When the Fehmarn Belt connection opens, it will not only connect two countries. It will also lay the foundation for a single region across the border. This is the goal of the new Danish-German cooperation, the Fehmarnbelt Growth Corridor.
The project is backed by Femern Belt Development in Denmark and Wirtschaftsförderung Lübeck in Germany. Together, they aim to create a joint development company that can gather and coordinate efforts for growth and cooperation throughout the area around the Fehmarn Belt.
Aim to strengthen business, education and mobility
The project will explore how a joint company, such as a European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), can be established. This will enable the implementation of joint projects in business development, innovation, education, tourism, and mobility.
- There are already many good Danish-German initiatives, but they often operate separately. Now we want to combine efforts so that cooperation becomes more targeted and effective. We are facing a historic opportunity to create growth and development on both sides of the Fehmarn Belt, says director of Femern Belt Development, Stig Rømer Winther.
Three years and 12.8 million kroner
The project has applied for support through the EU's Interreg programme and will run over three years from autumn 2026. The budget is 1.7 million euros, equivalent to approximately 12.8 million kroner.
During the project period, a series of analyses will be conducted to map the opportunities and specific needs in the region. The results will be used to create a solid foundation for future cooperation and to prepare the formation of the new joint company.
Broad support in both countries
In addition to Femern Belt Development and Wirtschaftsförderung Lübeck, a wide range of partners are participating. In Germany, these include Hansestadt Lübeck, Kreis Ostholstein, and the Lübeck Chamber of Commerce. In Denmark, Lolland and Næstved municipalities are participating.
Additionally, a number of network partners are associated with the project, including Region Zealand, Business Lolland-Falster, Business Vordingborg, and the STRING cooperation, which is a political collaboration between regions and cities in Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and Norway, working for closer connections in the area from Hamburg to Oslo.
When the project is completed, the goal is to have a clear model for how Denmark and Germany can establish a joint development company. This will take the next step towards a genuine Femern Belt Region.
- We want to create a solid foundation for cooperation so that we can fully exploit the potential of the Femern Belt connection, both economically and humanly, says Stig Rømer Winther.
