TRAM

Background

Migrant workers account for a significant proportion of the workforce in food production and agriculture in the Euregio region. The working and living conditions of many transnational migrant workers are extremely precarious; in the border region, a complex legal situation has facilitated the exploitation of transnational migrant workers.

Objective

TRAM is the first project to conduct a comprehensive study of the experiences of transnational migrant workers in the meat industry and agriculture who live on the German side of the border in the Euregio Rhein-Waal and are employed in the Netherlands and North Rhine-Westphalia
Establishment of cross-border exchange structures for social counselling

Expected results

Findings on the living and working conditions of transnational migrant workers in the Euregio/NRW
Development of models for decent work and decent housing for transnational migrant workers
Action plan for cross-border social counselling

Project management

Prof. Dr. Ingrid Jungwirth

Social Sciences with Focus on Diversity and Inclusion

+49 2821 80673 349

Kleve Campus

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Research Associate

Marius Glassner

marius.glassner(at)hochschule-rhein-waal.de

Student involvement

Dragoș Moroșanu

Dragos.Morosanu@hochschule-rhein-waal.de

Cristina Baiura

Cristina.Baiura(at)hochschule-rhein-waal.de

Partners

Anita Böcker, Pascal Beckers (Radboud University, NL)

Adriaan Von Harenberg (Municipality of Apeldoorn, NL)

Andreas Kochs (Euregio Rhine-Waal, Germany)

Duration

23 June – 27 January

Funded under Interreg VI A

Project partners

Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Radboud University, Municipality of Apeldoorn, Euregio Rhine-Waal

Jungwirth, Ingrid/ Glassner, Marius (2025): Transnational labour migration in the Euregio Rhine-Waal – A study of the meat industry and agriculture. In: Studies in Labour and Industrial Sociology, 18 (1), 73–89. ISSN 1866-9549
Gottlieb, Nora/ Jungwirth, Ingrid/ Glassner, Marius/ de Lange, Tesseltje/ Mantu, Sandra/ Forst, Linda (2025): How did governments protect immigrant workers in the meat industry during the COVID-19 pandemic? Insights from a comparative policy analysis in Germany, the Netherlands, and the USA. In: Globalization and Health 21, 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-025-01104-9
Jungwirth, Ingrid/ Glassner, Marius (2024): Transnational work migrants in the
Euregio Rhine-Waal: Cross-border mobility in the meat processing industry and agriculture in a transnational labour market between East and West. In: Political Science Applied, 15, pp. 38–42. ISSN 2306-5907
Jungwirth, Ingrid/ Glassner, Marius (2024): Labour migration across borders – Working and living conditions of migrant workers in relevant sectors in the Euregio Rhine-Waal. Kleve: Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences.
The report can be downloaded from the Downloads section at https://www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/de/fakultaeten/gesellschaft-und-oekonomie/forschung/forschungsprojekte/arbeitsmigration-zwischen-den.

On Thursday 26 November 2026, the public closing event will take place at Euregio Rhein-Waal in Kleve. The event is aimed at a broad, interested audience. The focus will be on the presentation of the project results, followed by a discussion with decision-makers from the professional and political spheres. Please do make a note of the date in your diary. Further details will follow.
On Thursday, 12 November 2026, a joint closing event will take place at the Lindenberg Cultuurhuis in Nijmegen. Findings from the project will be presented and discussed with other researchers and experts. The conference is aimed at a specialist audience, including organisations working in the thematic areas of the TRAM project and offering support to transnational migrant workers. It will also address stakeholders such as employers in the meat industry and agriculture, as well as political actors and civil society organisations. Please feel free to make a note of the date in your diary. If you are interested, please contact Pyke Haans (pyke.haans(at)ru.nl) or Marius Glassner (marius.glassner(at)hochschule-rhein-waal.de)

On 23 April 2026, the third Law Clinic of the TRAM project, on the topic of ‘Health and Illness in the Workplace’, took place at Radboud University in Nijmegen. Using real-life case studies, experts explained the differences between German and Dutch regulations on health insurance, sickness and dismissal. The discussion highlighted the challenges faced by cross-border commuters and the importance of sound cross-border advice.
On 19 February 2026, an information event on the labour migration project plan took place at Apeldoorn Town Hall. Project manager Adriaan van Harenberg presented the current status and the local authority’s approach, which combines housing inspections and the enforcement of adequate housing standards with advisory services for labour migrants. Participants from local authorities, politics, academia and the advisory sector discussed common challenges on both sides of the border.
On 22 January, the second ‘Work and Businesses’ Field Lab took place at the Rheinische Pilz Zentrale in Geldern, organised in cooperation with the ‘Work and Businesses’ and ‘Housing and Community Life’ working groups. Rheinische Pilz Zentrale provided an insight into a business regarded as exemplary. The event began with a presentation of the business as a whole and its various work processes, during which questions regarding pay, social security and working conditions for migrant workers were also answered. The group then toured the purpose-built accommodation and were briefed on the facilities available to employees on site. In a concluding discussion session, the employer’s perspective was contrasted with that of the employees, represented by Faire Mobilität, and supplemented by a contribution from colleagues at Radboud University on conditions in the Netherlands. In this way, the Field Lab helped to highlight examples of good practice and further deepen the professional exchange between businesses, advisory services and academia.
On 16 October, the second Law Clinic within the TRAM project took place at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences. This was a practical workshop for staff at advice centres working with migrant workers in the border region. This time, the focus was on the topic of dismissal. Together with legal experts from Germany (Aktion Würde und Gerechtigkeit e.V.) and the Netherlands (Het Juridisch Loket), differences in German and Dutch employment law were discussed, for example with regard to notice periods and temporary agency work. It became particularly clear just how complex the legal situation of transnational migrant workers is, especially in a cross-border context. The aim of the event was to strengthen advice centres in the border region and to deepen knowledge of issues relating to dismissal law in the German-Dutch context. As with all TRAM events, this Law Clinic also provided an opportunity for professional exchange. An updated contact list, containing all known relevant support centres for migrant workers, is intended to facilitate networking amongst advice centres in the Euregio in future. A total of three Law Clinics are planned as part of the TRAM project. The third event is scheduled for spring 2026. Further information will follow via the TRAM website and the project’s own newsletter.
On 10 July, the second Field Lab on the topic of Social Counselling / Sociale Begeleiding took place at Rhine-Waal University as part of the TRAM project. The event served as a forum for professional exchange between social counselling centres and provided insights into key aspects of counselling practice. To begin with, project findings on the registration situation and known accommodation for migrant workers in the district of Kleve were presented. The data is based on local authority enquiries and was contextualised using census and Central Register of Foreign Nationals data. One key focus was on victim protection. Joachim Verhoeven from the Kleve District Police reported on current practice in Germany and highlighted differences compared with the structures in the Netherlands. The importance of treating victims with sensitivity, as well as the need for suitable accommodation, became particularly clear. The second part focused on engaging with migrant workers, both online and offline. Contributions from Szabolcs Sepsi (Faire Mobilität), Traian Danciu (Arbeit und Leben NRW) and Monique Gerrits-Hooijer (Zorg- en Veiligheidshuis Noord-Limburg) highlighted how important a targeted approach – particularly in the victim’s native language – is for reaching the target group. Finally, there was a discussion on how advice centres in the border region can better publicise their services. The targeted use of social media, as is already being trialled in the ‘Fair Support for Labour Migration’ project, was cited as a promising approach.
On 20 May 2025, as part of the Interreg TRAM project, a Field Lab was held at a horticultural company in Horst aan de Maas on the topic of ‘Accommodation for migrant workers – good practices, new tools and future developments’ – with the aim of showcasing successful accommodation for migrant workers and discussing current developments in legislation and local policy. Following a guided tour of the company’s own accommodation, three experts presented different perspectives (Kamiel Bartels, agricultural consultancy firm Arvalis; Sjang Drabbels, project manager for international workers at Venlo Municipality; Stéphanie Groothedde, legal adviser to the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG)). The discussion highlighted that the housing shortage poses a challenge in terms of both quantity and quality. Rising standards lead to higher rents – creating a conflict of objectives between quality and affordability. Furthermore, new Dutch regulations could increase the pressure on German border municipalities.
On 29 April 2025, the Social Counselling/Sociale Begeleiding working group organised a Law Clinic as the first thematic project activity within the TRAM project. The event took place at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. The Law Clinic offered advice centres for migrants the opportunity to receive support from legal experts on specific cases arising from social counselling. Thanks to the expertise of Klaus Körner (Aktion Würde und Gerechtigkeit e.V.) and Gosia Szymaniak (Het Juridisch Loket), specific case studies from both countries were discussed and compared. The aim of the TRAM Law Clinic is to improve legal support for people working across borders and to connect advice centres. Two further Law Clinics are planned for 2025 and 2026. Further information will follow here on our website and in the quarterly TRAM newsletter.
On 13 March 2025, the project was presented in the lecture ‘TRAM – transnational labour migration in the German and Dutch meat industry in the Euregio Rhine-Waal region’ as part of the workshop ‘Work and Survival: Current Research on the Meat Industry at the Institute for Sociological Research (SoFi) in Göttingen.
On 22 January 2025, the workshop ‘Good Work – Attracting and Retaining Workers from South-Eastern Europe’, organised by the ‘Work and Businesses/Arbeid en Bedrijven’ working group, took place at Haus Riswick in Kleve. The workshop was organised in collaboration with the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture and was aimed at employers in the agricultural sector. The focus was on how migrant workers can be recruited fairly and retained by agricultural businesses in the long term. Legal and collective agreement provisions, guidance on fair recruitment, the principles of respectful communication on farms, and ways to integrate migrant workers were presented. Participants discussed problems in the recruitment process, the fierce competition for labour, issues relating to intercultural communication, and potential solutions. Agricultural businesses on both sides of the border face major challenges in employing staff. Further dialogue and the development of models for decent work and decent living conditions can point the way out of numerous difficulties – not only for the employment of migrant workers, but also for effective cooperation on farms in general. The programme can be found at: https://hochschule-rhein-waal.sciebo.de/s/LYO47xZTzVSxud7
On 12 July 2024, the project was presented to an academic audience at a lecture entitled ‘Transnational Labour Migration in the Euregio – A Study of the Meat Industry and Agriculture’, organised by the Section for Labour and Industrial Sociology of the German Sociological Association. The spring conference was held under the title ‘Migration and Work – Current Research, Methodological Reflections and Theoretical Implications’.
On 4 July 2024, the first Field Lab in the thematic area of ‘Work and Enterprises/Arbeid en Bedrjiven’ took place at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. The aim of the meeting was, on the one hand, to bring stakeholders together and, on the other, to plan a workshop initially aimed at employers in the agricultural sector on the German side of the border who employ migrant workers. The workshop, planned in collaboration with the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture, is to be titled ‘Good Work – Attracting and Retaining Workers from South-Eastern Europe’. The workshop will be divided into the areas of management, onboarding and best practice. The plan is to hold the workshop in Germany in January 2025 and to open it up to interested Dutch businesses as well.
On 27 June 2024, the second part of the first Field Lab organised by the Social Counselling/Sociale Begeleiding working group took place at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. The aim of the Social Counselling/Sociale Begeleiding Field Lab was to connect staff from various counselling centres on both sides of the border, to gain an insight into working methods and responsibilities on both sides of the border, to familiarise participants with counselling cases, and to compile the questions and interests of the counselling organisations for the TRAM project. Among other things, the aim was to identify the requirements for a planned law clinic. With participants from various sectors of social counselling in Germany and the Netherlands, it was established that, amongst other things, an overview of counselling centres with contact details on each side of the border would be of great benefit, as would an overview of the key regulations to aid understanding.
On 11 June 2024, the first ‘Field Lab: Housing and Coexistence’ took place at Radboud University in Nijmegen. The aim of this meeting on the topic of housing was to bring together staff and other officials from German and Dutch local authorities and regions to discuss bottlenecks and solutions for the accommodation of migrant workers in the border region, and to gather ideas for follow-up activities. The participants at the meeting came from 14 different local authorities, regions or districts. In addition to gaining three insights into the different approaches taken by local authorities to tackle the sometimes precarious situation of migrant workers, the discussion focused on the key cross-border dimensions required to improve the situation. This highlighted the importance of cross-border exchange and a joint approach to tackling problems such as, amongst others, the difficulty of data exchange. Further meetings are planned to address and discuss the key issues in order to develop potential solutions.
On 18 April, the project report for the TRAM pilot project “Labour migration across borders – working and living conditions of migrant workers in relevant sectors in the Euregio Rhine-Waal region” was presented to the Committee on Construction, Housing and Digitalisation of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Parliament. The report can now be downloaded from the ‘Downloads’ section.
On 22 February 2024, the first Field Lab on the topic of social counselling took place in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, Local Government, Construction and Digitalisation.
On 1 February 2024, the public launch event for the TRAM project took place at the Euregio Forum of the Euregio Rhine-Waal in Kleve. Several media outlets reported on the event, including https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/rheinland/leiharbeiter-ausbeutung-hochschule-kleve-100.html (German) and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JAkHigrCnQ (Dutch)
On 6 December 2023, the project was presented at the Border Region Conference in Nijmegen during the workshop ‘Support for migrant workers’
On 30 November 2023, the project was presented at the Laboratorium Niederrhein in Wesel. The NRZ also reported on this: https://www.nrz.de/staedte/kreis-wesel/niederrhein-beim-menschenhandel-nicht-wegsehen-id240748826.html
On 24 November 2023, the externally funded project “TRAM – Transnational Labour Migration in the Euregio” was launched with a kick-off event at the Faculty of Society and Economics, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. Funded under Interreg VI, the project is being led by Prof. Dr Ingrid Jungwirth as part of a collaboration between Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences (research assistant Marius Glassner), Radboud University (Dr Pascal Beckers and Dr Anita Böcker), the Municipality of Apeldoorn (Iezte Oostinga) and Euregio Rhine-Waal (Andreas Kochs) until 2026. The overarching objective of TRAM is to improve the working and living conditions of transnational migrant workers in the Euregio by establishing cross-border exchange structures for social counselling. Further information on the event can be found at: https://idw-online.de/de/news826502