The aim of this contribution was to analyse the effects of travel measures taken in light of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Free Movement, specifically concerning cross-border regions. The report provided an in-depth examination of the principle of proportionality as well as case studies on several cross-border regions were conducted. Due to the specificalities of border regions and the great importance and habit of cross-border mobility within daily life, it was found that discoordination of national COVID-19 measures and (disproportionate) travel restrictions particularly impacted border regions.
The aim of the MMUST is to develop a decision support tool and to evaluate transport policies in favour of cross-border mobility in the Greater Region. This tool is being developed through a scientific partnership involving researchers working on mobility and transport from three of the countries in the Greater Region and through consultation with the main public actors that manage the mobility flows studied. The tool developed has the following features: a unified approach to all the mobility transport data available, a multimodal approach allowing the impact to be assessed of all types of transport existing or to be promoted and prospective approach through the evaluation by enquiry and modelling of different alternative mobility scenarios.
The EMR Connect project arose out of the difficulties encountered by operators in the field in establishing a cross-border public transport network. The governance of the project is provided by the main public transport operators in the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion. The project is intended to provide a practical service and plans to create a shared body of knowledge of the cross-border transport network, simple paperless resources for passengers and targeted projects to encourage intermodality.
Mobility is an essential element of the economic and social development of the cross-border regions. Nevertheless, there are many obstacles in introduction of a transport system. This article analyses the case of the train connection between Liège (Belgium) and Maastricht (the Netherlands). A comparative analysis of six areas is conducted: the economic context; the urban and regional infrastructures in Belgium and the Netherlands; the structure of the railway network; the obstacles when using trains; the current demand for train connections and the context of governance, public and political planning. Suggestions are made based on the results of this analysis.
