Concerns about reintroducing border controls

In recent years we have worked hard to remove as many obstacles as possible and strengthen cooperation between residents, businesses and knowledge institutions in our border region because there are many opportunities.

Mayor of Aachen, Sybille Keupen mentions on this subject, "We work together in trust with all border municipalities. I sincerely hope that the border controls will not jeopardize this good relationship. We have had open borders for a long time and despite the need for controls this should remain so."

Roel Wever, mayor of Heerlen and chairman of Parkstad Limburg, agrees: "The economy as well as the inhabitants of Aachen and Heerlen and the entire Parkstad region are intertwined. Consider, for example, the medical technology in our cross-border business parks that benefits from fast delivery. Risks arise if this is hindered." 

Although Wever does understand the random checks for illegality and undermining, he also sees a lot of inconvenience for the inhabitants of the region itself: "Border controls in the middle of our region are detrimental to the development of our daily urban system. Employees, for example from institutes like the RWTH who work in these business parks will have to stand in traffic jams. The same, of course, applies to all residents of Aachen or Heerlen who want to go to the residential boulevard or an evening out across the border. We hope that the free movement that we and Europe have fought for will not be too much affected by this."