DG REGIO lecture series: “Economic Challenges for Regions and Cities”

Last week, Schuman Associates participated in European Commission DG REGIO’s lecture series on key issues in regional and urban policy, organised in cooperation with European Regional Science Association (ERSA).

 Professor Philip McCann, Special Adviser to Commissioner Creţu, debated the role of cities as centre points of innovation in European regions and described central challenges to convergence in the EU in the aftermath of the financial crisis. According to McCann, the demography in Europe will have increasing impacts on the development of regions and Member States. The future EU Urban Agenda and EU Structural Funds have to devote higher attention to address the challenges of aging and shrinking populations.