The Oresund is the most well-known example of European cross-border collaboration, building on the
metropolitan area around Copenhagen and, across the sound, southern Sweden with the cities of Malmö,
Lund and Helsingborg. Cross-border integration intensified following the opening of a fixed-link
bridge/tunnel in 2000. Commuting, student flows and cross-border residency have been on the rise in this
knowledge-intensive area. Cross-border cluster efforts have had varying degrees of longevity, with
Medicon Valley being the most internationally known brand. After hitting a plateau in terms of integration,
the area is seeking renewed inspiration for cross-border efforts. This case study is part of the project
Regions and Innovation: Collaborating Across Borders. A summary of this working paper appears in a
report of the same name.
