Guestcolumn Auke van der Goot
European elections and border regions It seems light years ago that our border regions were at the centre of attention. An unknown, new and highly contagious disease made its appearance. Corona or covid was in the air, and here they came: concrete blocks on the Belgian-Dutch border, German soldiers on the border with Luxembourg, […]
Foreword newsletter June 2024
On the eve of the recent European Parliament elections, Maastricht was once again the venue for vibrant debates on the future of Europe. The Studio Europa debate and ITEM round table discussions at the EIPA building brought European politicians back to the city where the Europe of the Regions was proclaimed in 1992. This […]
Martin Unfried published in the Tageszeitung Berlin
Check out ITEM-researcher Martin Unfried’s insightful column in the Tageszeitung Berlin! He challenges the typical portrayal of the EU in German media, debunking myths of bureaucracy and democratic deficits. Unfried highlights the proactive role of the European Parliament, showcasing initiatives like cross-border coordination for border commuters and environmental legislation. He also critiques the superficial EU […]
Martin Unfried featured as a guest on interview programme De Stemming of L1
ITEM researcher Martin Unfried was a guest on L1’s De Stemming interview programme on Saturday 19 May. The topic of discussion was the European Parliament elections on 6 June 2024. What is at stake for Europe? What will be the largest parties and what will be the coalition? Do parties pay attention to border regions? […]
ITEM BRIEFS 13: Future (resistant) social security – action required?
Future (resistant) social security – action required? Two reports on the future of social security were presented in February and April 2024. Given the socio-economic and political developments in Europe, the question of what our social security will look like is becoming increasingly important. On 29 February 2024, the conference ‘Future-proof social […]
ITEM BRIEFS 12: New data on intra-EU mobility: the beginning of understanding labor mobility in the EU
New data on intra-EU mobility: the beginning of understanding labor mobility in the EU April 12, the European Commission published its report on intra-EU labor mobility in 2023. This annual report identifies trends in the free movement of workers and their families, based on the latest available data (in this case, 2022/2021). This […]
ITEM BRIEFS 10: Dispute resolution in the Flemish-Dutch border region. Time for a border region ombudsperson?
Dispute resolution in the Flemish-Dutch border region. Time for a border region ombudsperson? Last month, four different ‘border disputes’ made the national and regional press. Flemish Minister Zuhal Demir sent a registered letter to the Dutch government, putting the Netherlands at fault for environmental pollution caused by Limburg chemical giant Chemelot (De […]
ITEM BRIEFS 9: Living together with water across borders
Living together with water across borders On 16 January, the Dutch minister of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) answered parliamentary questions from members of the Standing Committee for Infrastructure, Water Management and the Environment on the interpretation of the national safety policy on primary flood defences, including a cost estimate of […]
Foreword ITEM Newsletter February 2024
2024: ITEM commits to strengthening European border regions in policy The year 2024 is an important year for border regions in several aspects. Rarely do so many elections take place in the world as in 2024, with some 70 countries sending people to the polls. On 9 June, for instance, Belgium will hold elections for […]
ITEM BRIEFS 8: Providing information for a mobile citizen – the Single Digital Gateway offers a solution?
Providing information for a mobile citizen – the Single Digital Gateway offers a solution? Choosing to work or live in another country often does not happen overnight. Obtaining information beforehand is indispensable. To this end, one can rely on numerous websites that provide further insight into conceivable administrative, fiscal and social security […]
