The EGTC Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai results from a partnership between France and Belgium, involving about 2.1 million inhabitants in a 3.589 km²'s area.
This EGTC was created to act as a functional area for its members. Its main mission is to ensure efficient and coherent cross-border cooperation, to improve the quality of daily life of its inhabitants, which will be realized through the promotion of regular political dialogue between partners, preparation and management of projects co-financed by the EU.
Review of activities in 2019
Modification of membership
Five cities joined the EGTC within its territory.
Changes in convention/statutes
Not yet, but there is a project to change statutes/convention (simplification - two years for the presidency instead of one year for each "region"; problem about "quorum").
Tasks
The Eurometropolis unites the key drivers of the French and Belgian regions: politicians, institutio¬nal actors, public administrations and civil society (business leaders, associations, trade unions, students, artists …). This way, they can implement concrete and practical measures that benefit all inhabitants of the Franco-Belgian region.
In the period 2016-2020 the EGTC was involved in Interreg projects carried out by partners: employment without borders, Grenzeloos competent and develops projects related to sustainable development. This included the development of a digital eurometropolitan hub, cross-border block release training, promotion of language learning, job-training correlation across borders through involvement in interregional projects "EMPLOYMENT-TRAINING" and with the Benelux Union, cross-border mobility, coordination of the Blue Space constituted by the territory, promotion of alternative energies.
Regarding ETC, 2016 was the transition year, adjusting priorities and defining precise actions. In the remaining programming period 2014-2020, the EGTC will become involved as an associated operator with the employment without borders project/ partner operator in Grenzeloos competent (competences without borders). This project is about the information on cross-border employment and participation in the establishment of a cross-border socio-economic observatory.
Challenges or issues
It is important to reinforce the recognition of the EGTC instrument at EU level to ensure that EGTCs are considered as transnational partnerships when submitting for calls for proposals and to enable the EGTCs (as a convener) to be able to submit micro-projects.
Budget:
€ 1,900,000
Staff (in FTE):
7 until the end of April 2016; 8 since May 2016
