Interestingly I feel a weird insistence towards location based software development in Europe, at least in the area I am active in (engineering design software

Interestingly I feel a weird insistence towards location based software development in Europe, at least in the area I am active in (engineering design software for desktop). In the past 6 months while looking for a new place - partly because of the obsession of our COO on lengthy and tedious daily commuting regardless of actual needs, just for the sake of it, but for other reasons too - whenever I found a position in an other city/country that was matching my capabilities, experience and interest very well after the first very enthusiastic round from the recruiter when the request of remote (or even remote dominant) work emerged they took a U turn saying on site presence is paramount so I will not fit. Reasons span legal through organizational to company tradition. I do not get it. Is the geographic location of making a software sooo much important? It is that very allocated desk and chair that will ensure a good product delivery so relocation of family, searching for accommodation and accepting a specific allocated city to live in and daily commuting in the overcrowded transportation systems must be mandated for a new workforce? I am ok that managers have own style and some can only function face to face but to find zero number of those willing to accept remote workers because they are agile or what not is very strange to me. Oh, btw, I worked remotely for many years earlier in total, successfully, was that just a one of experience then?