Professor Hildegard Schneider
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Recently the importance of the European regions and their contribution to the European integration process and cross-border cooperation in general has been underlined on several occasions. We are therefore very pleased to see that within the European Commission, the Committee of the Regions, the Benelux, the coalition agreement of North Rhine Westphalia and the Dutch coalition agreement special attention is given to border regions and the economic importance of cross border cooperation.
Euregions are important for Europe and for the European Union. Within the European Union 30% of the inhabitants live in cross border regions, that make up 40% of EU territory. These regions produce 30% of the GDP of the European Union. They could do much better, if only no border barriers would exist. According to the report published by the European Commission on ‘Boosting Growth and Cohesion in EU border regions’ in September 2017 the economy in border areas could grow with 8%. This communication shows the possibilities and gives special attention to the chances for cross border cooperation. We are of course very proud of the fact that ITEM’s cross border impact assessment was mentioned in that communication as ‘good practice’. Together with other good practices mentioned in this communication, ITEM’s impact assessment shows the way forward.
This means researching obstacles and proposing solution paths. Besides the ITEM cross border impact assessment ITEM researchers have published recommendations with regards to cross border workers which give policymakers and politicians material for discussions and actions. ITEM also published guidelines for the recognition of qualifications. Cross border cooperation and mobility is very much based on generosity and curiosity, as was recently stated by Mr. A. Soares from the Centre for Cross Border Studies.
Be curious and generous when it comes to learning each other’s languages, recognized work activities and educational curricula. Essential hereby is mutual trust in the quality of the educational systems on the other side of the border. Only with this mutual trust the recognition of qualifications will work. A special word of thanks goes to the President of the European Committee of the Regions for his inspiring final words during the ITEM annual conference 2017: “When it comes to cross border cooperation lots of things are important, but one thing is essential: people-to-people projects.”
One final remark: I am very happy to inform you that next year’s ITEM conference will be held at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels. Different to our earlier announcement during the annual conference in Düsseldorf on November 10th 2017, next year’s ITEM annual conference will take place on Friday 16 November 2018.
So SAVE THE DATE: 16 november 2018, ITEM annual conference 2018 –Brussels. I hope to see you all for another inspiring conference on cross-border cooperation and mobility.
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Fresh momentum for cross-border cooperation
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Developments on the topic of cross-border cooperation were discussed on Friday 10 November 2017 during the annual ITEM conference, this year held in Düsseldorf and organised in collaboration with the city of Düsseldorf. During the conference, the results of the cross-border impact assessment were presented to Karl-Heinz Lambertz, president of the European Committee of the Regions. Click here for more information about the conference.
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'Good practice': cross border impact assessment 2017
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Unique to ITEM's Cross-border impact assessment, is an euregional perspective of mapping the effects of legislation and policies on border regions.
Under the guidance of 'Ontgrenzer' Martin Unfried of the ITEM Expertise Center, 17 researchers and students from the various disciplines have worked on the Cross-border impact assessment 2017 over the past year. Based on input from various Euregio partners (border information points, regional authorities, Euregions and trade unions), a total of six dossiers and two preliminary research topics were examined. Dossiers such as the German toll vignette and Belgian law for passenger identification not only affect border workers, but also citizens who regularly cross the border in their free time.
ITEM’s research on the effects for border regions resulting from the German toll was also part of a research on border effects of the toll assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure, Public Works and Water Management. Based on this substantiation the Dutch government recently decided to join Austria in referring Germany to the European Court of Justice regarding the plans of implementing a toll for passenger cars.
Results of the ITEM cross border impact assessment 2017
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Removing obstacles for cross-border workers: 39 recommendations
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On 28 June, the Vereniging voor Belastingwetenschap presented their report, Grenswerkers in Europa: Een onderzoek naar fiscale, sociaalverzekerings- en pensioenaspecten van grensoverschrijdend werken (Cross-border workers in Europe: An investigation into the tax, social insurance and pension aspects of cross-border work).
The report was drafted by a committee chaired by Professor Marjon Weerepas (scientific director at ITEM).
The committee offered 39 recommendations and solutionpaths for solving these problems (in Dutch / English / German).
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List of Bottlenecks and Suggested Solutions: Recognition of Qualifications
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The recognition of qualifications is a complex topic involving multiple levels of legislation and government. It also concerns a myriad of executive bodies, not to mention citizens. Needless to say, this multitude of laws and actors is cause for complexity. This in turn, may lead to issues in practice.
ITEM has compiled a list of exemplary bottlenecks related to the recognition of qualifications to show the variety of issues related to the topic. All bottlenecks originate from ITEM’s casuistry and research. Besides the core issues, the list also includes some general suggested solutions.
Consult the list in Dutch and in German.
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Gain Insight into the Professional Qualifications Directive: A simple Guide
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Always wanted to know how professional qualifications are recognised in the EU? ITEM has developed an explanatory document providing insight into the relevant EU legislation in this area.
Directive 2005/36/EC, also known as the Professional Qualifications Directive, is the instrument for recognition in case of regulated professions. Laws exist for these professions which lay down requirements as to which diploma or experience you should have to practice your profession in a Member State. Before you can start working, a competent authority must check that the knowledge you obtained abroad fulfils the national standards. The EU has a large number of regulated professions (around 6000), a multitude posing challenges. Nevertheless, the Professional Qualifications Directive aims to facilitate the mobility of these professionals.
Still, the directive is anything but simple. The instrument provides for different routes and procedures for recognition depending on the duration of the activities and the profession one is looking to carry out. In that context, ITEM is pleased to announce the publication of its explanatory document providing insight into the Professional Qualifications Directive. This document allows you to quickly gain insight into the structure and content of the directive. The document also discusses some of the most important innovations introduced by Directive 2013/55/EU, which modernised the 2005 directive.
Read the document in Dutch or in German.
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ITEM Blogs: insight into discussions on cross-border topics
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For easy readable insight into some discussions on cross-border topics, read the booklet with ITEM blogs 'Insight stories on cross-border situations'!
Including:
-Can schoolchildren go to school across the border?
-Brexit or exit equal treatment?
-Electronic data exchange: solution for cross-border mobility
-Combat social dumping more successfully with a renewal of the posting of workers directive?
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Mapping effects for border regions: what about the Dutch coalition agreement
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The effects of certain laws and regulations, policies or enforcement on specific border regions are currently hardly made clear. It is also not in line with expectations that a specialist department at national level has detailed knowledge of all border regions.
'Brussels', for example, also lacks detailed knowledge per region of the expected (or already existing) positive and negative border effects of policy and legislation. But it is also unrealistic to expect the European Commission to be able to map detailed border effects for the entire EU - and very diverse border situations - within the framework of its own "impact assessment". The Committee of the Regions has already underlined this.
The ITEM quick scan makes it possible to estimate the extent to which a subject requires a further assessment regarding possible border effects. ITEM applied the quick scan to policy intentions mentioned in the Dutch Coalition Agreement of 2017.
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Survey ITEM Cross-border Impact Assessment 2018 – Provide ITEM with Input!
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One of ITEM’s core activities is to conduct research into the effects of existing and future legislation, policy and enforcement on border regions through its annual ITEM Cross-border Impact Assessment. Each year ITEM's stakeholders are given the opportunity to make dossier suggestions based on their experiences through a survey. The survey allows you to feed ITEM with issues regarding legislation, policy and enforcement on a European, national and regional level.
Grab the opportunity to share your experiences with ITEM! Dossier suggestions can be made up to and including 9 January 2018. You can send your dossier suggestion to ITEM via the following link:
English
Nederlands
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New project: Cross Border Execution of Sentences between Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands (CrossBES)
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The focus of cross border cooperation in criminal matters has until now always been on the investigation phase. The enforcement of penalties is never a central theme. Nonetheless it is an equally important aspect of the enforcement of criminal law, especially in the fight against organised crime and terrorism. Experiences have shown that sentenced persons use/abuse the borders to hinder the correct, adequate and timely execution of their sentences. The absence of a swift and clear response, in particularly across borders, results in impunity, a sense of insecurity and injustice.
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Institute for Transnational and Euregional cross border cooperation and Mobility / ITEM
E-mail:
item@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Website:
www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/item
Twitter:
@ITEM_UM
Telephone:
0031 – 43 3883233
Address:
Bouillonstraat 1-3, 6211 LH Maastricht, The Netherlands
Avenue Céramique 50, 6221 KV Maastricht, The Netherlands (Tuesday and Thursday)
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