Aachen cities region, Administrative region in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Aachen cities region is a municipal association in North Rhine-Westphalia that brings together ten communities along Germany's westernmost border. The territory runs along the frontiers with Belgium and the Netherlands, connecting urban centers with smaller towns.
The administrative body formed in 2009 when the city of Aachen merged with the surrounding district to create a new kind of municipal unit. This reorganization established the first cities region in North Rhine-Westphalia and changed the traditional separation between city and surrounding countryside.
This union combines urban and rural municipalities under a shared administration while each town keeps its own character. The cross-border location shapes everyday life as residents move regularly between Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands for work and shopping.
The administration coordinates public services such as transport planning and education for all member communities from a central office. Visitors usually find information about local facilities and events directly in each town, which maintains its own contact points.
The cross-border business park Avantis was developed jointly with Dutch partners and is considered the first European site of this kind. The facility shows how administrative boundaries can be bridged through practical economic cooperation.
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