EU eastern border regions face security strain, labour gaps and shrinking economies
A European Parliament briefing warns that EU states bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are grappling with heightened security costs, labour shortages and declining investment amid the war in Ukraine.
According to a European Parliament research briefing released on September 17, the EU’s eastern frontier regions are under pressure from a mix of security threats, labour deficits and falling investment, problems that pre-dated the war in Ukraine. The nine affected states—Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria—contain remote, sparsely populated areas that already suffered limited services and weak links to major economic hubs.
The conflict has raised security spending, prompted refugee arrivals and disrupted trade, while new barriers have caused job losses and a sharp drop in tourism. Transport connectivity remains poor, with incomplete rail links and divergent national regulations hampering joint projects. In response, the European Commission unveiled a February strategy focused on security, growth, connectivity and people, and launched the EastInvest platform to mobilise up to €28 bn by 2027 for infrastructure, renewable energy and innovation, alongside redirected cohesion funds and support from the Just Transition Fund and Interreg.
Why it matters
The region’s instability threatens EU security, economic cohesion and the livelihoods of millions living on the eastern frontier.
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