Better access to public services for citizens living in EU border regions is the main focus of the opinion​ prepared by Pavel Branda, Deputy Mayor of Radlo, which was adopted today by an overwhelming majority by the members of the European Committee of the Regions during their February plenary session.

In the opinion, the ECR member highlights the advantages of providing public services across borders and urges for a "stronger legal framework", and "permanent structures such as cross-border contact points as well as financial support through the REACT-EU initiative".

Almost one-third of EU citizens live or work in border regions where access to public services, such as transport, education or health care is often limited compared to central or capital regions. This is especially true for sparsely populated areas with ageing populations. Providing public services across borders would not only increase the quality of life of citizens on each side but also make public services more cost-efficient.

The opinion emphasizes that a stronger legal framework within the EU is required to allow for the efficient establishment and management of cross border public services. It also calls on Member States to "reassess their own legal frameworks regarding their impact on border regions", as the current frameworks often impose overwhelming administrative burdens and costs, which cause many local and regional authorities to abandon their plans.

Mr Branda recommends that Member States allocate part of their resources within the REACT-EU initiative to cross-border cooperation programmes, thus enabling the efficient restart and strengthening of cross-border cooperation after the COVID-19 crisis. He further suggests establishing stable, permanent, cross-administration national cross-border contact points where necessary, which could help with the systematic removal of border obstacles, and notes that a "minimum level of cross-border cooperation must be maintained even in times of crisis".