Tri-national Eurodistrict Basel (TEB)

The Three-Country Bridge crosses the Rhine and connects the towns of Huningue and Weil am Rhein.

The Tri-national Eurodistrict Basel (TEB) is the central cooperation body in the agglomeration of Basel. It was established as an association on the 27th of January 2007. Although the three-country region on the Upper Rhine is dissected by political borders, it is increasingly growing together into a unified, densely interwoven living space: Around 70,000 commuters cross the borders in the agglomeration every day, large companies set up branches in foreign countries close to the border, and gastronomic and commercial opportunities are used in all three countries. This development requires increased cooperation between the municipalities and districts of all three countries. In 2007, the Tri-national Eurodistrict Basel (TEB) was therefore established – as a platform for the discussion of cross-border concerns and the development of appropriate projects. The area includes the Cantons of Basel-Stadt and Baselland, the Fricktal and the districts of Thierstein and Dorneck in Switzerland, the district of Lörrach and the towns of Wehr and Bad Säckingen in Germany and Saint-Louis Agglomération in France. This means that the TEB serves about 850,000 inhabitants.

A dynamic organisation

The association has 80 active members who participate in the annual general assembly and determine the overall direction of the TEB. Eurodistrict is actually led by an executive committee with nine members provided by each of the three countries. Switzerland is represented by four members of the governments of the cantons of Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft and Aargau, as well as local authority presidents from Riehen, Allschwil, Binningen, Rheinfelden and Dornach. The three nations take turns to hold the chair for two years at a time according to a specific, regular cycle. The French delegation held the chairmanship from June 2021 until the spring of 2023 when the Swiss delegation with Franco Mazzi, the mayor of Rheinfelden, took over this role for the next two years. The third committee is the district council with 20 Swiss, 15 French and 15 German members who all hold a political office. The district council can put forward motions but has a purely advisory function. TEB does not have any political powers, but is an organisation constituted under French law. Nevertheless, the organisation works to exert the greatest possible influence via its members. The chair is currently held by Heinrich Ueberwasser, member of the Great Council of the Canton of Basel-Stadt.

Transport, regional planning and tri-national identity

Among the activities pursued by the TEB are the development of the harbour area between Huningue, Weil am Rhein and Basel-Stadt in the context of the 3Land project, support of tri-national public transport tariff cooperation under the triregio.info brand and the establishment of a tri-national information platform for mobility services. The IBA Basel exhibition also forms a key focal point and provides new impetus for city development and building culture in general. The TEB also promotes cross-border encounters by donating to small-scale Projects.