10 EU regions selected as part of Pillar 2 of the Talent Booster Mechanism to help alleviate the effects of demographic change

Today, the European Commission has selected 10 EU regions – that are at risk of falling into a ‘talent development trap’ – to receive tailored support as part of the Talent Booster Mechanism to help them mitigate the effects of demographic change and a departing younger population.

After publishing a call for expression of interest in December 2023, a Committee of Commission experts reviewed the challenges and needs of each region and their motivation to receive expert support. 10 regions were selected from eight Member States: Nord-Vest (Romania), Castilla y León (Spain), Campania (Italy), Norte (Portugal), Extremadura (Spain), Centre – Val de Loire (France), Região Autónoma dos Açores (Portugal), Pohjois-Savo (Finland), Thessalia (Greece) and Banská Bystrica (Slovak Republic).

The regions will benefit from detailed analyses, policy recommendations, and action plans tailored to address their specific demographic and territorial challenges, with the support of expert advice from the OECD.

The support under Pillar 2 of the Talent Booster Mechanism specifically targets regions at risk of falling into what is commonly referred to as the ‘talent development trap’ – a departing younger population which leads to a decline in working-age population, low numbers in university and higher-education graduates, and difficulties in retaining talent.

Under Pillar 1 of the Talent Booster Mechanism, 10 regions already in a ‘talent development trap’ were selected last November to receive technical assistance to help them create concrete frameworks to address the impact of demographic change.

The eight-pillar Talent Booster Mechanism was 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.