Even before the pandemic the inhabitants of border regions were already facing many obstacles on a daily basis such as commuting and administrative challenges, and the closure of borders served to only further "exasperate the situation", including, in some cases, the "splitting up of families and friends".

​One-third of EU citizens live in border regions and Mr Branda - who played host to an online local dialogue initiative on the future of cross-border cooperation and border regions in Europe - asked what the EU could do to overcome a similar crisis and to ensure that repercussions are not as hard-felt for these border region inhabitants. How can border regions continue collaboration and cooperation in the future even in times of crises?

For Mr Branda, also Mayor of Rádlo in the Czech Republic, the first response of Member States to close borders was not the answer to managing the pandemic and the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In fact, what we should have been doing is the opposite – "collaborating even more across borders". Looking forward to see what lessons could be drawn from such an experience and to ensure no further closures of borders Mr Branda evoked the idea of a minimum level of cross-border cooperation: "I call on Member States and the European Commission to define a minimum level of cooperation that has to be preserved under any circumstances even in a crisis".

With the devastating impact that the unprecedented situation of border closures had on these regions, Mr Branda urged for a more "defined vision of cross-border cooperation in Europe and to clarify the role of regions that lie at the border".

Mr Pavel Branda launched this local dialogue initiative on the future of cross-border cooperation and border regions in Europe in cooperation with the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), which took place online on 21 April. Mr Branda was CoR rapporteur on cross-border public services.