Across Europe, public bodies are pressed by an increasing need to provide preparatory support to the economic ecosystem in advance of the closure of anchor firms in their region which act as significant employers. The impacts of the closure, of course, go beyond direct employees and ripple, wave-like throughout the regional services sector and economy. Management of such anticipated structural change requires proactive renewal of business approaches and policy supports. Regions are encouraged to introduce pilot projects based on their strengths and to provide appropriate business supports for the re-alignment of the regional industrial base. This proactive approach by regional stakeholders is critical to building the resilience of these regions and enabling them to adapt to change.

The objective of the project is to build regional resilience to industrial structural change through the development of policies and measures which act as the foundation underpinning a strong regional strategic entrepreneurial discovery process and associated support system.

The development of this collaborative Interreg Europe project linking partners across borders will seek to develop a Framework and Roadmap for Anticipated Structural Change. It is imperative that industry players, business support organisations and policymakers understand how their ecosystems work and when faced with shocks to collaboratively develop alternative growth and employment through supportive policies and programmes to boost SME competitiveness.