Who better than ECR member Pavel Branda to talk about the cross-border dimension of the pandemic situation and of the Conference on the Future of Europe? As chairman of the intergroup on cross-border cooperation in the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Mr Branda who also serves as Deputy Mayor of Rádlo in the Czech Republic, said that with the closure of borders "cross-border cooperation witnessed the biggest setback in decades".

​During the CoR Plenary debate with the President of the European Parliament Mr David Sassoli, the ECR member highlighted how "disappointing" it was to see borders closed during the first wave of the pandemic. Even though the second wave did not bring about the closure of borders, there were so many restrictions that borders "were far from open". Looking forward, "we need to rebuild trust and and return to a world that is better", urged the ECR member.

The pandemic showed us just how "fragile the achievements of cooperation are and that they should not be taken for granted" as seen with instinctive reaction of the Member States to close borders, highlighted Mr Branda.

As CoR rapporteur on cross-border public services, Pavel Branda reiterated the importance of citizens at border regions having their voices heard. They need to have access to cross-border public services for it is "at the borders where real European integration takes place" in a practical and concrete way, he said.

Mr Branda sees the pandemic as a chance to avoid returning to the "old normal" – "we must return to a world that is better and restart cross-border cooperation".