The ‘structural pessimism’ of the EU periphery: Measures to establish a new revitalisation paradigm

Abstract

Throughout the EU’s history, developed regions have consistently drawn young people, with the phenomenon of ‘escaping from the province’ being a significant driver of youth migration. As peripheral regions become increasingly depopulated, the ‘ring of desert’ effect that appears in these areas also starts to impact developed regions (because depopulated areas are more vulnerable to illegal migration, the loss of social capital in the periphery results in the reduced competitiveness of the entire EU, social and political tensions increase, etc.). Instead of increasing solidarity, the opposite is happening. For example, Croatia has subsidised Germany by investing €18 billion in the education of its emigrated citizens. In the future, however, peripheral areas might become more attractive places to live due to an increase in threats such as pandemics, climate change, pollution and terrorism. Remote work could lead to a resurgence in the population of the EU’s peripheries, provided there is access to broadband Internet, public transportation, mobile healthcare services and distance education in rural areas.