People in regions with high levels of income but a negative outlook are probably more pessimistic than people in regions with lower levels of income but positive future perspectives due to better performance. The ESPON project ETRF provided a map that compares the value of each region to its respective national average. Thresholds have been set for both dimensions resulting in three classes for each dimension (below, around, above national average) and consequently in nine groups

The Alpine region has a long-standing experience in territorial cooperation that goes back at least to the 1970s.  This cooperation is implemented through different EU and national instruments and cross-border programmes for various issues of regional policy and spatial development. The ESPON project Alps 2050 provided an interesting analysis for the common future development of the area with a projection towards 2050.

The COVID19 pandemic will have both sanitary and territorial impacts but regions and cities won’t be hit with the same intensity. ESPON is interested in pooling local experiences and territorial policy responses. And supports actively other European Research Associations to collect scientific evidence on the impact of CORVID19.