Preparing for Demographic Change in the Azores Portugal

The Azores a Portuguese Autonomous Region and EU Outermost Region is an archipelago of nine islands in the Atlantic Ocean with valuable assets including its strategic location UNESCO-recognised biosphere reserves and heritage sites significant potential in the blue and green economy and a thriving tourism industry. However it faces distinctive challenges owing to its insularity geographic fragmentation and distance from continental Europe. Its population has declined by 2.7% from 2010 to 2023 and the youth outmigration rate stood at 8.1% during the same period over three times that of the total population. This study presents innovative approaches across land-use and spatial planning subnational finance frameworks multi-level governance arrangements and service delivery to address these challenges demonstrating how strategic adaptation can act as a catalyst for sustainable development and regional attractiveness. The analyses provide valuable insights for peripheral territories across Europe facing similar demographic transitions. The report was developed as part of Pillar 2 of the European Commission's Talent Booster Mechanism an initiative supporting regions in training retaining and attracting people with the necessary skills and competences to mitigate the impact of demographic transition.