Hazeldonk/Meer Explained

Hazeldonk
Settlement Type:Industrial area
Native Name Lang:nl
Pushpin Map:Netherlands North Brabant#Netherlands
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Netherlands
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:North Brabant
Subdivision Type2:Municipality
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone:CET
Utc Offset:+1
Timezone Dst:CEST
Utc Offset Dst:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Area Code Type:Dialing code
Coordinates:51.4864°N 4.7361°W
Meer
Settlement Type:Transport Zone
Native Name Lang:nl
Pushpin Map:Belgium Antwerp#Belgium
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the province of Antwerp in Belgium
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Type2:Province
Subdivision Type3:Municipality
Subdivision Name:
Subdivision Name2:Antwerp
Subdivision Name3:Hoogstraten
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone:CET
Utc Offset:+1
Timezone Dst:CEST
Utc Offset Dst:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Area Code Type:Dialing code
Coordinates:51.4853°N 4.7339°W

Hazeldonk (as it is called in the Netherlands) or Meer (as it is called in Belgium) is the busiest border crossing between the Netherlands and Belgium. It sees an average of 55,000 vehicles per day, with some sources suggesting it as one of the busiest border crossings in Europe. [1] The European route E19 (Amsterdam - Paris) crosses the border here and turns from the Dutch A16 (Rotterdam - Hazeldonk) into the Belgian A1/E19 (Meer - Brussels) motorway.

Since 1997 the former municipality Hazeldonk belongs to the municipality of Zundert. The border crossing and adjacent industrial area belongs to the municipality of Breda. At the Dutch side of the border lies the service station Hazeldonk, which includes fast food restaurants, petrol stations and a hotel. The Schiphol–Antwerp high-speed railway also crosses the Dutch/Belgium border here and connects the HSL-Zuid with the HSL 4.

Due to the Schengen acquis there is free movement of persons and goods between the Netherlands and Belgium, although there are regular inspections by mutual customs.[2] The Dutch and Belgian police forces also work closely together and can freely continue their work on both sides of the border, including in priority pursuit of a suspicious vehicle.

History

The name Hazeldonk is mentioned for the first time in 1303, regarding the nearby Dutch civil parishe Hazeldonk.Meer refers to nearby the Belgian village Meer in the municipality of Hoogstraten.The business association at Hazeldonk is a collaboration with Hazeldonk and the Transport Zone Meer and is called "Logistics Center Hazeldonk Meer”.[3]

On the 17th of January 1972 the Dutch Queen Juliana and her Belgian colleague King Baudouin officially opened the road between Antwerp and Rotterdam (Then known as E10). On that day there was no border control office and freight traffic stil needed to use the old N263 via Wuustwezel and Zundert. Later in 1984 a customs post 'Breda' was realised.

On initiative of the Provincial states of Noord-Brabant a distribution center was built on Dutch grounds next to the customs office. On the opposed side in Belgium the ‘Transport Zone Meer’ arose. This was the start of the international transport hub as it is today. [4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 179. Hazeldonk – de grens is nog goed voelbaar. April 2, 2021. Grensfietsen.NL.
  2. Web site: Vluchtelingen in koelwagen Hazeldonk vernikkelden van de kou. February 10, 2017. RTL.nl.
  3. Web site: Ondernemers op Hazeldonk slaan handen ineen . 24 July 2019. bndestem.nl. nl.
  4. Web site: Hazeldonk. Erfgoedweb Breda.