Minister Paul: “Whether you want to start a business in Düsseldorf or work in Maastricht while living in Aachen: the Border Information Points provide relevant information to thousands of cross-border commuters. I am pleased that together with provinces, municipalities, and the German federal states, we are investing extra funds to help companies and citizens as best as possible.”
Deputy Elianne Demollin-Schneiders (Cross-border Policy, Education & Labor Market) emphasizes that the BIPs are crucial links in realizing a borderless Euregio: “The border is not a barrier, but an opportunity. Thanks to the Border Information Points, Limburg residents and our neighbors across the border can take the step towards studying or working on the other side. That is good for people, good for businesses, and good for the region. Because the better we cooperate, the stronger our shared future.”
Additional Funding
From this year, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment and the Province of Limburg have already invested extra in the Border Information Points. From January 1, 2026, German parties will also invest extra. The total budget will thus increase to 2.5 million euros from January 1, 2026. In recent years, the total budget was 1.5 million euros.
The additional budget is urgently needed because the number of questions the BIPs face is increasing, while information requests are also becoming more complex. This budget also allows further digitization of services.
Information Meetings
There are ten Border Information Points spread across the Netherlands. Annually, these points assist approximately 34,000 people with questions about, for example, taxes, health insurance, and pensions. These rules differ in each country. Therefore, people often have specific questions about their own situation. The Border Information Points also organize information sessions, for example about child benefits or parental leave. Employers can also make use of the BIPs’ services.
Number of Cross-border Commuters
In 2023, nearly 89 thousand people worked in the Netherlands who lived in Belgium or Germany. In 2021, approximately 8 thousand employees worked in Germany from the Netherlands and 11 thousand in Belgium.
