Rhine-Meuse Forum 2023 - Mobility in Europe: Which solutions to a sustainable and borderless transport?

The Rhine-Meuse Forum 2023, titled 'Mobility in Europe: Which solutions for sustainable and borderless transport,' is taking place on 12 April.

The event is co-organised by Grand Est-Europe and the Representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg to the EU - the State of Baden-Württemberg is a renowned POLIS member. Moreover, it sees the partnership with the French Embassy in Belgium, the Benelux Union, and the House of the Dutch Provinces.

The forum provides an opportunity for politicians, researchers, businesses, and civil society actors to come together and exchange ideas. Indeed, while there is already a high level of cross-border cooperation between actors in Germany, France, the Benelux countries, and Switzerland, there are still significant challenges to be addressed.

At the European Union level, many framework conditions have been established to promote collaboration in areas such as decarbonising the transport sector and creating interoperable transport routes. These topics, among others, will be discussed at the Rhine-Meuse Forum 2023.

Agenda

The Rhine-Meuse Forum 2023 will consist of four round tables devoted to major current issues:

• the future of the car and rail industries;
• major European transport networks;
• daily cross-border mobility;
• innovations.

During the lunch break, a dedicated space will allow participants to discover innovative mobility and transport projects - here, you will also find POLIS!

09:00 | Greetings and coffee

09:30 | Opening

• Winfried Hermann MdL, Minister of Transport of the State of Baden-Württemberg
• Anne Sander MEP: President of Grand Est-Europe, Member of the European Parliament, Regional Councillor for Grand Est
• Jan-Christoph Oetjen MEP, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN)

10:00 | Car and rail industries: what future for the « Made in Europe »?

Moderated by Bruno Grandjean, General manager of the Pôle véhicule du futur, President of the European Automotive Cluster Network

Speakers :

• Jürgen Barke, Minister of Economy, Innovation, Digital and Energy of Saarland
  
• Claude Sturni, Vice-President of the Grand Est Region responsible for economic development
• Joaquim Nunes de Almeida, Director Mobility and Energy-intensive Industries, DG GROW, European Commission
• Franz Loogen, President of the State Agency of Baden-Württemberg for New Mobility Solutions and Automotive, e-mobil BW
• Sigrid de Vries, Director General of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA)

11:15 | Trans-European transport networks: can we meet the challenge?

Speakers :

• Dominique Riquet, MEP, co-rapporteur on the TEN-T review
• Herald Ruijters, Director Investment, Innovative and Sustainable Transport, DG MOVE, European Commission
• Pia Imbs, President of the Eurometropole of Strasbourg
• Lucia Luijten, Secretary General of the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine
• Sabine Stock, Executive Board Member of Austrian Federal Railways, Passenger Services

Closing of the morning session by Catherine Trautmann, European coordinator of the North Sea – Baltic Sea corridor (TEN-T), former Member of the European Parliament

12:30 | Lunch break and presentation of innovative projects

• Opening by Gilbert Stimpflin, Vice President of Grand Est-Europe.

14:00 | Which kind of innovations for tomorrow’s mobility

Moderated by Jan Molema, Director at Benelux Union

Speakers :

• Winfried Hermann MdL, Minister of Transport of the State of Baden-Württemberg
• Lydia Peeters, Minister of Mobility and Public Works, Flanders
  
• Vera Tax, MEP, member of the Committee on Transport and Tourism
• Torsten Klimke, Head of Innovation and Research Unit, DG MOVE
• Alain Dieterlen, Vice-President of the University of Haute-Alsace, vice-president of Eucor
• Marie-José Navarre, Vice-President of Lohr

15:15 | Towards borderless mobility for citizens?

Moderated by Rob van Eijkeren, Director of the bureau of the House of the Dutch Provinces

Speakers :

• Jean-Claude Meyer, Deputy Secretary General of the Benelux Union
• Pascal Arimont, MEP, member of the Committee on Regional Development
• Anne Sander, MEP, founder of the European Parliament’s cross-border group
• Jean-Pierre Halkin, Head of Unit Interreg, cross-border cooperation, internal borders, DG REGIO, European Commission
• Frédéric Bierry, President of the European Collectivity of Alsace

16:30 | Conclusion and perspectives

• Winfried Hermann MdL, Minister of Transport of the State of Baden-Württemberg
• Franck Leroy, President of the Grand Est Region
• Kris Peeters, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), responsible for transport financing

17:00 | Reception

More information

To learn more and register for the event, please check this page. Information is available in English, German, French, and Dutch. To register directly click below:

Register here!