The study examined how EU policy instru¬ments – particularly Cohesion Policy – sup¬port the provision and quality of essential ser¬vices in remote, rural and depopulating re¬gions. It focused on ser¬vices critical to every¬day life, such as healthcare, childcare and services for vulner¬able groups, which are increasingly under pressure due to demo¬graphic ageing and population decline. Through a combination of policy analysis and concrete regional examples, the study ex¬plored barriers to ser¬vice provision and the factors driving ser¬vice loss in economi¬cally vulnerable areas.
It assessed how exis¬ting EU funding instru¬ments contribute to accessibility, availa¬bility and quality of ser-vices on the ground. Based on the findings, the study formulated targeted policy recom¬mendations to strengthen the role of Cohesion Policy in sus¬taining attractive and liveable regions across the EU.
