Strategy for Eastern border regions

Key points

The EESC:

• welcomes the Commission’s Communication and agrees that eastern border regions (EBRs) are a strategic priority for EU security, cohesion and long-term resilience. They are European frontiers, not national peripheries, and their stability is vital to EU values, prosperity and territorial integrity. It calls for a targeted, comprehensive EU response reflecting the specific security, economic and demographic pressures on EBRs, which standard policy tools alone cannot address; 

• stresses that persistent hybrid threats, cyber-attacks, infrastructure sabotage, weaponised migration, and disinformation require a coordinated EU-level response based on the principle of territoriality. It supports the Eastern Flank Watch, the European Drone Defence Initiative and stronger crisis preparedness;

• is deeply concerned by severe demographic decline in many EBRs, with some losing over 17% of their population in the last decade. This threatens labour markets, public finances, essential services and long-term territorial cohesion. It calls for targeted demographic revitalisation measures, including youth retention incentives, quality jobs, skills development and better living conditions;

• notes that Russia’s war of aggression and hybrid threats have disproportionately affected EBRs, causing slower GDP growth, higher inflation, disrupted trade and lower investment. It is concerned that the proposed approach relies mainly on reallocating existing resources. It calls for additional dedicated EU financial support, including sufficient allocations under the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework (MFF), with clear implementation mechanisms to deliver results on the ground, including partnership principle;

• proposes specific programme calls under the European Competitiveness Fund for the EBRs. These calls would address structural disadvantages, support local business ecosystems and strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of regions facing demographic and security pressures. It also recommends EU guarantee and risk-sharing measures;

• emphasises that transport, energy and digital connectivity remain major bottlenecks. It supports faster TEN-T development, dual-use infrastructure, better cross-border links with Ukraine and Moldova, and resilient digital networks. It also calls for dual-use infrastructure and industrial projects under instruments such as CEF and military mobility funding, ensuring defence and security investment also leads to local economic benefits, jobs and SME participation;

• welcomes the focus on people and communities, stressing that security and resilience depend on strong social systems, accessible healthcare, quality education and effective local governance. It calls for stronger place-based, social and civic dialogue mechanisms and participatory approaches;

• considers administrative and institutional capacity-building a core pillar of development and resilience in EBRs;

• supports stronger integration of security, resilience and economic development measures, while stressing investment in connectivity, innovation and local strengths as drivers of sustainable growth. A balance between security and cohesion priorities is needed;

• underlines the importance of reviewing State-aid frameworks to allow greater flexibility in EBRs, enabling Member States to address investment gaps and market failures more effectively;

• supports an annual high-level political dialogue and encourages the Commission to develop a long-term strategic framework for EBRs beyond the current MFF, with the inclusion of civil society. This framework should recognise EBRs as a specific type of transnational area, in line with the Territorial Agenda 2030. The Commission should include a chapter on EBRs in the Cohesion Report.