Territorial inequalities induced by COVID-19 pose tough choices for regional policy

As the COVID-19 pandemic heads into its second year, the associated economic and social implications are still evolving. From the onset it has been clear that the twin health and economic crises are having differentiated impacts across regions, sectors and social groups. However, the scale and scope of these differences have been hard to predict. An emerging clarity on territorial impacts indicates that the pandemic has been re-shaping territorial disparities. This is putting pressure on domestic regional policy to define targeted responses in both the short- and long-term.