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

Its action programme is centred on three main objectives: create conditions for the mobility of students in the Zone so that they can equally well attend a Belgian, French or Luxembourg establishment: then to make it possible for them to finish their post-graduate education on the site with a one year post-engineering degree and industrial management course together with a one-year post-BTS on the design of machinery; the setting up of a Department of Business and Administrative Studies at the IVT at Longwy; and lastly the development of continuing education.

As can be seen, trans-border cooperation within the Zone is not ossified and initiatives of all kinds multiply, aimed particularly at the improvement of the urban environment with the scheme for a transfrontier urban area of 90 000 inhabitants at the heart of the Zone, supported by the mayors and burgomasters of 22 communities, so in the same way, the Standing Coordinating Commission proposed the establishment of a meeting of the mayors in the Zone. The first meeting of a steering group was held in February, 1992 in the town hall atPetange under the chairmanship of the burgomaster (the chairmanship rotates). If the aim is first of all to have an influence on the environment of the region, then now is the time to hand over the scheme to the interministerial commission, whose legal existence is scheduled to last ten years. In addition to the priorities described above, mention must be made of various other inititatives. Thus the Training School also provides premises for the European centre of Resources for Renewal and Change. This association brings together many specialists in renewal; amongst its members are the EEC, France Spain and Luxembourg, large businesses, regions (Lorraine, Piémal, Saarland, etc.), various organisations (the European Confederation of Trade Unions, the Economic Development Zone, the University of Liverpool, etc.). Similarly, the heads of businesses in the EDZ met each other in June, 1992 at Longwy with the aim of creating a European Club, even, given time, an association of employers modelled on the Three Frontiers.

Little by little, EDZ is begining to open up in other dimensions than that of a programme of industrial renewal. With a Euro-desk for social matters set up in the Training School, it has inhaled another breath of European air, a social breath; indeed six Belgian, French and Luxembourg trade unions founded an inter-regional EDZ union in 1987 with support from the EEC for the purpose of starting this Eurodesk in accordance with an agreement, signed in November 1992. This will be a reception and information desk dealing with the problems arising in the everyday world of work.

Another dimension which has opened up should be noted; outside the sterility of debates on the economy, culture with the co-production of three plays at the end of 1992 ... watch out for the next presentation!

In 1985, Mr. Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission, thought that the programme of EDZ would snowball and that there would be ten or so EDZ's in Europe by 1988. Now in 1993, the Longwy Zone is unique of its kind. Perhaps the

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