Results from the ESPON ESCAPE project highlight that the impacts and implications of shrinkage vary from region to region and, indeed, within regions. In order to develop effective responses to specific local or regional challenges associated with shrinkage, supports are required that foster and build leadership capacity.

ESPON BusDev case study research in EU external border regions in Latvia, Lithuania and Romania depicted possibilities to promote business development at EU external borders. Place-based policies focusing on border realities can help them to enhance business development.

ESPON research highlights the need for specified approaches to support business development effectively in external border regions. Despite the commonality of the border location, these places differ in many respects. This asks for place-based business support policies looking at internal and cross-border opportunities

ESPON research on demographic and socio-economic dynamics affecting shrinking EU rural regions revealed a strong East-West divide. While most of these regions show a negative natural change, outmigration makes the difference. Peripherality and poor competitiveness compared to national centres foster such trends

What is needed for Szentes and its environment is simply better governance through enhanced planning capacities with new thoughts and inspirations, more attention paid to the voice of people, willingness to empower the young, and capability to mobilise local resources for the benefit of the area and for those who live here.

In Spain 80% of municipalities have lost population since 2011. Alt Maestrat is an interesting case due to its location (about an hour from the main urban centres), resulting in moderate remoteness but being not close enough for daily commuting. Furthermore, the area is located in a NUTS3 unit with above-average GDP growth and overall population increase.

A balanced demographic structure and thriving community is the success factor, and although some rural regions are growing and others are shrinking, there are some socio-economic common denominators that predetermine the success rate: such as good governance, access to high-paid jobs within a diversified economic environment, access to good public services and so on.

Should future urban development be concentrated in and around big cities, in well-connected towns or along country roads? The SUPER project drew up three scenarios, presenting different modes of urbanization.

The SUPER project compiled a database of interventions in Europe that affect, or try to affect, urbanization and land use. The database was analysed to distil factors for success and sustainability.

The European roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe