Today’s Briefed Special is a longer conversation from our series Europe Talks Back.

The European Union is one of the world’s most developed regions; yet deep territorial inequalities persist. According to Eurostat, GDP per capita can vary threefold within the same member state, with capital regions often earning twice as much as the rest of the country.

In this episode of Europe Talks Back, produced with ESPON, Léa Marchal explores why many small and medium-sized cities are losing ground — and whether this trend can be reversed.

Joined by Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, Professor at the London School of Economics and Chair of the High-Level Group on the Future of EU Cohesion Policy, the discussion looks at demographic decline, policy blind spots, and the limits of current cohesion funding.

Are these cities doomed to fall behind - or can smarter investment and stronger local institutions help them thrive again?

Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.

A podcast by Europod, in cooperation with ESPON, an EU-funded programme that bridges research with policies

“This podcast series is cofunded by ESPON. However, the opinions and views expressed are solely those of the authors. ESPON can't be held responsible for them.”

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