For a number of years, French local authorities bordering Geneva that are responsible for land management have joined forces to increase their influence in decisions that concern them, particularly cross-border issues.

These joint deliberations contributed to the creation, in July 2002, of the Association Régionale de Coopération du Genevois (ARC – Geneva Regional Cooperation Association). The decision to create this non-bureaucratic and versatile tool enabled them to take on the challenge of establishing the conurbation project, for which the commitment charter was signed in 2007.

However, the implementation of this conurbation project, together with prospects for completing transport infrastructures and the various thematic action plans, require a strong and enduring structure for the partnership in order to support the different contracting authorities.

For this reason, the ARC’s French partners decided in 2009 to transform the ARC into a syndicat mixte, created on 14 January 2010.

This solution offers enhanced legal, financial and administrative security that will enable the France-Vaud-Geneva conurbation project to go ahead.

The goal of the Geneva Regional Cooperation Assembly is to: 

• coordinate the deliberations and actions of its members on planning and development issues for the Genevois Français, Faucigny and Chablais regions,
• coordinate and represent its members on cross-border bodies whose role is to develop, steer, extend and implement the France-Vaud-Geneva conurbation project, under the authority of the Franco-Geneva Regional Committee (CRFG).
• develop, sign and manage partnerships, projects and contracts with institutional partners at departmental, regional, government or European level.
• organise and deliver all communications campaigns relating to its missions.

In 2010, the Regional Coordination Assembly now represents the interests of some 343,000 residents.

The Annemasse metropolitan area works in collaboration with the ARC and the Canton of Geneva, within the framework of the France-Vaud-Geneva conurbation project.