On October 22, 2021, the 7th International Scientific Conference Trends in Regional Development in the EU Countries 2021 took place. The on-line conference was organized jointly by the Department of Development Policy and Marketing and the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies. The event was attended by scientists representing research centers from Poland and abroad, i.e. Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, Liepaja University in Liepāja, Baltic International Academy in Riga, Latvian Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava”, Turiba University in Riga, Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy in Kaunas, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University in  Vilnius, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Agricultural University of Tirana,  University of Agriculture in Krakow and Rzeszów University of Technology. Conference participants were welcomed by: Professor Joanna Szwacka-Mokrzycka – Head of the Department of Development Policy and Marketing, Dr hab. Mariusz Hamulczuk – Vice-Director of the Institute of Economics and Finance of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Professor Irina Arhipova – Vice-Rector of the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies and Professor Baiba Rivža – member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences.

The conference was an excellent opportunity to meet experts and exchange views in the field of regional development in the European Union countries, also in the context of current socio-economic problems, including issues related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Papers were delivered in two thematic sessions and in a poster session. The discussion focused on selected aspects of regional and local development, applied instruments to support regional policy as well as directions and perspectives for the development of EU countries.