2. Master Thesis: Cross-Border Cohesion During a Pandemic

MAAHL Region, DE, NL, BE

(2021) RWTH University

Supervisor: Prof. Christa Reicher

Between the German city of Aachen and the Dutch town of Bocholtz, there lies a large office complex that sits directly on the two nations’ borders. This office complex is part of hundreds of thousands of Euros invested in a cross-border initiative (CBI), funded by the EU Commission and supported by the nations involved. A mixture of residents from both nations are part of the workforce and on paper, the complex advertises itself as an inclusive and integrative area along a border line.

As the COVID-19 pandemic began, within the office complex on the border, tape was used to mark the actual placement of the border, to ensure workers from the other nation did not cross over. When workers asked management about the tape placement, they were told it was a precautionary action, as the state of the border was unclear and to comply with quarantine requirements. The border between Germany and the Netherlands which had been open for movement for the last two decades was starting to see physical manifestations arise.

This thesis looked into developments on borders during the pandemic as a way to expose integrational issues between EU countries. It questions how border regions are treated within mega-regional visions, and how their stories can help plans.