Professor Hildegard Schneider
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For ITEM, 2015 was an interesting start up year with a successful opening conference, many ITEM workshops, scientific research and publications. ITEM worked hard on cross-border problems by going into depth with various case studies, PhD research projects, but also by connecting with service providers in the field of cross border mobility and other important players in the field of cross border mobility. Cooperation is crucial when it comes to cross border mobility. Not only do countries at a certain level need working together but also do people at the more executive level need to cooperate. Cooperation and emphasising the principle of mutual trust lay at the core of solutions to most problems, whether global or (eu)regional.
The cross border problems ITEM deals with, focus at this moment specifically on cross-border issues affecting the labour market, in particular professional qualifications and diploma recognition, tax systems, social security and pensions as well as labour market access, employability, mediation and education. In 2016 the focus will remain on these topics and they will be subject to more detailed studies. Furthermore, cross-border police cooperation will be added as a focus area. Social and political developments have demonstrated that the need for solutions to cross-border issues relating to serious crime, terrorism and security have become pressing in today's world. Furthermore, cooperation in the area of culture, e.g. the possibilities for the creation of an Euregional Museum Pass, is investigated.
ITEM stands for ‘Knowledge for policy and Knowledge for practice’ and will continue to provide scientific contributions to the solution of local, national, euregional and global problems. ITEM will do this together with you, because cooperating an emphasising the principal of mutual trust will bring us all a step further.
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ITEM and CBS sign convenant
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On 16 March 2016 ITEM and CBS have signed a covenant to strengthen the mutual cooperation between them. This involves the further spread and deepening of knowledge and information about cross border living and working in terms of policy and practice. The covenant will provide a concrete framework agreement between ITEM and CBS, in terms of knowledge exchange.
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French institute MOT visits ITEM
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The French institute that is involved with border issues in France and its border regions, Mission Opérationelle Transfrontalière / MOT, visited ITEM on 16 March.
MOT, which strives for an improved cross border cooperation, has already affirmed their willingness to cooperate with ITEM. This was the result of the fruitful visit of a triple helix delegation with representatives from ITEM, the Limburgse Werkgevers Vereniging (LWV), DPA, the Province of Limburg and E,TIL to the MOT office in Paris, which took place on Friday 22 January 2016.
On March 16th ITEM, MOT, and CBS discussed various current projects the organizations are involved in. In particular, attention was paid to the Luxembourg Presidency legal tool, the ITEM cross-border impact assessment, and the CBS cross-border data project.
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ITEM and Benelux cooperate on Recognition of Qualifications
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Despite extensive regulation both at the EU level and at national and regional levels, the recognition of qualifications continues to pose as an obstacle for labour mobility. Professionals are still confronted with issues such as administrative barriers that obstruct a swift recognition process.
In order to tackle the issues persisting in the area of the recognition of professional qualifications in the Benelux countries and North Rhine-Westphalia, the Benelux Union has gathered an expert group.
Not only is the Benelux working on improving the recognition of qualifications, the topic is also one of ITEM’s prioritized research themes and the centre of one of ITEM’s PhD research programmes. In that context, ITEM’s PhD candidate Lavinia Kortese will carry out activities for the Benelux in order to support and help implement the activities of the Benelux expert group. Through this cooperation, the Benelux and ITEM hope to maximize their expertise to improve the recognition of professional qualifications.
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ITEM to play a role in the City Deal 'Eurolab Cross border work, study and business'
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On 10 March 2016, the South Limburg cities of Maastricht, Heerlen and Sittard-Geleen, the Province of Limburg, the Brightlands Campuses and Limburg Economic Development signed the City Deal Eurolab. Together with the national government, a major acceleration, accomplished in a City Deal, is to achieve a coherent cross border labour market, a knowledge infrastructure, public transport system and economy in the Maas-Rhine Euregion. Maastricht University (UM) and the cities of Aachen, Liège and Hasselt are supporting the City Deal with a comprehensive letter of intent. ITEM will through the UM letter of intent play a role in the city deal.
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Seminar recognition of qualifications – 29 June 2016
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On 29 June 2016 the Institute for Transnational and Euregional cross border Cooperation and Mobility / ITEM is organizing a seminar on the recognition of qualifications.
Following up on the successful 2015 ITEM-North Rhine-Westphalia workshop that focused on health care workers and educators, ITEM now seeks to expand the scope at this upcoming seminar. Not only will the 2016 seminar be expanded to include the Benelux countries and Germany, but also additional sectors and professions will be included in the upcoming seminar.
The event will take place on Wednesday June 29th between 10:00 and 17:00 at Maastricht University’s Faculty of Law (Bouillonstraat 1-3, 6211 LH Maastricht). The day will consist of plenary sessions with presentations from keynote speakers, profession-specific workshops, and discussions aimed at identifying plans for action to improve the recognition of qualifications.
Please mark the date! More information on the programme is expected to be communicated shortly.
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ITEM's annual conference - 28 October 2016
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Following the very successful ITEM Opening Conference with over 130 people attending in October 2015, ITEM's annual conference 2016 will take place on Friday 28th October 2016 (location Maastricht). More information will follow soon.
Save the date!
Please check the ITEM website or ITEM twitter @ITEM_UM for the most recent information on upcoming events.
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ITEM cross border impact assessment 2016 (grenseffectenrapportage 2016)
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What are the effects of national and EU policy and legislation on border regions? Are cross border workers affected by newly or soon to be implemented national or EU policy/legislation?
One of the main objectives of ITEM is to set-up and implement an annual cross border impact assessment report. Currently, there is a lack of information concerning the (expected) impact of national and EU policy and legislation on border regions. ITEM annual cross border impact assessment will start revealing the effects.
ITEM’s cross border impact assessment is aimed at scanning for relevant ex-ante and ex-post legislative and policy related dossiers of the European Union, national (the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg) and regional authorities (i.e. North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Flanders, the Walloon provinces in Belgium, the German-speaking community in Belgium) that might (positively or negatively) impact cross border workers, cross border cooperation and regional socio-economic development. The assessment offers additional and complementary insights to national and EU initiatives, and aims to be a valuable tool and resource for policy makers when making decisions concerning border regions.
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ITEM-EMR study: cross border job mediation
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New ITEM partnership project with Euregio Maas-Rhein started in January 2016. Which criteria determine whether cross border job mediation c.q. placement has been successful? Which initiatives are undertaken by the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany to achieve concrete results for their citizens in this respect? These questions are in focus for this project.
Over the last months, ITEM has conducted several in-depth interviews on the practice of cross border job mediation by the various EURES advisors in the Euregion. The interviews have provided insight into the process of the various cross border employment services within the cooperation partners of EURES: the German Bundesagentur für Arbeit, VDAB, UWV, FOREM, Arbeitsamt der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft Belgiens and the Grenzinfopunkte.
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Researching 'policy regarding organised crime in the Meuse-Rhine Euregion'
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In March 2016, a Benelux progress report was published on the administrative approach to Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCGs) in the Meuse-Rhine Euregion. Firstly, the report noted an increasing involvement of OMCG-members in violence, use of weapons, prostitution businesses and the production and trade of drugs.
To better tackle OMCG-related crime in the Euregion, an effort will be made to introduce a cross-border administrative approach. This approach aims to prevent public authorities from facilitating illegal activities by granting permits and other administrative resources which can be used to conduct illegal activities. It is clear from the report that, though countries have their own administrative tools, an effective cross-border approach is lacking. It is therefore recommended, inter alia, to enhance the exchange of information between administrative partners, to develop a cross-border barrier model and to set up a pilot project for a Euregional Information and Expertise Centre.
In the light of a growing interest in a cross-border administrative approach and the joint problem of OMCGs, ITEM started a PhD program in March 2016 relating to the influence of the border on the cross-border activities of OMCGs as well as the approach of public authorities to this issue.
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ITEM comments on European Commission's proposal 'Posted Workers Directive'
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Posting of workers has become a common phenomenon in the EU. Since the mid-1990’s it has been regulated by the Directive on posting of workers (96/71/EC). The directive aims at striking a balance between the freedom to provide services on the one hand and the protection of workers, the persons who actually carry out the services for their employer, on the other hand.
This double aim has led to some difficulties in the past, as both ideas seem to be mutually exclusive. After all, the free provision of services is best served without any interfering rules, while protection of workers generally means the implementation of protective – and thus interfering - rules.
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ITEM plays a role in the development of a more structural cross-border mediation service
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Many potential jobs for jobseekers in the Euregio Maas-Rhine are located across borders. Yet, the different public employment services are in their daily routine still very much focused on vacancies in their particular country. Today, across the German/Dutch border, the public employment services try to build up a more structural cooperation to establish a joint cross-border employment service.
To help people in finding a new job beyond the border, a new cross-border service is under development by UWV Zuid-Limburg, Gemeentes Kerkrade, Parkstad Limburg, Maastricht Heuvelland and Agentur für Arbeit Aachen-Düren. Under the working title “Service for cross-border employment” the different partners develop a cooperation in order to help employees in finding a job across the border, and employers to find skilled employees for their businesses.
As of March, ITEM is involved the development and especially assists the partners in designing a communication plan with respect to the own organization, the interested public and the potential target groups. This is done in cooperation with the department of European Studies at Zuyd University for applied sciences. Together with Zuyd’s research centre for International Relationship Management, European Studies students will be investigating the target audience and the way the most applicable means of communication could be applied for this target.
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ITEM is working on a knowledge base where (among other things) the results of the anonymised case studies will be made available in an anonymised format. More information about the subscription to the ITEM knowledge base will be provided as soon as possible.
Should you have a question about a case you submitted, or wish to submit a case, please contact ITEM via item@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Below a selection of submitted casuistry:
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ITEM also located at Centre Ceramique, Maastricht
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To better harmonise the provision of services and to share knowledge, part of ITEM’s offices, together with the expat desk of the municipality of Maastricht (Holland Expat Center South) and the new Flanders/Netherlands Border Info Point (GIP), will be housed in the Centre Ceramique from end of april 2016. The rationale is that this will lead to firmer anchoring and better tailoring of the services to frontier workers (commuters) and other international employees. Per May 10th part of ITEM’s office will be working from the Centre Ceramique location.
Contact Institute for Transnational and Euregional cross border cooperation and Mobility / ITEM:
E-mail: item@maastrichtuniversity.nl Website: www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/item Telephone: 0031 – 43 3883233 Address:
Bouillonstraat 1-3, 6211 LH Maastricht, The Netherlands
Avenue Céramique 50, 6221 KV Maastricht, The Netherlands (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
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