The ALARM Project : a French-Belgian Cooperation for Borderless Security

   The Alarm project was part of the Interreg Program France-Wallonia-Flanders. Launched in 2015 until september 2021, its main goal was to develop the French-Belgian cooperation in the security and civil protection fields by improving transborder emergency services between France and Belgium,  their coordination during exercises on the field and transborder risks management. 26 actors were involved, including French, Walloon and Flemish partners who cooperated around three major pillars:

• Identifying, analysing and sharing the analysis of existing risks on either side of the border between France and Belgium
• Learning how to cooperate together on a daily basis to act more efficiently during an emergency referring to a transborder pattern
• Promoting a culture of citizenship concerning civil security raising awareness of local authorities

   This project found its origins in the observation that the consequences which follow a natural disaster or an industrial or technological accident know no borders. The idea was then to ensure that emergency services were provided for a unique cross-border area which experiences the same risks. France and Belgium were particularly concerned as they share a 620km long border. Moreover, this cross-border area concentrates a lot of industries, two nuclear power plants and identical natural risks in a region that is densely crowded (324 inhabitants per square kms), urbanised and served by major transport axes.

   However, regulations, procedures and even languages actually differ from a region to another. Hence the importance to improve their communication in order to better anticipate these risks and to set up thoughtful and efficient interventions under emergency situations.

   This project received a 2,900,000 € budget with a participation of European funds (ERDF) up to 50% of this amount. Lille Metropole invested a 85,000 € budget, with a participation of 42,500 € of european funds (ERDF). Several services of Lille Metropole were particularly involved. The « patrimoine et sécurité » direction brought its knowledge and expertise to the unit « local authorities’ involvment » but also in other units like « integrated risks management » when needed. The « gouvernance et dialogue territoriaux » direction developed the crossborder dimension in communication actions and guaranteed its transversal and coherent nature with the other crossborder cooperations led by Lille Metropole and its partners of Eurométropole Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai, the crossborder  EGTC .The « communication » direction was focused on communication and advertising campaigns which were mandatory such as billposting in the operators’ offices to ensure the transparency of the european funds’ consumption. The communication direction was also mobilised for the organisation of workshops and training courses for the officials and the technical staff of border municipalities.

   In practical terms, Lille Metropole organised a seminar on the 17th of May 2018 in its headquarters with around a hundred mayors and the partners. Lille Metropole also assisted the border municipalities of its territory to better take into consideration the transborder perspectives in their Plan Communal de Sauvegarde (Emergency Action Plan). Lille Metropole contributed to the drafting of the French-Belgian regulatory document which is available on the ALARM website.