Border traffic as a measure of trans-border relations

Abstract

Intensity and structure of cross-border traffic are influenced by economic, social, political, formal-legal, infrastructural, environmental, and even historical factors. A part of these factors result from global processes, which may lead to dramatic transformations having very broad repercussions. The present article tracks the influence exerted by selected economic and geopolitical events on traffic across the eastern border of Poland. These events include the accession of Poland to the EU and to the Schengen Zone, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, and the introduction of embargoes on definite groups of goods by Russia. The characteristics of cross-border traffic are treated, therefore, as representing a measure for the resilience displayed by the trans-border system of socio-economic connections. Cross-border traffic is analysed by traffic of persons and heavy goods vehicles (HGV). It is demonstrated that cargo traffic is subjected to the geopolitical and macro-economic situation, while sizes and directions of the traffic of persons are mainly shaped by legal and local cross-border trade conditions.