Cohesion policy is the EU’s main investment policy. With € 50 billion of EU funding a year, it promotes growth and improves quality of life in all EU regions, and especially in the less developed regions. A decade ago, DG REGIO developed a regional competitiveness index to help regions identify their economic strengths and weaknesses. This index is now joined by the EU regional Social Progress Index. This can show EU regions which of their social issues require more attention. The launch of this index coincides with the preparation of the next programming period for cohesion policy (2021-2027).
Our series of virtual workshops continues, with the next workshop taking place on the 6th of October at 10.00 CET. Ageing and demographic changes are prevalent and timely topics throughout Europe. Such changes in society require changes in services and practices, and they shape our understanding of what constitutes social progress.
The most important demographic progress in Europe (and in most parts of the world) is the ageing of the population.
This is the result of two separate processes: long-term fall of fertility and increased life expectancy. The latter is the result of processes, like:
