The ‘Atlas voor gemeenten 2019’ was released on 22 May 2019. It compares the 50 largest municipalities in the Netherlands annually. These can be different policy areas that local, regional and central governments deal with. This year’s focus is ‘Growth & Shrinkage’. Conclusion of the report: Border regions benefit greatly from a borderless Europe.
This is immediately visible in the residential attractiveness index, which shows two rankings; one when border barriers are taken into account and one without. Maastricht was in position 37 and shoots up to position 7 when those border barriers are thought away, Heerlen was in position 43 and also shoots up to position 10. Venlo, from 47 to 11, and Sittard-Geleen, from 49 to 23, also show huge upward jumps.
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