The 34th Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland, brought together more than 6,000 participants, 160 partners, and over 500 panel discussions across three days. The forum was one of the largest and most influential economic and political events in Central and Eastern Europe, providing a key platform for dialogue between policymakers, experts, and representatives of international organizations.

Among the participating organizations, CESCI Balkans took part as a panelist in the discussion titled “How do Cross-Border Cooperation Programmes Impact the Development Opportunities of Border Regions?” The panel focused on the role of cross-border cooperation (CBC) in strengthening regional development, competitiveness, and innovation in border areas.

Special attention was given to EU-funded initiatives, including the ADRION programme and the AdRURAL project, which aimed to support sustainable rural development and foster innovation across participating regions.

The discussion highlighted how cross-border cooperation programmes contributed to reducing regional disparities and enhancing long-term economic resilience through joint initiatives and knowledge exchange.