Mobilités et marchés du travail des espaces (trans)frontaliers : enjeux et impacts

Workers' mobility is often conditioned by a differential in opportunities on the labour market (or even differentials in term of social protection). Indeed, contact, proximity and geographical ambiguity are sources of positive externality. Conversely, the qualifications required and the cultural knowledge (including the language) and the uncertainty associated with the place of work are parameters that do not facilitate mobility. This has enabled a concept of "(un)familiarity" or "euroscepticism" to develop within certain cross-border regions.  

This communication aims to grasp the stakes and impacts of these types of mobility according to different units different units of analysis and/or time periods. Emphasis is placed on the comparisons of different labour markets in order to understand how cross-border workers are different to non-cross-border workers, and even migrants, within the different geographical areas of the (local or regional) labour markets.

To do this, the authors have attempted to analyse different studies. The first study chosen concentrates on France where a certain diversity is observed at the gateways to numerous interstate borders. From north to south, France is the country that provides the largest proportion of cross-border workers in Europe (1.5% cross-border population compared to a European average of 0.6%). A map showing the residual mobility and including the difference between the cross-border workers observed and those predicted by an econometric model where the results show a shortage relative to cross-border employment in places where the distinct foreign labour market overlaps. However, an excess is noted in the municipalities near Germany and the Basel and Geneva poles in Switzerland.

The second article allows an analysis of two separate cross-border situations, Thionville (border with Luxembourg) and Forbach (border with Germany), where residential strategies have developed by the two types of cross-border workers which are relatively similar (on both the functional and social levels) in spite of the differences in the professional constraints and opportunities between the two labour markets.

The third article analysed focuses on particular segments of cross-border employment which attract foreign workers. It is Switzerland and Luxembourg that attract a (rather) "skilled" workforce, unlike Belgium and Germany where the jobs are relatively unskilled. The article also details the relations that have existed over time (1968-2013) and in space (Lorraine) between the "low skilled" and the others.

The final article analysed by this paper covers Switzerland and deals with the issue of the impact of cross-border workers on residents' employment. Indeed, the impact remains negative and unconnected to unemployment among Swiss residents.