Objective:
The ad hoc Working Group aims to assess and improve how the European Union (EU) and European Commission support the economic development and integration of Central and Eastern European (CEE) Member States, particularly by:
- Addressing the significant regional economic inequalities between CEE and Western EU Member States.
- Identifying synergies between the EU’s existing programs and the Three Seas Initiative to achieve joint goals, including infrastructural development in transport, energy, and digitisation, and fostering north-south trade along the EU’s eastern flank.
Key Issues:
- The current EU approach is fragmented and overly complex, with overlapping programs such as Interregs, macro-strategies, TEN-T, cohesion funding, and EU Neighbourhood policies.
- A lack of coordination, synergies, and administrative efficiency has led to confusion and uneven impacts, as highlighted in the EPRS December 2024 report.
- These inefficiencies hamper the EU’s ability to address economic disparities and fully leverage its resources.
Goals of the Working Group:
- Establish a unified and coherent political position across relevant thematic committees to strengthen the ECR’s credibility and effectiveness in the European Parliament and national constituencies.
- Improve EU program coordination by identifying synergies and reducing administrative complexity to optimize resource use and outcomes.
- Enhance EU-Three Seas Initiative collaboration to align goals on infrastructure, trade, and foreign policy, particularly with strategic partners such as the US and Japan.
- Advocate for policy improvements by lobbying the European Commission and agencies to streamline programs and increase their impact in CEE Member States.
Scope of Involvement:
The group will involve ECR MEPs from multiple committees to ensure a comprehensive approach to infrastructure and development challenges, including:
- Development (DEVE)
- Environment (ENVI)
- Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI)
- Industry, Research, and Energy (ITRE)
- Transport and Tourism (TRAN)
- Fisheries (PECH)
- Budget (BUDG)
Outcome:
By uniting efforts, the Working Group aims to provide a clear, impactful strategy for improving CEE development, achieving EU and Three Seas Initiative goals, and addressing regional inequalities more effectively.