CAPACities

Mountain areas are faced with many problems related to their spatial determinants: difficult access, poor transport links, difficult living conditions ... The Alpine area is particularly exposed to the depopulation of the one part, and the growth of cities, on the other. Thus, large areas are losing their human and economic potential, which is concentrated in small urban centers or more frequently in major cities on the edges of the Alpine area. To ensure and maintain sustainable economic and demographic development, it is necessary to strengthen the role of small (local) urban centers by linking the functioning polycentric settlement system and provide greater flexibility and diversity of their economies. This is the way Alpine towns can achieve the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy and contribute to raising the competitiveness of the entire Alpine region.