The Commission will offer 10 EU regions technical assistance to help them attract, retain and develop talent. To select these regions, the Commission has launched a call for expression of interest targeting those regions which are currently experiencing the effects of a departing younger population.
- 14 December 2023
These departures lead to a decline in working-age population, low numbers in university and higher-education graduates, and difficulties in retaining talent, a combination of which is termed, the ‘talent development trap’.
As several Member States continue to face these challenges, this call targets 36 regions from 11 Member States (Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain) which are experiencing significant emigration of their population aged between 15-39. The 36 regions were selected due to their average annual migration rate of the population aged 15-39.
The deadline for applications is 7 February 2024. Up to 10 regions will be selected to receive this support & advice, which will be provided by OECD experts. A Committee of Commission experts will select these regions, reviewing the challenges & needs of each region, their motivation to receive expert support, and their current and future efforts to utilise regional assets in addressing demographic challenges.
The regions will benefit from detailed analyses, policy recommendations, and action plans tailored to address their specific territorial challenges. This initiative also builds on the Commission’s wider work during the 2023 European Year of Skills.
This call is part of the eight-pillar Talent Booster Mechanism introduced by the Communication on Harnessing Talent in Europe’s regions. The Mechanism supports EU regions affected by the accelerated decline of their working age population, in training, retaining, and attracting people with the necessary skills to mitigate the impact of the demographic transition. More information about the call can be found here.