German-Polish delegation

German-Polish delegation

On the 17th and 18th of October 2017 representatives of the INTERREG-Programmes from Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Poland, among others the Brandenburgian Secretary of State Ms. Quart, as well as representatives of the Polish Voivodeships and the German and Polish Euroregions too, were hosted by the Joint INTERREG-Secretariat of Euregio Rhein-Waal in Kleve. The discussion focused on practical questions regarding the Cross-Border Cooperation, other concerned in particular the INTERREG Deutschland-Nederland Programme´s structure and contents and the German-Polish Programme. Moreover Mr. Dr. Scheffer was representing the programme as Chairman of the Monitoring Committee and Deputy of the Gelderland Province.

In the frame of the Federal Police´s talk and a visit of the E-Bus2020 project in Arnhem, the guests were introduced to the cross-border collaboration and subsequently into praxis of the related knowledge exchange.

Once the participants got an insight into the field of the German-Dutch collaboration in Kleve and Arnhem, they interchanged with the Secretary of State Dammermann, in Düsseldorf. The Secretary of State spoke about North Rhein-Westphalia´s cross-border collaboration experience between Germany and the Netherlands. Thereby Dammermann underlined the good experiences of more than 27 years by now of collaboration within the INTERREG Deutschland-Nederland Programme.

Dammermann: „The German-Dutch tight collaboration shows exemplary how good Europe works in cross-border regions. Therefore citizens and companies could witness and benefit concretely and daily from a united Europe. I´m pleased that Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the Polish Voivodeships cooperate across the border and wish to benefit thereby from our ideas and practical experiences.“

From the Secretary of Economy´s point of view the proven collaboration between North Rhine-Westphalia, Niedersachsen and the Netherlands could serve as an example for the deep, long-term regional integration of German-Polish border.

With the INTERREG Deutschland-Nederland subsidy Programme the European Union sustains cooperation projects since 25 years in the cross-border regions. There Municipalities, companies and colleges exchange tightly among them, in order to develop joint solutions and remove obstacles – if in the labour market, emergency care or the electromobility.

From 2014 to 2020, 222 Million Euros´ EU-funds are available in the INTERREG-Programm. In the subsidy period 2007 until 2013, more than 300 Million Euros were invested in the cross-border region.  The Programme has thus reached 2.200 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and created 1.250 new workplaces.