November 15, 2024

The following is a press release:

The Eurodistrict SaarMoselle is the winner of the 2024 edition of the EGTC award, assigned every two years by the European Committee of the Regions to actions implemented by European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs) across Europe. The awarding ceremony took place on 13 November in Budapest.

The SaarMoselle Eurodistrict is a Franco-German territory bringing together local authorities on both sides of the Saar River through a joint structure called European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC). Created in 2010, the Eurodistrict is helping to build a cross-border living area that better addresses the day-to-day difficulties of its almost 600,000 inhabitants, particularly those linked to the presence of a border.

Local and regional authorities launched the Babylingua project to create cross-border childcare facilities. The project, co-financed by the European Union as part of the Interreg Grande Région, programme, made possible the opening, in September 2023, of Kita Salut, the first cross-border early childhood facility in the Saar-Moselle Eurodistrict, and in particular of its crèche/kindergarten. The school, which welcomes 133 children in total, 33 of them in the crèche (0-3 years), giving them the opportunity to grow up in a bilingual and bicultural environment from the earliest age, was built in Saarbrücken, Germany thanks to an investment of 10 million euros, of which 2.3 million euros came from the European Regional and Development Fund.

The jury of the EGTC Award, composed of representatives of different European institutions, recognised the Babylingua project as an inspiring cross-border success story, involving local and regional authorities from both sides of the border in the design and running of the structure.

An honorary mention was given to the Czech and Polish EGTC Novum. Their project ‘Together for Ukraine’ aims at the integration of war refugees in the cross-border area.

Quotes

Pavel BRANDA (CZ/ECR), Deputy Mayor of Rádlo, member of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and of the steering board of the European cross-border platform, who handed over the prize: "With this award, we recognise the crucial role of EGTCs in fostering economic growth and job creation, as well as promoting education, social inclusion, cultural heritage and cross-border identity. EGTCs have been instrumental in responding to a variety of challenges, including crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and they continue to improve the lives of Europeans living in border regions. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to EGTC Eurodistrict SaarMoselle, which has done an excellent job in this regard."

Peter Gillo, President of the Eurodistrict SaarMoselle: “The Babylingua project was particularly challenging in its cross-border realisation and has led to a great success of Franco-German cooperation at local level. It opens up long-term prospects for similar projects at a European level. It has shown that the coordination structures of an EGTC provide crucial support for municipalities so that such projects can become a reality.”

More information

· Video interview with Emma Weidmann, Project manager at the Communauté d’Agglomération Sarreguemines Confluences, in charge of monitoring the Babylingua project.

· The CoR launched the award ‘Building Europe across Borders’ for EGTCs in 2018, and since then it assigns the award on a biannual biennial basis. More info about the award.

· EGTCs allow regions and cities, associations, or any other public body of different Member States to come together under a new entity to facilitate territorial cooperation. They play a key role in fostering economic growth and job creation, environmental and nature protection. The CoR keeps the official register of the 89 EGTCs established since 2006.

· On 14 November, in Budapest, the CoR also officially launched the European Cross-Border Platform, the successor of the EGTC Platform, which aims to gather together all actors in cross-border cooperation, from border cities and regions to EGTCs and Euroregions. So far, over 130 stakeholders have joined the new platform, which will be run in partnership with the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR), Central European Service for Cross-Border Initiatives (CESCI), and the Transfrontier Operational Mission (MOT).

The European Committee of the Regions

The European Committee of the Regions is the EU's assembly of regional and local representatives from all 27 Member States. Created in 1994 following the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, its mission is to involve regional and local authorities in the EU's decision-making process and to inform them about EU policies. The European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission consult the Committee in policy areas affecting regions and cities. To sit on the European Committee of the Regions, all of its 329 members and 329 alternates must either hold an electoral mandate or be politically accountable to an elected assembly in their home regions and cities. Click here for more details on your national delegation.

European Committee of the Regions, Rue Belliard 101, 1040 Bruxelles