-border scale. Followed by regarding fifty participants, the work of the day took place in several stages through rich interventions and round tables by theme.
Given the geographical proximity, the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union is of particular importance for these territories. Moreover, the new relations that the United Kingdom maintains with the countries of the European Union invite us to consolidate and intensify the practices of cross-border cooperation already established.
A igoddess partnership center
As explained by Mireille Hingrez-Céréda, vice-president of the Pas-de-Calais departmental council in charge of maritime and metropolitan issues on the coast, fishing, European and cross-border relations, “the Straits Committee, launched two years ago, reflects the desire of local authorities bordering the Channel and the North Sea to keep their destiny in their hands despite national decisions that risked leading to a break with the United Kingdom . Our territories face common challenges and the whole challenge of the Straits Committee is to respond to them together.»
Common challenges emerge in terms of economic vitality, combating and adapting to climate change, and opportunities for youth. It appears that to meet these challenges, the members of the Committee cannot act alone and must take into account the actors who bring the territory to life.
For this, it is a question of dialogue and working in a network. “This principle has guided the Committee’s action since its creation: the launch conference in February 2020 brought together more than 200 interlocutors from all regions of the Strait to gather their needs and ambitions. The health crisis triggered immediately followingwards did not affect our will.»
Partnerships should be developed in many directions: between local authorities through the inter-institutional relations maintained, between territorial actors (youth associations, researchers, regional parks, ports, etc.) to share as openly as possible the collective and cross-border approach, between citizens to share cultures and experiences and promote openness to others.
Mireille Hingrez-Céréda explains how it works: “With my colleagues representing the different member local authorities, we meet every three months to guide the Committee’s action and encourage the development of joint projects..»
It is this principle that brings together urban planners and experts in land use planning from the member communities of the Committee with the asserted idea of promoting dialogue, between them but also with the elected representatives and technicians of the communities.
«These experts provide a clear and uncompromising view of our territories and the challenges that await us there. They are also bearers of development solutions and concrete action proposals for the political decision-makers that we are.»
Many exchanges and ways of thinking
Whether in terms of coastal management and the fight once morest the effects of climate change, logistical developments that connect the regions to allow economic development, or even in terms of new ways of inhabiting the territory to facilitate participation citizen, the speakers showed a common culture and contrasting approaches in the practice of their profession. They invited us to wonder regarding the way of meet the expectations of citizens while ensuring the future of the territories.
The day revealed many cross-cutting topics and opportunities for cooperation or co-production. We are talking regarding sustainable development and circular projects, commercial assistance to regional SMEs, innovation, tourism and agriculture, maritime ports, cooperation and exchanges in training, young people who must be involved in all projects, etc
Thus, Vincent Goodstadt, honorary president of the European Council of Town Planners, proposes to “create a green maritime corridor by the ports and ferry operators of the ports of Dover, Calais and Dunkirk. This proposal meets our territorial expectations for cross-Channel transport in the face of climate change».
Successful cooperation experiences
Charles Lambert, administrator of the SFU, proposes to reflect on the assimilation of the stakes of the European territory on the scale of the Strait. “The Committee will make it possible to define what is common to us, to coordinate the actions to be taken, to set visible deadlines for your actions, to monitor their execution and the effects, to correct them together regularly, all opportunities to learn from each other others.»
He cited two very positive examples which worked successfully in Europe in the spirit of the Committee and proved him right. The Franco-Genevois Regional Committee, between Switzerland and France, a place of exchange, governance and impetus for joint projects, which since 1973 has piloted the organization of the metropolitan development of Geneva. Then, between Italy, Switzerland and France, the Cross-Border Conference of the Mont-Blanc area, which is defined as a structure for political consultation, particularly with regard to territorial planning and the environment of the various Alpine valleys that it has been bringing together since 1991. Its reflection can be taken up as the conclusion of the day.
«The territory where people live has become almost everywhere in Europe their true real link between them and their nation. No more big promises or big ideological principles that made them accept everything. It is no longer the prohibitions that motivate them. Everything we do, administrators, elected officials and town planners, must show each citizen and each entrepreneur how he can get involved himself in order to succeed in being happy where he is. The common task that motivates all of us, elected officials and planners, in Europe and in the UK: to facilitate people’s well-being.»
