Geplaatst op 23 september 2026
For three days, a Dutch delegation visited Lille, Kortrijk and Tournai, a region where France and Belgium work together across borders every day. The trip brought new contacts, fresh perspectives and valuable discussions on mobility, logistics and regional cooperation. Now we are looking ahead to 2027.
Learning from the people shaping their region every day.
What the trip taught us
In Lille-Kortrijk, municipalities, port authorities, development agencies and knowledge institutions work together despite differences in language, culture and governance.
- How do you organise cooperation between dozens of municipalities?
- How do you develop a port in the middle of a city?
- How do you work across borders while balancing local interests?
- These were not questions for reports or presentations.
They were questions explored with the people dealing with them every day.
Why international exchange matters
Smart Mobility Embassy is the international label of Connekt (ITS Netherlands). We connect Dutch knowledge and experience with cities, regions and governments around the world. The exchange works both ways. We learn from your experiences. You gain insight into developments in the Netherlands.
Some of the most valuable discussions during the trip happened between the official programme items. Those informal conversations often lead to new ideas, partnerships and future cooperation.
Looking ahead to 2027
We are currently shaping our international programme for 2027. We would like to do this together with our international network. If you work for a city, region, port authority, mobility programme or government organisation, we would like to hear from you.
Questions we are exploring
- Which challenges in your region would be valuable to discuss with a Dutch delegation?
- Which themes are high on your agenda?
- Logistics and ports?
- Mobility and urban development?
- Digitalisation and mobility data?
- Public-private collaboration?
- Cross-border cooperation?
- Are there projects, programmes or initiatives we should know about?
Which region should be on our radar for 2027?
Reflection from participants of Connekt members
“This study trip showed me that change does not come from new solutions alone, but from finding a shared language to look at the same challenges differently.”
“This study trip showed me that cooperation and connection can always emerge when you bring enthusiastic people from the field together.”
Get in touch
We are currently shaping our international programme for 2027 and welcome ideas, suggestions and introductions. Do you have a region, project or challenge that should be on our radar? Get in touch with marije.denijs@smartmobilityembassy.nl. We would be delighted to continue the conversation.