Check out our first Embedding Cooperation Video, showcasing a French-Belgian railway project. This initiative connects the Belgian dry port of Athus to the French rail network, eliminating detours and streamlining transport from the North Sea to Southern Europe.
- 13 August 2024
Embedding is about cooperation between Member States beyond Interreg programmes. With the cohesion policy regulations for 2021-2027, the European Commission wanted to encourage more regions and Member States to look at the benefits and possibilities of cooperation in the national and regional programmes under cohesion policy.
Now, after having successfully integrated Embedding in the 21-27 ERDF regional and national programmes during the negotiations, it is time to implement it on the ground.
So, curious to understand how Embedding cooperation works in reality? Check out our first video showcasing this French-Belgian railway cooperation project - an example on how embedding can be realized with a concrete project.
The main objective of the project is the connection of the Belgian dry port of Athus to the French rail network and the technical renovation that are needed to guarantee the well-functioning of this connection. Athus is a Belgian town bordering France and Luxembourg. It was known for its steelworks until the plant's complete closure in the late 1970s. The site of the plant is now a rail-served container terminal which deals with containers from the ports of the North Sea to the interior of France, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium. The project eliminates the need for detours through Luxembourg, streamlining transport on the Athus-Meuse axis, which is part of the Euro-corridor. This allows for more efficient transport of goods from the North Sea to Southern Europe, contributing significantly to the broader economy of the region.