Luxembourg, Rhineland-Palatinate to Strengthen Cross-border Emergency Response

Luxembourg and the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate have agreed to strengthen cross-border emergency rescue.

Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Minister of the Interior, Taina Bofferding, and the Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany), Malu Dreyer, have signed an agreement on cross-border emergency rescue. The aim of this agreement is to ensure rapid, effective and efficient intervention by cross-border emergency rescue services in the event of disasters or serious accidents. Mutual selective support in daily emergency operations, especially when the state rescue service is temporarily unavailable, is regulated more clearly by the agreement.

In order to highlight the importance of the agreement, the signing took place in the municipality of Mertert, one of the border municipalities whose residents will be directly affected by the improved cooperation.

Prime Minister Xavier Bettel underlined the importance of this agreement and cross-border cooperation in general with regard to the setbacks of the last few months: “It is important to find a positive agenda and further develop what we have built here over the past decades. What we have achieved in our region is unique and has a great symbolic effect all over Europe".

 “Disasters, accidents and diseases do not adhere to national borders. That is why help across the border must also be possible in an emergency. The agreement is about shortening the so-called supply-free interval. Emergency services can be with the patients more quickly", added Prime Minister Malu Dreyer. "The agreement precisely defines possible applications and thus creates legal security on both sides. It also regulates questions of liability and the appropriate target hospital. The contracting parties also agree that the cooperation is basically free of charge. The agreement is open-ended and applies to the territory of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the State of Rhineland-Palatinate".

Luxembourg's Interior Minister Taina Bofferding also emphasised the importance of cross-border cooperation: “In times of crisis in particular, we need to intensify and further promote cross-border cooperation. The experiences from the recent COVID-19 crisis show us that our border regions belong together and are not allowed to act independently. Our citizens expect more Europe and fewer borders from us. Signing this agreement right now is also a sign that we want to and should invest even more, in the interests of all Europeans!"

In order to additionally strengthen the cross-border cooperation, intensive work is being carried out on another agreement which will determine cooperation between the fire services.