Menen (Brussels Morning newspaper) – West Flanders towns face rising cross-border crime. N-VA, Mayor Your Casier, MP Maaike De Vreese, and Kurt Himpe urge easing Tournai Agreements and better Belgian-French police cooperation.
As VRT News reported, towns along the West Flanders border, including Menen, Wervik, and Kortrijk, have reported a rise in crime in recent months. Burglaries and car thefts have increased, worrying residents.
The situation escalated after a violent home invasion in Wervik. To draw attention, the N-VA party organised a protest in Menen, near the French border. The demonstration focused on the limits Belgian police face when suspects flee into France.
What can be done to stop the rising cross-border crime in Menen?
According to the Tournai Agreements of 2001, police can only pursue offenders across the border in very serious cases, such as murder or violent attacks. They mentioned that this means thieves who steal cars or commit property crimes can escape to France without being chased.
“But in 2013, those Tournai agreements were amended and essentially became empty,”
says N-VA provincial councillor Kurt Himpe.
“Information sharing. joint operations, and patrols between the Belgian and French police: all of that could be much better.”
Authorities and local officials are calling for changes to the Tournai Agreements. They want Belgian police to have more freedom to follow suspects across the border. Any new rules should be reciprocal, giving French police the same rights in Belgium.
Improved communication between Belgian and French police is also a priority. Currently, coordination is slow and indirect, which can delay action during chases. Officials say better radio systems and joint operations are needed to respond quickly. They argue that stronger cross-border cooperation would help prevent crime and make border towns safer for residents.
Mayor Your Casier of Wervik, representing Vooruit, asked Interior Minister Annelies Quintin in June 2025 to negotiate with French authorities on changing the Tournai Agreements.
He said French thieves can escape quickly after burglaries or car thefts because Belgian police are not allowed to pursue them across the border. The mayor has not yet received a reply to his official request. Local authorities are worried as cross-border crime continues to rise.
“In addition to easing the Tournai agreements, we are also asking for more ANPR cameras with license plate recognition for the border region.”
The issue has support from other politicians. Federal MP Maaike De Vreese and Provincial Council Member Kurt Himpe say that federal resources are rightly focused on drug crime in Antwerp and the port, but the problem in West Flanders must not be ignored. They point out that border crime affects other areas too.
In Roeselare, for example, drug crimes are often linked to cars with French license plates. De Vreese and Himpe say stronger border checks and better police cooperation would reduce crime at the border and also have a positive effect across West Flanders.
