Grand Est wants to beat Bridge between Paris and Berlin - the future is now!

Grand Est wants to beat Bridge between Paris and Berlin - the future is now!

The Grand Est region in France has set the ambitious goal of beating a bridge between Paris and Berlin. With a recently adopted Feuille de Route, which was assumed by the regional parliament in Metz with 100 votes in favor of a total of 168 MPs, a clear direction for future cooperation with Germany is specified. As the Saarbrücker Zeitung reports, the region is planning a visible Franco-German cooperation that is based on the positive examples of the Saarland France strategy and the partnership concept of Baden-Württemberg.

The regional project aims to strengthen and develop the relationship with Germany beyond the border regions. Grand Est's peculiarity as the only French border region to Germany gives it a key position in dialogue between the two capitals. In view of geopolitical and economic uncertainties, increased European cooperation is essential to create synergies and clarify obligations.

strategic development and partnerships

A central component of the Feuille de Route is the planned opening of a “Hub Allenagne” in Munich, which is targeted for 2025. This hub is seen as the first presence of a French region in Germany and is intended to promote the networking of German medium -sized companies with companies from Grand EST. The economic attractiveness of the region is to be increased through the development of industrial relationships in particular in the automotive industry, bioeconomy and artificial intelligence (AI).

common initiatives and challenges

The existing offers such as the "Pass Jeune Grand Est" and the Germany ticket for under 27 should continue to be continued in order to promote cross-border mobility. The cooperation between Grand Est and Saarland focuses in particular on hydrogen nets and cross -border health care.

The geopolitical climate, which became tense in spring 2020 by reintroducing controls on the Franco-German border, has put the local and regional cooperation to the test. Here, networking is essential in order to be able to offer citizens a better understanding and access to health services as well as improvements in the infrastructure. The Aachen Treaty of 2019 has already recognized the importance of the border regions and forms a framework for future collaborations.

A first record of the common strategy is planned for the end of 2026, with numerous events and measures already being planned. The importance of institutional cooperation is emphasized because it forms the basis for a deepened relationship between the Franco-German institutions in Paris, Berlin and Brussels. Dealing with challenges of the past few months shows that the potential for compression cross -border cooperation has so far been often underestimated.