Commuting to the neighbouring country for work has become a daily reality for many people in  cross-border regions. Just as it is common for people living in capital cities to work thirty minutes from home, it is equally normal for cross-border workers to seek job opportunities in the neighbouring country, with which they sometimes have even stronger cultural and social ties. This is a direct consequence of European integration efforts aimed at promoting the freedom of  movement and cross-border mobility of labour among EU Member States. 

The cross-border region between France and Luxembourg serves as one of the best examples. The  proximity of economic centres and the dynamism of the job market are attractive to many French workers. In 2021, the INSEE (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) census recorded over 110,000 cross-border workers living in France and working in Luxembourg, making the Franco-Luxembourg border one of the most crossed in the EU. This phenomenon is not going to  slow down anytime soon. Cross-border worker flows are expected to continue increasing, thereby fuelling road traffic at the same time. According to the Mission Opérationnelle Transfrontalière, the  number of cross-border workers to Luxembourg could exceed 300,000 by 2035. 

However, cross-border transport in the region is not yet sufficiently developed to meet these growing needs. The experience of traffic jams between Thionville and Luxembourg-City, both during and outside of peak hours, is unfortunately common. This traffic saturation and congestion result from insufficient transport networks and infrastructure to absorb these traffic volumes, causing daily  disruptions for cross-border workers. These disruptions lead to stress, fatigue, additional costs and  longer commuting times for workers, but also have detrimental consequences for the environment. Road traffic indeed generates significant amounts of CO2, contributing to increased air pollution and causing lasting damage to the environment. 

It is crucial to take measures to improve the situation. This involves implementing sustainable modes of transportation and developing common strategies for transportation policy and traffic  management. A protocol agreementhas been reached between France and Luxembourg to enhance  cooperation in cross-border labour mobility. Among the medium- and long-term measures are the promotion of carpooling, the creation of park-and-ride programmes and bus stations, as well as improvements to railway infrastructure. Additionally, projects funded by the Interreg Grande Région programme aim to develop new cycling networks as an alternative solution to cars, offering more sustainable and environmentally friendly travel options. 

For more information and sources:

EU (2004). Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29  April 2004 on the coordination of social security systems. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:166:0001:0123:en:PDF  

Frontaliers Grand Est (2023). J’habite en France, je travaille au Luxembourg. Available at: https:// frontaliers-grandest.eu/accueil/salaries/france-luxembourg/#:~:text=J'habite en France,-Je travaille  au&text=Depuis 1999, le nombre de,France et travaillant au Luxembourg.  

Interreg Grande Région ‘Velo Moselle Saar’. Available at: https://interreg-gr.eu/project/ velomosellesaar-fr/  

Interreg Grande Région ‘Aménagement cyclable BELU’. Available at: https://interreg-gr.eu/project/ amenagementcyclablebelu-fr/  

Klein, M., & Hamez, G. (2023). Les mobilités scolaires transfrontalières du nord-lorrain vers le  Luxembourg. Le 4 pages du LOTERR.  

Legifrance (2019). Décret n° 2019-1430 du 24 décembre 2019 portant publication du protocole  d'accord entre le Gouvernement de la République française et le Gouvernement du Grand-Duché de  Luxembourg relatif au renforcement de la coopération en matière de transports transfrontaliers,  signé à Paris le 20 mars 2018 (1). Available at: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000039666873   

Trager, J. K. (2023). EU labor policy recommendations drawn from COVID-driven research  attention on cross-border commuting–A review. Regional Science Policy & Practice, 15(3),  659-682.