Eurostat Regional YearBook, 2023

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, publishes statistics for the EU, euro area, and other countries. The 2023 edition of the Eurostat regional yearbook focuses on the European Year of Skills initiative, emphasizing the importance of having a skilled workforce for sustainable growth, innovation, and business competitiveness. The European Year of Skills aims to help individuals acquire the right skills for quality jobs and assist small and medium-sized enterprises in addressing skills shortages. It also aims to help the EU reach its social targets for 2030, including having at least 60% of adults in training and at least 78% in employment. The yearbook also addresses various global issues impacting the region, such as the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, population movements, disruptions to energy markets, and global food security. The COVID-19 crisis has had a profound impact on the EU and the world, and the yearbook presents the initial effects and signs of recovery from the pandemic. The yearbook acknowledges the challenges of comparing statistical data between small and large countries within the EU, highlighting differences in population size and density, as well as variations in territorial composition within member states. Analyzing data at a regional level helps reveal disparities within member states and differences in patterns of economic development. Eurostat has expanded its statistics beyond national and regional information to cover other territorial typologies, addressing the needs of policymakers in the context of cohesion and territorial developments. The NUTS classification is at the heart of regional statistics, dividing EU member states into regions based on a hierarchy of areas. Non-EU countries use the concept of statistical regions based on bilateral agreements with Eurostat.