Cross-border Commuting Dynamics: Patterns and Driving Forces in the Alpine Macro-region

Abstract

Cross-border commuting is a spatial phenomenon of rising importance throughout Europe. As one of the most concrete aspects of European integration, it facilitates the use of comparative advantages to live and work on different sides of national borders. But despite a general political appreciation of cross-border integration, neither the statistical knowledge base nor its political implications are very high on the agenda. We explore the cross-border commuting dynamics of the Alpine region on a transnational scale, where seven countries meet and cross-border commuting is a relevant pattern posing daily challenges. Against this background, the paper aims to identify the key drivers and explanatory factors of cross-border commuting. In particular, we explore the role of labor market differences, urbanization, and metropolitan quality as well as the distance to the border. Our investigation is based on regional statistical data mobilized in the context of the Alpine Region Preparatory Action Fund (ARPAF) project on cross-border mobility.