Sonderband 2. International Council on Archives. Dritte Europäische Archivkonferenz, Wien 11. bis 15. Mai 1993. Tagungsprotokolle (1996)

2. Session /Séance. Regional (trans-border) Cooperation / Coopération régionale (transfrontaliere) - Brejon de Lavergnée, Marie-Edith: New economic Zones and their Archives / Nouvelles zones économiques et leurs archives (english 77 - français 100)

2. Session/Séance: Brejon de Lavergnée, New economic Zones and their Archives

Alongside this there is another kind of bilateral cooperation between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Lorraine. The two administrations in close collaboration with the French Ambassador to Luxembourg and the Luxembourg Ambassador to France decided to carry out joint activities across their frontiers in particular fields relating to the special features characteristic of these regional zones. At a meeting which took place in Metz in May 1990, the two delegations drew up a programme of cooperation. For each activity a mixed commission was set up. Therefore, the projects mentioned at meetings of these working parties focussed on the rail infrastructures, aviation infrastructures, telecommunication infrastructures, economic development, higher education, professional training, cultural and tourist policy.

Each working party met to clarify the various methods required for optimum achievement of the proposals made. The whole of these discussions was the objective of an evaluation carried out during a plenary session of the Lorraine-Luxembourg Commission, held in Luxembourg on 26 November 1990. Continuation of this cooperation between the executive bodies turned out to be necessary. In all events, it is the subject of considerable discussion since it raises an institutional problem arising from the fact that Luxembourg is a sovereign state.

Unions of Towns and Eurocities

Towns known as Eurocities, eurometropolises, united cities are also forming alliances ans genuine urban networks in defence of their interests, most often economic, but also socio-political. In this way, Montpellier and Toulouse are grouped with Barcelona, Valencia, Saragossa and Palma de Mallorca, in Group C-6.

Around Lille, there is a Franco-Belgian Eurometropolis composed of Tournai, Commines, Ypres, Courtrai and Mouscron.

Economic Development Zone

Agreements for cooperation are multiplying, are in contemplation and getting tied in knots. It is not, perhaps, necessary to extend this already long drawn out listing nor to draw up an exhaustive inventory, even if it were possible to do so of models of cooperative undertakings. Flowever, this is the time to stop for a moment to look at one interesting type, because it is unique in Europe at present: The Economic Development Zone.

It is claimed that the European Economic Development Zone (EDZ) is a European response to a critical economic situation. After a century of expansion in the beat of the forge, the slump in the iron and steel industry dealt a terrible blow to the trans-border basin of Longwy-Athus-Rodange. The establishment since 1985 of the scheme for a European Economic Development Zone has allowed the economic recovery of this region which covers south-east Belgium, the northernmost part of upper France and the south-eastern tip of the Grand Duchy: it comprises approximately 500 hectares and affects a population of about 300 000 inhabitants.

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