Europe's well-educated youth are leaving structurally weak regions.

More and more well-educated young people are leaving Europe's structurally weak regions. At the beginning of February, the Spanish newspaper "El Confidencial" reported on the exodus of highly qualified workers from Spain to other EU member states. The reasons cited were poor employment opportunities and low wages. Despite high investment in education, this brain drain is leading to a downward spiral of economic weakness, shrinking populations and declining public services, especially in southern and eastern European regions. In January 2023, the European Commission presented a communication on harnessing talent in Europe’s regions, in which it proposed targeted measures to promote, retain and regain skilled workers.

Talent development trap

In this context, the European Commission refers to a "talent development trap": regions invest in training and qualifications, but do not offer an environment in which young, well-educated people can find suitable employment. When skilled workers leave, affected regions enter a downward spiral of stunted economic growth and weakened public services, which in turn encourages further emigration. Breaking this vicious circle requires a comprehensive strategy to promote investment, employment and talent retention.

According to the European Commission, 46 EU regions are currently affected by this phenomenon, most of them in eastern and southern Europe. However, regions in eastern Germany, northern France and Finland are also included. A closer look at migration patterns reveals a mixed picture: depending on the country, migration is predominantly internal or external. In Spain, migration is mainly from inland regions to Madrid and the coast, while in Lithuania it is mainly to other EU countries.

Communication on Harnessing Talent

In its communication on harnessing talent in Europe’s regions, the European Commission proposes measures to specifically promote talent, retain it in the long term and, where necessary, win it back. However, qualifications and training alone are not enough to effectively counteract the brain drain; rather, the entire "talent chain" is crucial, according to the Commission.

Retaining skilled workers is considered the biggest challenge. Although the economic recovery in Spain has slowed emigration at times, rising living and housing costs are once again leading to increased emigration. Job offers for highly qualified workers in Spain often do not offer competitive salaries. According to "El Confidencial", living abroad is hardly more expensive than in Spain, while offering better earning opportunities. Retaining young, well-qualified people in the long term therefore requires a mix of attractive employment opportunities and a high quality of life – a challenge for economically weaker regions.

Free movement of workers

While the free movement of workers was once considered a win-win situation, it is now viewed increasingly critically in structurally weak regions, as it makes it easier for well-educated people to leave. Against this backdrop, the question increasingly arises as to how the free movement of workers in the internal market should be structured so as not to further exacerbate regional imbalances. The article quotes former EU Commissioner László Andor as saying: "It has taken us too long to realise that the EU must promote not only freedom of movement, but also fair mobility." The article also takes up the argument put forward by Jacques Delors, former President of the European Commission. A prosperous internal market is not possible without regional convergence and territorial cohesion. The Letta report also warns that the internal market should empower citizens rather than creating conditions that force them to move for economic reasons. Freedom of movement is a valuable asset, but it must remain a genuine choice and not become a necessity.