Cross-border Work in Europe: Regional Practices and Realities

There are two million cross-border workers in Europe, most of them working in Switzerland and Luxembourg. In spite of the growing significance of this phenomenon, no European research on cross-border working had yet been formally established. LISER, the UniGR-Center for Border Studies and its partners organised the "Cross-border Work in Europe" conference, which took place on 5 and 6 May 2022 with the aim of closing that gap. 

In 20 papers and one round table session the wide spectrum of research work on the cross-border phenomenon was discussed from the socio-economic, socio-cultural and methodological angles.
 

The international conference attended by eighty participants started with a round table session entitled "Realities and Challenges of cross-border Work" chaired by Rachid Belkacem (University of Lorraine, UniGR-CBS). The debate between officials and academics from STATEC, LISER, Saarland University and the Interregional Labour Market Observatory covered issues ranging from statistical monitoring of cross-border workers to their union representation to questions relating to pay and training.

The first academic session, chaired by Isabelle Pigeron-Piroth (University of Luxembourg, UniGR-CBS), dealt with the cross-border labour market in Switzerland. Academics from the Alpine nation and Spain presented papers on the development of cross-border employment and discussed the management of supply and demand in the job market.

In the second session, chaired by Christina Gathmann (LISER), the focus was on the legal aspects of cross-border employment.  Speakers from Belgium, France, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands dealt with the coordination of social security systems in the context of Europeanisation as well as specific approaches in European border regions.

The third session, chaired by Christian Wille (University of Luxembourg, UniGR-CBS), addressed the cross-border lives of these international commuters. Speakers from Denmark, Germany and the Czech Republic discussed identity issues, cultural attitudes to industrial disputes as well as cross-border social contacts during the pandemic.

The fourth session, chaired by Peter Dörrenbächer (Saarland University, UniGR-CBS), looked at territorial aspects of cross-border working. Academics from Poland, France and Luxembourg discussed the dynamics of governance in European border regions in the context of the border closures due to Covid-19, regional development, mobility and the importance attached to cross-border workers.  
 

The fifth session, chaired by Grégory Hamez (University of Lorraine, UniGR-CBS), focused on the spatial impacts of the cross-border labour market. In this session academics from Belgium and Poland addressed coworking spaces, mobility and the brain drain in European border regions.

In the final session, chaired by Franz Clément (LISER), the spotlight was on how different aspects of the cross-border labour market can be scientifically analysed. These methodological themes were discussed by speakers from Luxembourg, the USA, France and Belgium, drawing on concrete examples of quantitative research.

The conference attendees were welcomed on the first day by Georges Engels, Minister for Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy. He emphasised the importance of cross-border employment in Luxembourg and wished the attendees a productive conference. The conference dinner was attended by Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, who, in his welcoming address, spoke about the European dimension of the conference theme.

Organisation team

Franz Clément, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)
Rachid Belkacem, UniGR-Center for Border Studies (University of Lorraine)
Isabelle Pigeron-Piroth, UniGR-Center for Border Studies (University of Luxembourg)
Christian Wille, UniGR-Center for Border Studies (University of Luxembourg)

Academic advisory board

Andrea Albanese, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)
Rachid Belkacem, UniGR-Center for Border Studies (University of Lorraine)
Franz Clément, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)
Frédéric Docquier, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)
Peter Dörrenbächer, UniGR-Center for Border Studies (Saarland University)
Frédéric Durand, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)
Grégory Hamez, UniGR-Center for Border Studies (University of Lorraine)
Isabelle Pigeron-Piroth, UniGR-Center for Border Studies (University of Luxembourg)
Christian Wille, UniGR-Center for Border Studies (University of Luxembourg)