Critical Infrastructures and Their Role in Regional Resilience: Mapping EU Regions

Abstract

This study assesses the spatial distribution of critical infrastructure and its implications for regional resilience across EU NUTS-2 regions. The study develops a composite indicator for critical infrastructure stock using data on transport, energy, ICT, and public services, capturing both demographic and geographical accessibility. Findings reveal strong spatial disparities, with Central and Northern regions generally better equipped than Southern and Eastern counterparts. A median-split based typology to assess the sufficiency of CI Stock classifies regions into four categories, highlighting that only 9% exhibit high sufficiency across all sectors. Many regions show imbalanced critical infrastructure stock profiles, underscoring the need for multi-dimensional assessment. The study offers a quantitative framework for identifying vulnerabilities and guiding regional policies, stressing the importance of sufficient critical infrastructure, spatial equity, and integrated regional planning in strengthening regional adaptive capacity.