The Conference of the Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) met in Rzeszów, Poland, for its 13th annual meeting. "I am delighted that CORLEAP was held in Podkarpackie, a region that perfectly embodies Poland's commitment to fostering regional cooperation", said ECR Group First Vice-President and Marshal of the Podkarpackie region Władysław Ortyl who hosted the meeting. The region of Podkarpackie is playing a crucial role in supporting Ukraine in its efforts against Russia's illegal invasion. The regional Rzeszów-Jasionka airport has become a major hub for delivering crucial aid to Ukraine's population and supplies to its armed forces. "I am sure it will be equally crucial for the international efforts to rebuild Ukraine in the near future" added Mr Ortyl.

Participants discussed how to strengthen the role of the local and regional dimension of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) in the context of the new political cycle of the EU which also coincides with a shift of political priorities in the US, following Mr Trump's return to the White House. "Our discussion on the future of the EU's eastern neighbourhood underscored the importance of strengthening macroregional resilience, particularly through good local governance, a key foundation of any country with EU aspirations", stated Marshal Ortyl.

ECR CORLEAP Bureau member Pavel Branda highlighted how "Local and Regional Authorities should focus on providing specific assistance to Ukraine and Moldova LRAs in their accession process". He also underlined the importance of adopting "a practical approach when tabling solutions for the challenges faced by our EaP partners"

​The meeting included a crucial discussion on capacity building in local and regional public administration and the commitment to establish the EaP Academy for Public Administration for LRAs. The Academy's aim is to address the issue of enhancing the expertise of local civil servants, offering tailored training opportunities. Mr Ortyl underlined how EU regions, including Podkarpackie, have "decades of expertise to share", and therefore "we stand ready to support Eastern Partnership peers in overcoming the most pressing challenges, by building vital capacity and effective collaboration across the region."