La mobilité résidentielle transfrontalière entre le Luxembourg et ses régions voisines.

Border Region

Greater region SaarLorLux Luxembourg

Language(s)

Français

Type

Note on a scientific book publication

Main Category

Regional Development – Sustainability

Employment – Education – Economy

Governance – Power – Cooperation

Introduction

This publication refers to cross-border living mobility of people who work and live in Luxembourg and who have chosen to move across the border. The reasons and consequences are analysed.

Summary

The borders are omnipresent within the greater region. The differences (in the areas of economics, social matters, tax matters, real estate, etc.) that they create are frequent reasons for mobility. Since an increase of moves from Luxembourg to the border regions (Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate, Lorraine or Wallonia) has been observed recently, this work tries to determine the most important reasons and consequences of this phenomenon with its many facets.

Content

The CEPS-INSTEAD (research institution in Luxembourg, now converted to the LISER –Luxembourg Institute of Socio Economic Research) and the Luxembourgian foundation Forum EUROPA are the origin of this project for examination of cross-border residential mobility that is still relatively unknown but increasing. The Saarland foundation ASKO EUROPA has granted financial support.

Cross-border residential mobility of people who left Luxembourg (from 2001 to 2007) in order to live in an adjacent country is analysed based on the administrative data of the Luxembourgian social security (IGSS) in order to assign figures to the phenomenon. This is completed by a survey based on a questionnaire that was conducted among 7,715 gainfully employed persons who used to live and work in Luxembourg and who moved across the border between 2001 and 2007. It took place in the spring of 2008. This additional survey permits assessment of the reasons of moving and the properties of the living spaces and workplaces, but also the satisfaction with this move. The goal of this approach is a better understanding of this cross-border mobility and creation of a profile of these new cross-border commuters from Luxembourg and their relationship to the border.

TABLE OF CONTENTS :

Preface: Claude Gengler
Introduction: Samuel Carpentier
Chapter 1: Cross-border residential mobility of gainfully employed persons living in Luxembourg: Quantification and characterisation of the phenomenon. Jacques Brosius, Samuel Carpentier
Chapter 2: Why move to the other side of the border? Samuel Carpentier
Chapter 3: Apartments: Larger and more cost-efficient. Philippe Gerber, Julien Licheron
Chapter 4: What consequences does residential mobility have to the daily drives between the areas of life? Samuel Carpentier, Philippe Gerber
Chapter 5: Luxembourg – only there, or back again? David Epstein, Samuel Carpentier
Conclusion: Cross-border residential mobility, a new connection in the Greater region? Claude Gengler, Patrick Bousch

Conclusions

The qualitative analysis of data of the Luxembourgian social insurance shows us that 7,715 people moved away from Luxembourg from 2001 to 2007, but continue to work there. Only one quarter of these new cross-border commuters are Luxembourgians. 10% are Portuguese. Most affected by this phenomenon are French, Belgians and Germans (comprising 57% of those moving away). People younger than 40 years old and people with lower incomes are more likely to leave Luxembourg. Selection of the country of residence is closely connected to their nationality.

Qualitative analysis shows that the price of the apartment is the most important motivation for moving, followed by family reasons or the wish to own property, which is closely connected to the age, family situation, financial situation, etc.

The direct consequence of this move away from Luxembourg is a longer commute to work in terms of distance and time. This is the most important reason for the dissatisfaction of the people affected. The consequences for the living space are very different: Either the activities are completely relocated to the new place of residence, or – to the contrary – continue to work at the previous place of residence.

Five of six persons said that their cross-border residential mobility is generally positive in all aspects except for the new longer, more expensive and more difficult approach.

Several challenges are connected to this residential mobility: A potential return to Luxembourg, the question of the choice of schools for the children of newcomers in the border regions, the matter of social cohesion within the affected municipality, etc.

Key Messages

This work refers to a phenomenon that is relatively new and little researched so far: Moving away from Luxembourg turns persons affected into cross-border commuters. Use of a quantitative analysis of a survey turned out to be highly useful to complete the quantitative aspects that could be taken from the files of Luxembourgian social security. This survey therefore made it possible to get to know the most important elements of the explanation, but also the consequences of this cross-border mobility for traffic and living spaces. The entire complexity of this phenomenon with its many facets could also be presented.

Lead

CEPS-Instead, Luxembourg

Author of the entry

Isabelle

PIGERON-PIROTH

Links

http://mobil-t.ceps.lu/fichiers/couverture_sommaire_MRT_Luxembourg_FR.pdf

Keywords

cross-border residential mobility

living

demographic development

Contact Person(s)