The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on remote and rural regions of Europe: Foreign immigration and local development

Marika Gruber (), Raúl Lardiés-Bosque (), Andrea Membretti () and Daniele Tonelli
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Marika Gruber: Carinthia University Of Applied Sciences
Raúl Lardiés-Bosque: Universidad Zaragoza
Andrea Membretti: University of Eastern Finland
Daniele Tonelli: Eurac

No 2021-15, Discussion Paper series in Regional Science & Economic Geography from Gran Sasso Science Institute, Social Sciences

Abstract: This paper analyses how COVID-19 has affected rural and mountainous regions of Europe, in particular the foreign immigrants living and working there, with respect to economic and social conditions. It discusses the first results of a European survey conducted in 2020–2021 under the Horizon 2020 project MATILDE, with the analyses based on three case studies conducted in Austria (Carinthia), Italy (South Tyrol) and Spain (Aragón). The quali-quantitative data collected show the huge impact of the pandemic on local labour markets, cross-border flows of people and social inclusion of newcomers. Different strategies developed by the rural and mountainous regions to cope with these new challenges are presented and discussed, and the relevance of international immigration for local economies and societies is highlighted. The paper concludes with policy recommendations for a new form of rural governance, including investing on foreign citizens as a source of resilience for these territories.

Keywords: COVID-19; migration; rural and mountainous regions; demography, socioeconomic impacts (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F22 O18 P25 R23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 38 pages
Date: 2021-11, Revised 2024-09
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