Gütersloh/Berlin (ots) – Large European cities and high-tech regions may continue to drift away, while rural areas and regions with CO2-intensive industry may lag behind. The dual transformation – green and digital – that the European Union is striving for reinforces this development. But the effect can be mitigated by EU funding tailored to the regions.
In Germany, regions ranging from Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in the south to Hamburg and Bremen in the north will benefit from the dual transformation. The western and eastern regions of Germany will lose out. This is the result of a study by the Bertelsmann Foundation on the future of cohesion in Europe.
The southern regions of Italy, Spain and Portugal are falling behind as a result of the double transformation. The same applies to the Eastern European regions in Bulgaria, Poland and Romania on the EU’s external borders. The already more prosperous regions of Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and northern Italy have the best prospects for benefiting. “Our results show that the dual transformation will exacerbate the polarization between Europe’s regions,” explains Thomas Schwab, Europe specialist at the Bertelsmann Stiftung. Regions with high per capita incomes start with a head start for transforming their economic systems. Regions with a strong agricultural sector and low per capita income are at the lower end.
For their assessment, the experts used parameters from the areas of “growth”, “digitization” and “green transformation”. Whether a region benefits from digitization depends on factors such as Internet access, productivity and training capabilities. How high the adjustment costs for the green transformation are is measured using criteria such as the number of vehicles per inhabitant, CO2 emissions or the energy condition of homes.
The study authors recommend that the EU stop using per capita income as a guideline for funding. It must be possible to guarantee a better quality of life and equal opportunities in all regions. “European cohesion policy must, however, accept that there will always be a certain level of inequality,” says Schwab. “Only through tailored support can we prevent the gap from widening even further.”
Other information
In the “Economy of Europe” project, the Bertelsmann Stiftung is investigating economic, social and territorial imbalances. It analyzes how the structural changes associated with the digital and green transformation are affecting Europe’s economy and its cohesion. The study was carried out in cooperation with the Vienna Institute for International Economic Comparisons.
About Bertelsmann Stiftung: Moving people. Shape the future.
Bertelsmann Stiftung is committed to ensuring that everyone can participate in society – politically, economically and culturally. Our programmes: Education and Next Generation, Democracy and Cohesion, Digitization and Common Good, Future of Europe, Health, Sustainable Market Social Economy. In doing so, we focus on people. Because it’s people who can move the world, change it and make it better. For this, we develop knowledge, transmit skills and develop solutions. The non-profit Bertelsmann Foundation was founded in 1977 by Reinhard Mohn.
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Questions and contact:
Thomas Schwab, Phone: +49 (30) 27 57 88 – 132
E-mail: [email protected]
Nathan Crist, Phone: +49 (30) 27 57 88 – 153
E-mail: [email protected]
Katharina Gnath, phone +49 (30) 27 57 88 – 128
Email: [email protected]