ESPON CHANEBO - Challenges at EU’s North-East External Borders

CHANEBO aims at producing new territorial evidence on possible reorientation of development trajectories of the north-eastern EU border regions* – as they been negatively impacted by the closure of cross-border exchange with Russia and the termination of the cross-border cooperation programmes since the war on Ukraine in early 2022. CHANEBO will identify, map and analyse the economic and social consequences that the new geopolitical context has set in particular on the four border regions of the stakeholder partnership: South-Karelia (FI), Ida-Viru (EE), Latgale (LV), and Ignalina (LT).

The analysis will focus on the impacts of the ruptured cultural, touristic and business ties across the borders. These impacts exacerbated the already severe depopulation and investment challenges and altogether resulted in the loss of opportunities in economic and social development, also on account of halted EU funding for cross-border development. It will examine the effectiveness of the available policy tools to respond to the crisis, and provide scenarios, vision and recommendations on strategies and policy measures on how to better manage the outcomes of the crisis towards a more resilient regional development.

An additional analysis will offer a broader view at the EU external border regions with Russia and Belarus, covering a total of 27 NUTS 3 level regions.

CHANEBO is an ESPON Targeted Analysis,  supporting territorial development processes by bringing together policy makers and research groups. The stakeholders for the project are Regional Council of South Karelia (FI), Union of Municipalities in Ida-Viru County (EE), Latgale planning region (LV), and Ignalina District Municipality (LT). Following organisations participate in the project as observers: Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (FI), Ministry of Rural Affairs, Regional Development Department (EE), Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development (LV), and AEBR – Association of European Border Regions.

The research team includes the following organisations:

• Spatial Foresight (LU)
• SAFEGE Baltija (LV)
• NordEval (FI)
• University of Eastern Finland (FI)
• Baltic Security Fund (LV)

Project at ESPON website: [CHANEBO] – Challenges at EU’s North-East External Borders | ESPON

*The north-eastern external border regions of the EU refer to NUTS 3 level regions from Poland to Finland that share a border with Russia or Belarus. Norway is a cooperation area.