Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim Pushes for Stronger EU Support on Security and Infrastructure

On 30 March, EA Member, Ms Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim met with Mr Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Cohesion Policy, as a follow-up to the high-level event launching consultations on the Communication concerning the European Union’s eastern regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

During the meeting, Ms Czarzyńska-Jachim presented the perspective of the Metropolitan Area of Gdańsk–Gdynia–Sopot, one of the largest metropolitan regions in the Baltic Sea area. She underlined its strategic importance as a centre of competence and delivery, as well as the key role of Baltic port infrastructure in strengthening European security. She also stressed the need for stronger support for critical transport nodes and improved accessibility of the EastInvest instrument for local and regional authorities. Additional priorities included the urgency of energy grid modernisation, the central role of local governments as practitioners in EU policy implementation, and the importance of establishing an annual structured political dialogue to ensure concrete decisions and measurable outcomes.

The meeting reaffirmed the Metropolitan Area’s position as a key stakeholder in shaping the future of cohesion policy and the resilience of the EU’s eastern border regions.