The establishment of the border information point of the PRO EUROPA VIADRINA Euroregion in Frankfurt (Oder) with the catchment area in the Märkisch-Oderland district, the Oder-Spree district and also in the city of Frankfurt (Oder) is continuously gaining in intensity, content and contour thanks to the support and participation of numerous regional players.
The East Brandenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce is one of the competent supporters of this project. On February 13, 2026, an agreement was signed between Mittlere Oder e.V., the German supporting association of the PRO EUROPA VIADRINA Euroregion, and the East Brandenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce, signed the agreement on cooperation in the establishment of an information and advisory network for the implementation of the PRO EUROPA VIADRINA Euroregion Border Information Point in Frankfurt (Oder) on the premises of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, by the Managing Director of the East Brandenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Monique Zweig, and our Managing Director, Toralf Schiwietz.
"Our East Brandenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce has around 43,000 member companies. The added value of the location of our chamber district directly on the German-Polish border is experienced by many of our companies on a daily basis. Cooperation with Poland is therefore vital for the East Brandenburg economy and the free movement of workers, goods and services is an important driver of growth and stability in the border region and for Europe as a whole. This is why the expansion of German-Polish relations is a particular focus of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce's work. This starts with a Polish-language website for services on both sides of the border or events that bring together business, politics and science from both countries. Being properly informed and advised, especially on cross-border issues, is a major concern for the many Polish commuters to Germany and our member companies. As the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, we already offer a wide range of information and advice on this and are pleased to be working with the Border Information Point of the PRO EUROPA VIADRINA Euroregion in Frankfurt (Oder)," emphasized Monique Zweig, Managing Director of the IHK Ostbrandenburg.
Toralf Schiwietz, Managing Director of the German supporting association of the PRO EUROPA VIADRINA Euroregion, is delighted about this support: "The diverse cross-border interdependencies of our border region are already enormous in their civil society and economic dimension for citizens, commuters and cross-border commuters, but also for companies on both sides, and are increasing significantly. We therefore very much welcome the fact that, thanks to many years of reliable cooperation with the East Brandenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce within the structures of the PRO EUROPA VIADRINA Euroregion, we can benefit from the experience and expertise of the IHK and that this valuable specialist knowledge will be incorporated into the information and advisory network for the implementation of the Border Information Point of the PRO EUROPA VIADRINA Euroregion in Frankfurt (Oder)."
With the agreement, both parties recognize the importance of cross-border cooperation in advising and informing citizens seeking advice as well as institutions, public institutions and authorities, but also non-governmental organizations from Germany and Poland on cross-border issues and agree to work closely together in the implementation and operation of our Border Information Point. The East Brandenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce thus offers active support with specialist questions in its thematic area of responsibility in an appropriate and targeted manner, strengthening the expansion and establishment of our network of institutions, which provides the desired information to people seeking specific advice. This step also creates synergies for the institutions and stakeholders active in the network and makes a tangible contribution to the success of our Border Information Point.
More and more people in the German-Polish border region are LIVING, LEARNING or WORKING across the border on the opposite side of the border. In the PRO EUROPA VIADRINA Euroregion alone (Märkisch- Oderland district, Oder-Spree district, the city of Frankfurt (Oder) on the German side and the "Gorzowski subregion" – the northern half of the Polish voivodeship of Lubuskie), around 816,000 German and Polish citizens LIVE, LEARN and WORK. It should be emphasized that over 29,000 Polish citizens have resided in the state of Brandenburg for some time now, over 3,500 of them in Frankfurt (Oder) alone. Special attention should also be paid to the 68,900 Polish commuters to Germany, 13,800 of whom commute to Brandenburg.
The increasing interdependencies go hand in hand with a growing need for information and advice, for example on legal provisions or institutional responsibilities. It is therefore important to provide citizens seeking advice, as well as institutions, public bodies and authorities, but also non-governmental organizations from Germany and Poland, with the most reliable, diverse and expert information and advice possible in the areas of LIVING, LEARNING and WORKING. The existing initiatives and (advisory) services are to be communicated and linked with each other, and gaps are to be closed. To this end, the aim is to develop a network of institutions that will provide the information required by those seeking advice, but also create synergies for the institutions and players active in the network. The role of this network, which was initiated and is to be maintained by the network partner and the PRO EUROPA VIADRINA Euroregion, is to provide expert support to the Border Information Point of the PRO EUROPA VIADRINA Euroregion in Frankfurt (Oder) in its implementation and operation.
The Border Information Point of the Euroregion PRO EUROPA VIADRINA in Frankfurt (Oder) is available to citizens seeking advice as well as institutions, public bodies and authorities, but also to non-governmental organizations from Germany and Poland, in German and Polish, with free information and advice on LIVING, LEARNING, WORKING across borders in the Euroregion PRO EUROPA VIADRINA.
All towns, offices and municipalities on the German side of the PRO EUROPA VIADRINA Euroregion are also encouraged to contact the Border Information Point. Its staff will also be happy to visit you on site to introduce you to the information and advice on offer, determine information and advice requirements and identify relevant topics.