The twin city model in the Pyrenees territory: Andorra and Alt Urgell border region

The new Europe of 25 countries still has different boundary spots inside like Switzerland with special agreements. One of these cases is the Principat d'Andorra in the Pyrenees, between France and Spain. Since the 1960?s decade this mountainous country of 465 sq. km has grown from 6,000 to more than 70,000 inhabitants in 2005 taking advantage of commercial and financial opportunities in relation to French and Spanish states but also to the European Union laws. At the beginning of the 21rst century different policies from the government of Andorra have tried to diversify economic activities, to bring under control urban growth and developing territorial links with Alt Urgell a Catalan county of 22,000 inhabitants close to the southern boundary. There are human, goods, services and capital movements in both directions and public and private transport is very important. Because of that is possible to say that a twin city system is in process to be implemented. Our research group has completed a study which has elaborated primary data results on different type of relations in this city system. The first wave of migration into Andorra was from Catalonia after the Spanish Civil War and from Alt Urgell and surroundings (1960-80) promoting important links between families. Many of them now have Andorran nationality. After the 1980 was there an important Spanish and Portuguese migration with an actual population of Andorrans 38%, Catalans 22%, Spaniards 17%, Portuguese 10%, French 6% and others 7%. The official language is Catalan and the currency is the euro. The number of visitors in Andorra was more than 13 million people in 2005 with important winter resorts. The Government of Andorra, recently, has taken the important decision to strengthen relations with the European Union, adapting several laws, even with a risk of reducing financial and commercial advantages. In this paper we explain a model of reciprocal networks to be set up between economies and citizens of both, Andorra and Alt Urgell, territories. Mainly, there are flows in both directions, in relation to labour force mobility, goods and services purchase and direct economic investment. There are also plans to increase efficient transport networks and to make agreements related to environmental management. Andorra has more population and economic and financial initiatives whereas Alt Urgell has more urban and agrarian land available but also cultural and specific retail trade to give satisfaction to the whole population of twin city system. On top of that, the special governance of Andorra gives an important role to Alt Urgell. The Bishop of Urgell is at the same time the coPrincep of Andorra, together with the French President, and the seat of both religious and political positions are in the Seu d'Urgell.