ocio-economic development of countries and regions is historically uneven. But in some cases, too much territorial inequality can lead to the collapse of the state. In constantly changing conditions, it is necessary to use the spatial policy experience of the most successful countries. The conclusions obtained in the work will make it possible to offer recommendations for updating methodological approaches to the development of strategic documents in the field of regional policy, considering the global best practices.    

The goal of the study is to analyze and summarize foreign experience in implementing regional policies, including the conditions of uncertainty (COVID-19 pandemic).   

Research methods and methodology: comparative analysis, system analysis, qualitative analysis, historical and economic analysis.    

Scientific novelty: We conducted a comprehensive qualitative and value-content analysis of the best regional policy practices in Europe and North America, as well as the experience of developing countries, including India, China and Brazil. Separately, the strategies of regional policy in the context of the pandemic are highlighted.   

Results: Equalizing and stimulating regional policy is generally typical for the EU and Poland; for Germany - exclusively equalizing. France and the United States choose system-wide, equalizing (stimulating) policy, while the United Kingdom prefers system-wide selective. Japan, in addition to the system-wide equalizing (stimulating) policy, adds a restraining policy. Selective polarized regional policy is typical for the Republic of Korea. China, India and Brazil have the same direction of regional policy, which indicates similar problems of regional development of the BRICS member states. These are developing countries with large territories, with a similar level of economic development and a high level of regional development. The direction of the regional policy of this group is system-wide, equalizing (selective + restraining).