Eastern border regions: stronger cohesion support amid geopolitical challenges

Parliament is calling for increased budget support for Member States facing Russia's military aggression, hybrid threats and geopolitical pressure on the EU's eastern border. In a resolution adopted on Thursday with 414 votes in favour, 79 against and 90 abstentions, MEPs say that EU cohesion policy support for the eastern regions is a strategic investment in the security, resilience and future prosperity of the whole Union. Key points: up to 10% of funds dedicated in the next multiannual financial framework (MFF); cohesion investments extended to digital infrastructure, connectivity, civil preparedness, resilience and dual-use infrastructure; and at least EUR 150 million in dedicated Interreg funding to compensate for losses caused by the suspension of cooperation with Russia and Belarus. A dedicated strategy for the eastern border regions Parliament asks for tailored support for the eastern border regions in the next MFF 2028-2034, including the possibility of reserving up to 10% of relevant EU funds for them, on top of the resources available under national and regional budget lines. MEPs say a specific additional allocation is needed for the eastern border regions, taking into account their exposure to hybrid, demographic, economic, war-related and security pressures. They also propose a separate co-financing mechanism for projects in regions bearing particular geopolitical costs. Strengthening cross-border cooperation MEPs want to see a dedicated Interreg funding package set aside to compensate for the EUR 150 million lost following the suspension of cooperation with Russia and Belarus. They also want the eastern border regions to receive priority frontline status, with EU co-financing rates of up to 95% or 100% for key security, resilience or critical infrastructure projects. Investing in security and resilience Parliament raises the alarm about growing hybrid threats against the eastern border regions, including sabotage, cyberattacks, disinformation, GPS jamming and spoofing, drone incursions, floating sea mines and attacks on critical infrastructure. MEPs ask the Commission and Member States to enable these regions, through the 2028-2034 national and regional partnership plans (NRPPs), to invest in areas not normally covered by cohesion policy, including healthcare, roads, energy, maritime and sustainable digital infrastructure, connectivity, civil preparedness, resilience and dual-use infrastructure. Background The vote comes at a decisive moment for the future architecture of EU cohesion policy, as Parliament finalises its position on several files making up the post-2027 legislative package, including the national and regional partnership plans, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund, Interreg and related instruments, ahead of inter-institutional negotiations. Since Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine, regions in the nine Member States bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine -- Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria -- have been particularly affected by migration, economic and trade disruption, demographic decline and heightened security risks. These war-related pressures, combined with long-standing structural weaknesses, have led to slower growth, reduced investment, depopulation, labour shortages and higher security costs.