Nord-Pas de Calais-Picardy: a European region

Regional elections took place in France on 6 and 13 December 2015. Much has been said about Nord-Pas de Calais-Picardy, but how well do you know that French region? I live there for many years moving from one city to another and I am pleased today to present you my region with a European dimension.

© www.nordpasdecalais.fr

Geography

Nord-Pas de Calais-Picardy region is located in Northern France between three European capitals: Paris, London and Brussels. On 1 January 2016, that new region will be created by merging two former French regions: Nord-Pas de Calais and Picardy. 

It will include five departments: Aisne, Nord, Oise, Pas de Calais, and Somme. It has a young population which is around 6 million inhabitants. Its surface area is approximately 32,000 km².

History

Nord-Pas de Calais-Picardy has been invaded several times across the centuries: as an example, the city of Dunkirk achieved to be dominated by Spanish army in the morning, French army at noon, and British army in the evening of 25 June 1658.

The region suffered a lot from war, more especially with the First and then the Second World War.

Economy

Agriculture represents a very large part of the economic activity within the region: sugar beet, potato, cereals, endive and Brussels sprout are mainly cultivated in there. 

Other key activities in the region are car industry, large-scale distribution, mail order, food industry and metallurgy. Aircraft industry is present in Picardy in Méaulte where Airbus A380 are partly manufactured. 

Nord-Pas de Calais-Picardy region encourages innovation with many competitive clusters located on its territory. The European Union supports research in the region on vegetal-based chemistry. This looks very promising to replace oil some day. Renewable energies development is Nord-Pas de Calais region’s main priority in the framework of its 3rd Industrial Revolution.

The region is attractive to tourists with its natural sites and its rich history. Most visitors come from The Netherlands, Great Britain, Belgium and Germany. Business tourism is a growing activity. 

Exchanges

The interaction between the new region and its neighbouring countries is essential to develop its activities. The transport network is well developed: Eurostar and Thalys connect together Paris, Lille, London, Brussels, Amsterdam and Cologne; the Channel Tunnel between Calais and Folkestone and many ferry links connect France to England; many motorways serve the region and lead to Belgium; the Seine-Nord Europe canal project between Oise and Nord departments will be co-financed by the European Union up to 42% which represents approximately one billion euros.

Many foreign businesses are located in the region as Toyota, Coca-Cola, Volkswagen, Amazon, MBK, etc.

Nowadays, about 39,000 workers cross the border between France and Belgium every day, or they go in England. 

Culture

The region has a strong cultural environment. Many film shootings took place in there: “Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis”, “Blue Is the Warmest Colour”, “Welcome”, TV series “The Tunnel”, “Le Petit Quinquin”, etc.

Region’s most famous museums are Louvre-Lens, La Piscine museum in Roubaix, LaM (Lille Métropole Museum of Modern, Contemporary and Outsider Art), Museum of the Great War in Péronne, and La Coupole (Second World War and beginning of the space conquest Museum) in Helfaut. 

Nord-Pas de Calais-Picardy has a rich heritage with the mining region, the belfries and the cathedral of Amiens which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 

Artistic creation is supported through artist residencies and grants. Festivals are organised such as “Main Square Festival” in Arras, “Rock en Stock” in Étaples, and the International Street Arts Festival “Fête dans la ville” in Amiens. 

Europe

Nord-Pas de Calais-Picardy region cannot move forward without Europe, and conversely. The “Brussels Capital, Flanders, Kent, Nord-Pas de Calais and Wallonia Euroregion” is the best example of this. In 1987, the “Transmanche Euroregion” between Nord-Pas de Calais and Kent in England is created as the Channel Tunnel project was taking shape. Belgian partners joined the project in 1991. The aim is to strengthen cooperation between the five regions through common projects. 

The Euroregion was dissolved in 2003 with the emergence of the INTERREG programmes for European territorial cooperation. Nord-Pas de Calais-Picardy is involved in four different INTERREG programmes:

• INTERREG V A Two Seas
• INTERREG V A France-Channel-England
• INTERREG V A France-Wallonie-Vlaanderen
• INTERREG V B North West Europe

The region receives EU funds such as European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF), European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), and European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). During 2014-2020 period and for ERDF and ESF, Nord-Pas de Calais will receive about 840 million euros and Picardy will receive about 300 million euros. 

To conclude

Above all, this article underlines the strengths of Nord-Pas de Calais-Picardy region. The situation is far from ideal and many challenges have to be taken up, like in other regions. All that remains for the new region is to take profit of its strengths to turn them into opportunities, while consolidating its position within the European Union and working ever more closely with its neighbouring countries. 

Source:
www.picardie.fr/L-atlas-de-la-nouvelle-region
www.nordpasdecalais.fr/jcms/pcw_168922/dossier-a-la-une/la-nouvelle-region
www.communaute-urbaine-dunkerque.fr
www.picardie.fr/La-nouvelle-region-une-championne
www.lesechos.fr/politique-societe/regions/0203756306046-nord-pas-de-calais-picardie-la-chimie-du-vegetal-nouvelle-frontiere-1043087.php
www.insee.fr/fr/insee_regions/picardie/themes/ipa/ipa81/PDF/IPA81.pdf
http://teleobs.nouvelobs.com/series/20150320.OBS5120/fiction-la-ruee-vers-le-nord.html
www.nordpasdecalais.fr/jcms/pcw_172675/au-dela-des-frontieres-l-euroregion
Programmes et fonds européens pour la période 2014-2020
www.europe-en-picardie.eu
www.europe-en-nordpasdecalais.eu