The latest edition of the EU Regional Social Progress Index was launched on 23 May at an event hosted by the European Committee of Regions and attended by Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira.  

The 2024 edition of the index shows great differences between EU regions in terms of social progress, with territories in Northern Europe performing better than the ones in Eastern and Southern Member States. The index also points out that, while capital regions often outperform their national averages, they can lag in basic needs like safety and housing affordability.  

All strong performers are from Denmark, Finland, or Sweden, and they often score 30% higher than the EU average. The Finnish region of Helsinki-Uusimaa is estimated as having the highest level of social progress in the EU. 

Quotes 

The President of the European Committee of the Regions, Vasco Alves Cordeiro (by video message): "There are still significant regional imbalances in the EU that pose threats to cohesion, increase inequalities and undermine the democratic foundations of our Union. However, in order to achieve territorial, social and economic cohesion we need place-based policies built on accurate, up to date, reliable and regional data. The EU Social Progress Index could be the springboard for better place based-policies able to ensure that the EU will leave no people and no place behind." 

Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira: "We have been saying for a long time that the GDP is a useful tool to assess how EU regions are progressing, but it does not provide the full picture. Economic indicators, social indicators but also indicators on wellbeing, citizen perceptions and trust all have their role to play; the Social Progress Index offers important insights on regional development in Europe. This data can help us to evaluate regional development, helping us to better the lives of all Europeans."   

Markku Markkula (FI/EPP), President of Helsinki region: "Helsinki Region's first place in the Social Progress Index is a proof of our investment in human capital, serving as guide for our future policies. First of all, it is crucial to mobilise as many actors as possible to work jointly with a common vision towards major societal transformations. Climate policy must be integrated with industrial, competitiveness and wellbeing policies. Secondly, the UN Sustainable Development Goals must be used to accelerate the transformations. And thirdly, the EU should focus on increasing regional partnerships to co-create place-based innovation ecosystems. The EU and other public funding should much more than so far be used on potential breakthrough societal innovations – and use the results for collaborative learning." 

​More information on the EU Regional Social Progress Index