The project has submitted its contribution to the European Commission’s Public Consultation for a Communication on Brain Drain – mitigating challenges associated with population decline.
Brain drain is the emigration of qualified people whose skills are scarce in their place of origin. Its negative effects can occur at national or regional level and can exacerbate problems in regions suffering from population decline. This is particularly true across many EU rural areas.
Several SHERPA Multi-Actor Platforms have outlined the challenges posed on the rural territories by depopulation, ageing and the loss of workforce. Some of them have identified specific recommendations on how to reverse the trend and revitalise rural areas by keeping or attracting people.
A contribution highlighting input from six Multi-Actor Platforms has been submitted as feedback to the public consultation. Examples from Finland, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria and Poland, demonstrate how various interventions are being or will be implemented in an effort to reverse the brain drain of their rural areas. Loss of qualified workforce and lack of educational opportunities, are hindering the process of revitalisation and economic diversification of rural areas.
European Commission’s initiative will look into the different drivers of brain drain, its long-term consequences for the EU and potential comprehensive solutions to stop or even reverse it. The Communication on Brain Drain is expected to be adopted in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Read the full contribution of SHERPA!