Europe is accelerating its green and digital transformation. The ambitions are enormous. The question is: will it be fair to all regions and industries? The same policies can produce vastly different outcomes, because not all regions start from the same position. Where skills, infrastructure, and effective institutions are lacking, the benefits of the transformation are smaller and the costs can be felt more strongly.

What particularly drives inequalities?

• Unequal starting conditions: not everywhere has the same resources and capabilities.
• The risk of “one size fits all”: uniform solutions can widen gaps if they ignore the local context.
• Ambition vs. implementation capacity: very ambitious goals can backfire when execution capacity is missing.
• A mix of instruments: combining actions (skills + infrastructure + financial support) reduces inequalities better than single tools.
• Adaptive capacity: whether people and businesses can learn, reskill, and implement innovations shapes long-term development pathways.
• Inequalities as a systemic outcome: they arise from the interaction of policies, institutions, and different actors—not from one single decision.

Implications for public policy

• Match ambition to real implementation capacity (strong local systems turn goals into results).
• Strengthen adaptability and inclusiveness (invest in skills, innovation, and support).
• Design tailored solutions for regions and sectors.
• Ensure flexibility (adjust course based on feedback and changing needs).

READJUST highlights the need for ambitious, inclusive, and adaptive policies so that no one is left behind.