WWII left deep wounds in the region around Kleve, Emmerich, Arnhem and Nijmegen. An official cross-border exchange arose only slowly, originating from private contacts between Netherlanders and Germans.
1963
A first joint conference of the towns of Kleve, Emmerich, Arnhem and Nijmegen concerning cross-border perspectives through the construction of "Rijksweg 15" (today known as the A3/ A12 motorway). More conferences followed.
1971
Border towns and chambers of commerce incept the "Working Group Regio Rhine-Waal". Over the course of the decade
the group turned more and more into an institution.
1978
The council of the Regio Rhine-Waal commences its work. Its new statute declares strengthening of economic ties, intensifying social and cultural contacts and the promotion of tourism in the border region as main goals.
1993
The Regio Rhine-Waal becomes the Euregio Rhine-Waal. On the basis of the Anholt Agreement (23.05.1991), the Euregio becomes the first cross-border, joint public body in Europe.
The Euregio Rhine-Waal has developed from a loosely knit organisation for cross-border cooperation of towns mainly close to the border to a public administrative association with 56 members. Whereas the working area once covered an area of 1600km² with 750,000 people, it now encompasses an area of 8446km², which is home to 3,7 million citizens.
