The “Greater Schengen Area”, in reference to the Luxembourg town which borders Germany and France and the EU open border treaty, was put forward by Ben Homan and unanimously adopted by Schengen council in October last year.

“The name Schengen has an international reputation, which could benefit the whole of the Greater Region,” Ben Homan said at the time.

The mayor submitted the proposal to the Luxembourg government, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Greater Region minister Corinne Cahen confirms that she has passed on the idea to partners in Wallonia, Lorraine, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland.

“The idea did not excite everyone,” said Roger Cayzelle, president of the Institut Grande Région. “I think the name is not silly, but others think the concept is frowned upon.”

It is not the first time a new name has been sought for an area. The Saarland in Germany organised a contest in 2003 to find a new name. Out of 3,000 proposals submitted, none were retained. In France, meanwhile, the Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine region was named “Grand Est” following a consultation with several working groups.

The French name for Greater Region, “Grande Région”, has reportedly been difficult to understand since the renaming of “Grand Est”.
“The only criterion important to me would be a name that was the same and can be pronounced in the same way in French and German,” minister Cahen said.

Do you have an idea for renaming the Greater Region? Let us know by sharing it on Facebook or Twitter.