"The situation in Ukraine is unprecedented and that's why a unique approach to cross-border cooperation with our eastern neighbour will be needed once the war is over", said Marshal Władysław Ortyl during the panel on cross-border cooperation at the Marseille Summit. The ECR CoR Group President connected remotely from Poland to the meeting in Marseille's amphitheatre.

As experts on the subject point out, internal border regions account for as much as 40% of the EU's territory and 30% of its population, i.e. around 150 million people. At least 2 million people commuting to work from abroad should be added to this figure, including 1.3 million cross-border workers.

Since the Single Market was created in 1992, many development opportunities have emerged in Europe's border regions, but a number of obstacles remain, including in the areas of employment, access to healthcare and administrative procedures. According to a 2017 European Commission study, border regions could be on average 8% richer if these barriers were removed.

The Marseille panel discussed the future of cross-border cooperation, the need for change and new challenges, as well as the extent to which the EU should support this cooperation and how it can translate into an international partnership. Much of the discussion was dominated by Ukraine and the help it will need to rebuild once the war is over.

During the panel event, Mr Ortyl spoke about cross-border projects involving partners from Slovakia, Belarus and Ukraine which had been successfully implemented in Podkarpackie.

"It was by no means easy at the beginning, but over the years, we and our partners gained skills, became more effective, and got to know each other. Governments change, but in the regions, the same people undertake projects and work on them year after year, constantly developing in the process. Together we build, prepare, strive, support and pursue common goals. But now our focus is on Ukraine and we look with alarm at what is happening just beyond the border of our country and region", Mr Ortyl said to the panel.