Climate, Economy, Energy, Mobility

A partnership between the Benelux and Hauts-de-France for enhanced cross-border cooperation

20 May. 2025

The Benelux countries and the French region of Hauts-de-France (Northern France) have today signed an action plan to intensify cross-border cooperation in the areas of energy transition, mobility, education, and sustainability. This partnership, signed by Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Foreign Trade of Luxembourg; Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes, French Ambassador to Belgium; and François Decoster, Vice President of the Hauts-de-France Region responsible for culture, heritage, regional languages, and international relations, aims to support citizens and businesses by offering solutions to cross-border opportunities and challenges.

This plan follows a declaration of intent signed in 2018 between the French government and the governments of the Benelux Union and highlights the role of Benelux and Hauts-de-France as European leaders in cross-border cooperation.

One of the key priorities of this action plan is the energy transition. The regions will work together on the development of hydrogen infrastructure, with the ambition to create a cross-border network by 2030. At the same time, innovations will be encouraged in CO₂ reduction and smart energy grids to make the industry more resilient and sustainable.

In the field of sustainability, Benelux and Hauts-de-France are committed to jointly addressing environmental challenges. Through information exchange and a common approach to water management and air quality, citizens will be better protected against extreme weather conditions and health risks. This cooperation plays a key role in strengthening both regions’ resilience to climate change.

In terms of mobility and transport, the focus is on infrastructure modernization. The action plan includes the expansion of electric vehicle charging stations and the promotion of cross-border cycling, which supports both tourism and sustainable transport alternatives. Efforts will also be made to improve freight transport efficiency and stimulate economic growth through better connections between sea and inland ports and logistics hubs.

The labour market and education are also strategic pillars of this cooperation. Benelux and Hauts-de-France aim to facilitate the mobility of cross-border workers by providing information, particularly regarding the recognition of diplomas and professional qualifications.

They seek to improve visibility of available training programs and support the mobility of students, interns, and job seekers. Additionally, they will promote cross-border study programs with mutual recognition of skills and qualifications, encourage trainer exchanges, share training facilities, and promote the learning of national languages to strengthen cross-border cooperation.

To ensure the impact and follow-up of this ambitious plan, the involved parties will meet annually at a high level. These meetings aim to ensure that the cooperation effectively meets the needs of the population and regions and successfully addresses cross-border challenges.

With this action plan, the Benelux countries and Hauts-de-France are taking an important step towards a more sustainable and interconnected future, where citizens and businesses fully benefit from this strengthened synergy.

Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Foreign Trade of Luxembourg, and Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Benelux Union, emphasized the importance of this partnership:

“The Benelux has always been a laboratory for Europe, and this new partnership confirms that. This action plan demonstrates how cross-border cooperation can offer concrete solutions for citizens and how we can better coordinate to tackle the challenges of our regions. Together, we are working towards a faster energy transition, smoother mobility, more accessible education, and a more sustainable environment. By collaborating across our national borders and with our closest neighbors, we are truly helping to move Europe forward.”

Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes, French Ambassador to Belgium, welcomed the signing:

“On 11 December 2018, France and the Benelux Union signed a declaration of intent to strengthen their interterritorial and cross-border cooperation. We are pleased with the development of a closer collaboration between the Hauts-de-France region and the Benelux partners. This cooperation fully aligns with the spirit of the declaration, opens the door to new possibilities for cross-border cooperation, and reflects a shared commitment to building concrete solutions for common challenges, directly benefiting our citizens.”

François Decoster, Vice President of the Hauts-de-France Region responsible for culture, heritage, regional languages, and international relations, added:

“The partnership between the Benelux countries and the Hauts-de-France region reflects a desire for closer ties between neighboring countries in Northwest Europe. By aligning with the European laboratory that is the ‘Benelux+’ model, as our partner the state of North Rhine-Westphalia has done, Hauts-de-France is connecting with its neighbors to improve the living conditions of the people in our territories. The signing of this declaration of intent strengthens the region’s efforts and those of its partners in areas such as the economy, training, higher education, mobility, and energy, to build a common, strong, and prosperous future on both sides of our borders.”

Frans Weekers, Secretary-General of the Benelux, concluded:

“Europe’s current challenges cannot be addressed at the national or even Benelux level alone: cooperation with our border regions, built on trust, is more essential than ever. While close ties already exist between the Hauts-de-France region and the Benelux, it was crucial to formalize this cooperation with a joint action plan. This plan strengthens our cross-border collaboration and lays the foundation for a more sustainable, connected, and resilient future for citizens and businesses on both sides of the Benelux’s external border.”