Today, the Commission is stepping up its efforts to tackle the challenges posed by the demographic transition facing the EU, by establishing the Harnessing Talent Platform (HTP) and calling on stakeholders to join new, relevant working groups.
- 18 July 2023
These actions will contribute to concretely address issues such as a shrinking working-age population and the departure of young people from certain regions.
Against the backdrop of increasing territorial disparities and a growing urban-rural divide, the EU’s working-age population has overall decreased by 3.5 million people between 2015 and 2020 and is expected to shed an additional 35 million people by 2050. 82 regions in 16 Member States (accounting for almost 30% of the EU population) are severely affected by this decrease, as well as by a low share of university and higher-education graduates, and by a negative mobility of their population aged 15-39, finding themselves in the so-called ‘talent development trap’.
The Platform will serve as the go-to place for the EU’s action in addressing all these demographic challenges. Through the Platform, the Commission will promote events and best practices, as well as access to technical assistance and advice to regions in need, including a dedicated helpdesk. The Harnessing Talent Platform will ensure that the impacted regions receive the guidance and information they need to develop and implement tailored and comprehensive plans to train, attract and retain talents.
Today, the Commission is also launching a call for expression of interest for EU, national and regional stakeholders to join 4 working groups focused on health, digital, research and innovation, and territorial development. Interested parties can apply until 15 September. The input gathered will serve to guide regions' potential actions to tackle brain drain and to harness talent.
Both the Platform and the establishment of the working groups represent concrete follow-ups to the January Communication on Harnessing talent in Europe's Regions. There, the Commission presented the causes and effects of regional disparities stemming from demographic challenges and introduced the Talent Booster Mechanism to support EU regions affected by the accelerated decline of their working age population to train, retain and attract the people, the skills and the competences needed to address the impact of the demographic transition. This is an important initiative in the context of the European Year of Skills.