The elect are organized to be their territory

The first feels a little picarde, the second has often eyes only for England, while the third cultivates its affinities with the Belgian Flanders: Boulogne-sur-Mer, Calais and Dunkirk remain attached to the links which they derive their identity. They forget that these three cities "in the North of the North" are extensive, since 40 years, to form a coherent space of development. Without going to be included in the boundaries of a "littoral Department", idea quickly past fashion, more territory of 450,000 people appears on many cards.

The latest come from the State, which raised in August 2005, the Opal Coast to the rank of "metropolitan area to European vocation" for elected officials in the conduct of projects with Belgian Flanders. But the central Government is more also involved. He who, in 1989, created the Ulco University student 11.103(1) multi-site tailored to the size of the territory with its institutions to Dunkirk, Boulogne, Saint-Omer and Calais. He still who, in 1983, decided to dig the tunnel under the English channel. Not to mention, after the war, the reconstruction of the cities of the North Shore, planned from above, such as industrialization and their port development. Dunkirk should the presence of Arcelor (ex-Usinor) and Total, Calais to this State voluntarism of Tioxide (Chemistry).

"Sense of solidarity."

The elect are organized to be their territory. "Our structure helped to develop a real sense of solidarity on the Opal Coast," said Michel Delebarre. The Union joint of the coast of Opal (OCMS), at the head of which sits the Mayor and Socialist President of the Communauté urbaine de Dunkerque, decides by unanimity. It is not nothing. This established structure in 1996 includes all intercommunalités of the coast except two 354 Commons , its four ICC and General Councils of the North and the Pas-de-Calais. It does not extend yet to organise the sharing of a professional tax poorly distributed. It is a "facilitator of projects", explained his head. 118 Members appointed him to negotiate the structural funds European and future contracts for projects state-region (CPER) credits.

The OCMS received the renewal and management of Fodel, Development Fund of the coast created by the State to support the effort of conversion of the port cities linked to the arrival of the tunnel. Implemented only in 1997, it will mobilise EUR 30 million over the next contract for projects, made for about two-thirds by the region and the departments. This Fund came to complete the financing of the Kursaal, the new Palace of the Congress of Dunkirk, and rinks of Boulogne and Calais. "Our territory is taken into account, the same as the Valenciennois, the Lille metropolis and mining basin." "This was not the case in the 1980s", welcomes François Delagrange, the Director General of the Joint Union.

The actions of territorial marketing start to pay, including those for the Opal Coast marinas. In June 2008, Dunkirk will host the World Congress of the Federation of marinas, giving a unique reputation in the city of Jean Bart with Ostend, Belgium. If elected and socioprofessional "stick together" with the restraint, it is also because its Chairman to the agenda topics that get angry. This structure did not intervene in difficult decentralization of the ports of Calais and Boulogne trade.

Motorway of the sea

Their transfer to the region in any property, to January 1, 2007, was preceded by a severe arm of railway between consular leaders and elected officials from the two towns. "It is a scandal." "Transferred the power of Paris to Lille, this close the regions are not always equipped to it," rebelled Guy Lengagne. His scenario, that of a mixed Union where the community of agglomeration (CA) of the Boulonnais, which he chairs, would have had ample voice, was rejected by the prefect of the region. The disengagement of the State would have allowed him to participate in the control of one third of the area of Boulogne. The closure, end of 2003, Comilog ferro-manganese plant, subsidiary of the Eramet group, has released 40 hectares in the heart of a very poor city in land. The CA was also reclaim a part of the neighbourhood of the Capécure fish.

For elected officials, Boulogne is designed to be a beach resort. Nausicaä theme park, that he initiated, is in this sense (600,000 entries per year), as the centre of Congress that the intermunicipal will build. It also considers, make a residential function in this area, extend Marina and open it related activities. A vision that neither the region nor the local ICC share. The latter is strong to leave the port, which it is the dealer, drowsiness when it plunged Comilog closure. The motorway of the Sea project, supported by Brussels, aims to strengthen the activity of the largest fish processing platform of Europe (6,000 jobs) to the post by a

boats at high speed (VMO) from Scandinavia. Would return the same to capitals the Spain responsible for processed products, before rising to the North, met holds fruit and vegetables.

Tensions between City Hall and ICC

To accommodate this project, generating traffic and port taxes, a new freight zone will be created, while Capécure will be extended to develop activities related to the processing of seafood products. Already, the site hosts Haliocap, a business incubator, the first element of the pole of competitiveness on fishery products. The ICC has also commissioned a first gateway to the VMO. This equipment of EUR 20 million is mainly funded by Europe, the region and the Department of the Pas-de-Calais. A second gateway is under study. "It must be reliable," insists, optimist, Francis Leroy, the President of the CCI de Boulogne, table on "a traffic growth cargo of 11 on this part of the channel. The British Shikara Shipping Ltd. will invest 400 million in five first VMO and create 800 jobs in a logistics platform in the port.

At Calais, elected officials and consular officers are also struggling to agree. The designs on the port of Jacky Hénin, Mayor and Communist Chairman of the Calaisis CA, have seen a very bad look. The difference of Boulogne, ICC manages this platform, the first in continental Europe for traffic ro-ro (heavy weight 1.7 million) and the first of France for travelers (11 million), funds only ambitions (about 110 million investment in 2004-2006). "For the Mayor, the money of the port must benefit to the city, while for us, it must benefit those who develop traffic", considers Jean-Marc Puissesseau, the President of the ICC of Calais, which has in mind a few frustrations. As the antenna of the Louvre as the municipality "didn't", the long freezing of the land for the school of engineers co-produced by the House and the Ulco or Victory Park, "emptied of its substance project." Thought in 2001 by the ICC and initially encrypted EUR 100 million, which was to be a giant ludo-Sports Park (ski-Dome, Stadium, swimming pool, Theatre) is in its fourth version, supported by the Town Hall.

The development of logistics activities a little laborious, Transmarck area, and a few rare settlements such as notable Centre of appeal Armatis (500 employees) compensate not the decline in industrial "city of the Bourgeois". Lace has more than 1,800 jobs, and for three years, the social plans move on the chemical pole of Tioxide. With an unemployment rate of 15.7 (against 13 for Boulogne and Dunkirk), a 19 population lives below the poverty line, its clusters of stray smuggling in town, Calais accumulated social problems.

"I remain optimistic." It has never seen a town at a crossroads also important not to develop. "It must exploit this extraordinary position," said Jean-Marc Puissesseau, whose speech wafer with attitude often charged to elected officials and local socio-professional too long turned his back on the tunnel and to circumvent by the A26. In terms of cultural and commercial offerings, Calais is just to upgrade with the opening in the city centre, shopping centre "The 4 B" and soon, the Museum of lace.

Cross-border reconciliation

Relations are more décrispées to Dunkirk. All actors share the industrial ambition of the territory and support cross-border reconciliation with the Belgian and French neighbours through the project of "Channel District". The State control of right management of the port, but local councillors sit on its Board of Directors. Its authorities did in will be not less invited to the port Conference scheduled in January by the region. The challenge is to build a development strategy between three ports, not to mention merger. The Regional Council, chaired by Daniel Percheron (PS), must also decide which help, boulonnais motorway of the Sea project and the future line of "merroutage" between Dunkirk and Bilbao, the port will entrust the operation to the Norfolkline.

Mainly industrial and turned into the bulk, the port of Dunkirk, where EDF will invest 500 million in a gas terminal, has missed the train of the containers. Only 200,000 boxes there are processed each year, against 6 million in Antwerp. Why so low traffic for equipment whose potential is far more important (3,000 hectares of land reserves) "We lack easy connections with the hinterland", said Michel Delebarre, designating the State. The A25 to Lille, approach the limits of its capacities. It is an issue that the Regional Council has integrated to the schema of transport that he had voted in late November and which provides networking three ports and the improvement of their rail and river routes. However, the modernization of the A25 is not resolved. Neither politicians nor port leaders want a toll to the Fund.