As expertise centre, ITEM commits itself to improve and foster cross-border mobility and cooperation by bridging science, policy and practice. With its scientific fundament, the research concentrates on the identification of problems and solutions in cases of transnational and cross border mobility and cooperation. This is done in the framework of fundamental research, as well as applied, small-scale, on-demand contract research to valorise scientific knowledge into practical solutions. ITEM commits itself to exchange information with existing border information points and provide information via the ITEM Cross-border Portal on regulations, jurisprudence, research and best practices.

ITEM has established a well proven methodology for testing on border effects. Annually it publishes its Cross-border Impact Assessment on (legislative) initiatives or policy, analysing the border effects.

Lastly, ITEM has a strong network for information exchange, for example via the ITEM Annual Conference.

Training

Every year ITEM organizes and presents several trainings with its stakeholders for professionals, such as:

• ITEM/BBZ Pensioenleeftijden NL/BE (Retirement ages NL/BE), 6 June 2019
• ITEM/GWO Belastingverdrag NL/DE (Tax Treaty NL/DE), 26 March 2019
• Actualiteiten international belastingrecht (Current affairs on international tax law), 21 February 2019

Research / Applied research

Next to the annual Cross-border Impact Assessment, ITEM carries out a wide spectrum of research activities such as:

• Euregional Centre for Peadiatric Surgery, ITEM 2019
• Cross-border qualification problems: between social security and supplementary pensions, ITEM PhD 2019
• Territorial Impact Assessment for Cross-border Cooperation, ESPON 2019
• “Inventarisatie grensoverschrijdende knelpunten North Sea Port” (Inventory of cross-border obstacles North Sea Port), ITEM 2019
• Statute for Limburg?, ITEM 2018

Consulting / Studies

ITEM carries out multiple consultative activities and studies such as:

• “Leidraad Grenseffecten” (Guide on border testing for policymakers), 2019
• Roadmap & Factsheets of the Recognition of Qualifications for Highly Demanded Professions, 2019
• Test Case “DigiD for non-Dutch residential border workers”, 2019
• The Meuse-Rhine Euroregion as the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation, 2019
• International Marriage Brokers and Mail Order brides. Analysing the need for regulation, EP Think Tank 2016

Conferences

ITEM organizes some annual conferences, such as:

• ITEM Annual Conference, 2016 – 2019
• Pensions Seminar, 2012 – 2019

Publications / Conference papers

• Kortese, L. (2016). Exploring professional recognition in the EU: A legal perspective. Journal of International Mobility, 4, 43-58. https://doi.org/10.3917/jim.004.0043
• Klosse, S. & Kramer, S. (2016). Measures adopted at national level to recover overpaid pensions – Comparative analysis of national legislations. Network of legal experts (FreSsco).
• Büttgen, N. (2017). EU employment governance revisited: Towards an innovative legal framework for employment regulation. Datawyse / Universitaire Pers Maastricht. https://doi.org/10.26481/dis.20171220nb
• Geurtjens, K., Nelen, H., & Vanderhallen, M. (2018). From Bikers to Gangsters: On the Development of and the Public Response to Outlaw Biker Clubs in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. In T. Kuldova, & M. Sánchez-Jankowski (Eds.), Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs and Street Gangs : Scheming Legality, Resisting Criminalization (pp. 93-122). Palgrave Macmillan. Palgrave Studies in Risk, Crime and Society
• Unfried, M., & Kortese, L. (2019). Cross-border impact assessment as a bottom-up tool for better regulation. In J. Beck (Ed.), Transdisciplinary discourse on cross-border cooperation in Europe (pp. 463-481). Peter Lang. Euroclio