​The EGTC Linieland van Waas en Hulst results from a partnership between Belgium and the Netherlands; involving around 110 000 inhabitants in a 500 km² area.

This EGCT was established to reduce administrative, political and economic barriers between Flanders and the neighboring Dutch regions.

The municipalities of Beveren, Sint-Gillis-Waas, Stekene and Hulst had an inter-municipal cooperative organ (ICO) since the nineties. In December 2009, an important study was completed on the regional development of the left bank area of the river Scheldt. The study showed that there was a lot of potential in the area for cross border cooperation and identified four areas of interest: ‘port and economy’, ‘mobility’, ‘nature, recreation and culture’ and ‘habitation and livability’. Based on the study, eleven projects were selected.

The EGTC, was chosen as the structure to manage them. The four municipalities founded the EGTC Linieland van Waas en Hulst on June 15th 2011, together with the province of Zeeland (NL) and the Province Oost-Vlaanderen. The intercommunal association Interwaas, with a lot of experience in the area, joined as the seventh partner. 

Modification of membership:

On 17 October 2016 Maatschappij Linkerscheldeoever (MLSO) joined the EGTS Linieland. Since 1982 this organization has taken care of the management of land and the land policy of the Waaslandport (left bank port of Antwerp - www.mlso.be). 

Review of activities 2019

Tasks:

The added value of the EGTC consists in rolling out and implementing cross border projects by means of co-financing by different European Structural and Investment Funds (Interreg Vlaanderen-Nederland, LEADER, PDPO).

The EGTC is currently active in different projects:

1. Project Grenspark Groot Saeftinghe
   The EGTC takes the lead in the development of the Interreg project 'Grenspark Groot-Saeftinghe' (nature, biodiversity, agriculture, tourism);
2. Project Agrarische Eigenheid
   The EGTC is responsible for the LEADER project ‘Agrarische Eigenheid’ which aims to establish two tourist experience centers in Prosperpolder (furnishing and development of the former milling-business of the farmhouse in Prosperpolder) and in Koewacht.
3. Project Voorzieningenconvenant
   ​The EGTS is responsible for the project ‘Voorzieningenconvenant’. This project consist of three subprojects: crossborder cooperation of the libraries, crossborder cooperation on education and cross border cultural cooperation.
4. Project Grensinfovoorziening
   The EGTC was partner in the Interreg project ‘Grensinfovoorziening’ which ended in May 2019. During this project, the EGTC organized 3 annual cross border job fairs to improve the transnational labor market and the economic development, and 3 annual cross border open door company days (an event where local entrepreneurs can visit other regional companies).
5. Project Transnational Cooperation LEADER
   The EGTC takes the lead in the project ‘Transnational Cooperation LEADER’. This project consists of two subprojects: ‘Boergondische Buren’ and ‘Uitzichtpunt in Niemandsland’ (the building of a viewpoint in the woodland of the border region).
6. Project ‘Geopark Schelde Delta’
   The Geopark Schelde Delta would like to obtain the UNESCO Geopark label. EGTC is considering to take on the temporary role of governance authority for the Geopark.
7. Project ‘Permanentie Infokeet’
   The EGTC takes part in the cooperation agreement regarding the exploitation of the visiting center ‘Infokeet’ in the border park ‘Grenspark Groot Saeftinghe’. EGTS staff is present in the visiting center several days a week to welcome visitors, to network, to enhance the experience in the area and to expand the organization of guides in the nature park.
8. Project ‘Taskforce bottleneck jobs´
   The EGTC takes part in the project ‘Taskforce technical bottleneck jobs’ (EaSI fund/EURES). The project wants to tackle the skills shortage for technical professions on both sides of the border.
9. The EGTC represents the members in global projects such as Havenland (Port of Antwerp).

One of the major achievements of the EGTC is the realization of a traffic roundabout on the border of Stekene (BE) and Sint-Jansteen (NL) to improve the traffic from Belgium to the Netherlands and the other way around. The EGTC also contributed to the organization of the famous cycling event BinckBank Tour Grand Départ in the border region in the summer of 2019.

The EGTC Linieland van Waas and Hulst is an organization continuous in motion and looking for new projects. Developing joint strategies of economic growth, social cohesion and sustainability is part of the EGTC’s agenda. The EGTC also fulfills the role of a cross-border organization, managing public services by acting as a service provider for the members of the EGTC and acting as project secretariat.

Challenges or issues:

The EGTCs faces some issues in the long term. Additionally, there is a lack of a transnational statute for the EGTC’s staff. Furthermore, it does not encounter an advantage originating from the status of an EGTC when participating in European programmes.

Budget: 640.415,98€

EU-funded projects and programmes in phase of implementation in 2019

1. Leadpartner Grenspark Groot Saeftinghe Interreg Vlaanderen-Nederland: Total project budget € 2,790,111.72; € 306 980 implemented by EGTC (of which 50% co-funded by EU);
   Interreg approved the extension of the project until March 31th 2020
2. Co-partner Grensinfovoorziening Interreg Vlaanderen-Nederland: Total project budget € 2,519,275 (of which 50% co-funded by EU), EGTC budget € 36,200. The Interreg project ended on May 31st 2019.
3. Leadpartner Agrarische Eigenheid Waas Toeristisch Potentieel LEADER: Total project budget € 150,800 (of which 65% co-funded by EAFRD), EGTC budget € 12,230.
4. Permanentie Infokeet: Project budget € 100,000.00/year
5. Transnational LEADER cooperation: Project budget €200,000.00
6. EaSI project Taskforce technical bottleneck jobs: €27,125.00 (80% co-funded by EaSI fund (EURES))

Staff (in FTE): Three full time equivalents and 1 part time equivalent (4/5).