Grenzüberschreitender Arbeitsmarkt in der Großregion SaarLorLux: Politische Visionen und empirische Wirklichkeiten

Border Region

Greater Region , Saar-Lor-Lux

Language(s)

Allemand

Type

Note on a scientific paper, a conference paper, etc.

Main Category

Employment – Education – Economy

Governance – Power – Cooperation

Introduction

This article deals with cross-border commuting in the SaarLorLux Greater Region. Political visions and empirical realities are analyzed and juxtaposed.

Summary

The author examines the question of whether the intensive number of commuters can actually be described - as is usually proclaimed in public discourse – as a sign of progressive integration or whether it can be interpreted more as an indication of persistent socio-economic imbalances between the sub-regions. To do this, he juxtaposes political visions with empirical realities. In the conclusion “Grenzüberschreitender Arbeitsmarkt zwischen Anspruch und Wirklichkeit” (Cross-Border Labor Market Between Demand and Reality) Christian WILLE underlines the asymmetrical configuration of employment. On the one hand, this is due to Luxembourg’s strong expansion of the service sector and the central position with regard to cross-border employment associated with it; on the other hand, it is clear to what extent the regions in northern France, for example, are still suffering from the structural change. It is therefore more appropriate to speak of a regional divergence in employment. At the same time, however, this heterogeneity of socio-economic conditions must be recognized as a driving force for cross-border employment.

Content

After a brief introduction, the article begins with a presentation of the cross-border labor market in political discourse. This is followed by a detailed examination of developments in the cross-border labor market. The article concludes with a comparison of political visions and empirical realities.

Christian WILLE analyses documents from political-institutional participants in the cross-border labor market (Summit of the Greater Region, Economic and Social Committee of the Greater Region and Interregional Labour Market Observatory of the Greater Region) from the years 1995-2013 and quantitative analyses of commuter flows at five national borders of the SaarLorLux Greater Region from the years 1980-2008.

Various motives can be identified in the political discourse. The most prominent motive is that of the common labor market (or ‘integrated labor market’ or ‘single labor market area’). In the documents, this is treated both as an achievement already attained and as a vision to be pursued, though it is not actually defined in detail. A concretization, however, takes place when considering related partial motives such as the harmonization of socio-economic conditions. These include, for example, the objective of “harmonizing wage and task levels” and the “coordination of national systems in the fields of social security, taxation, unemployment insurance, disability and pensions.” A further sub-motive, which should lead to a reduction of the system differences, is the dismantling of mobility obstacles. Other partial motives are the control of matching processes and concerted labor market policy.

When looking at empirical realities, a detailed analysis is made of the developments in the cross-border labor market, divided into the periods 1980-2008, from the 1980s to the turn of the millennium and from the turn of the millennium to 2008. It becomes clear that different strategies have been implemented in the sub-regions, although they focus on similar goals: restructuring the traditional industrial sectors, expanding the economic structure and dismantling industrial concentrations on one main branch, as well as the establishing modern service and industrial companies. The developments of the cross-border flows at the German-French border, the German-Luxembourg border, the French-Luxembourg border, the Belgian-French border and the Belgian-Luxembourg border are explained in detail. Over the decades, the direction of the flows has become increasingly clearly towards Luxembourg. According to the author, this “not only raises questions with regard to the vision of a common labor market, but has also led to an atypical labor market situation in the Grand Duchy” (p. 136).

Conclusions

The number of cross-border employees in the SaarLorLux Greater Region has risen steadily since the 1980s. The majority of commuters work in Luxembourg. This development is due to the job losses in the old industrial regions and the partly delayed structural change. However, Saarland reacted with early industrial diversification and thus became an attractive working location for people from northern France. Luxembourg succeeded in developing the services sector and creating new jobs, attracting people from all neighboring countries, particularly France. This asymmetric development calls into question the political vision of an integrated labor market. It is therefore more appropriate to speak of a regional divergence in employment. At the same time, however, this heterogeneity of socio-economic conditions must be recognized as a driving force for cross-border employment. The political harmonization of the socio-economic framework is also “(still)” described as “a vision”. According to the author, leading and coordinated (cross-border) action on the part of the participants can only be discerned to a limited extent. A concerted labor market policy has so far only existed in broad outlines. On the other hand, the political sub-motives of removing obstacles to mobility and information and expertise are balanced more optimistically. Overall, the comparison of political visions and empirical realities in relation to the cross-border labor market shows “that these only intertwine to a limited extent and that the partial motives identified in the political discourse are partly to be questioned” (p. 140). However, the author abstains from “an assessment of the largely insufficient correspondence between claim and reality (p. 140)” and advises a comprehensive analysis of the causes.

Key Messages

The number of cross-border employees in the SaarLorLux Greater Region has risen steadily since the 1980s. The majority of commuters work in Luxembourg.
This asymmetric development calls into question the political vision of an integrated labor market.
At the same time, however, the heterogeneity of socio-economic conditions must be recognized as a driving force for cross-border employment.
The political harmonization of the socio-economic framework is also “(still)” described as “a vision.” According to the author, leading and coordinated (cross-border) action on the part of the participants can only be discerned to a limited extent. A concerted labor market policy has so far only existed in broad outlines. On the other hand, the political sub-motives of removing obstacles to mobility and information and expertise are balanced more optimistically.

Lead

Christian Wille

Contributions

Wolfgang H. Lorig

Sascha Regolot

Stefan Henne

Links

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-658-10589-1_6

Keywords

SaarLorLux

Greater Region

Border studies