Testifying to the Commission’s renewed commitment to rural communities and the development of rural areas, this Communication proposes a Rural Action Plan. It will:
- foster territorial cohesion and create new opportunities to attract innovative businesses;
- provide access to quality jobs;
- promote new and improved skills;
- ensure better infrastructure and services;
- leverage the role of sustainable agriculture and diversified economic activities.
Its thematic part is structured against the four block of actions and articulated around nine flagship initiatives and fifteen accompanying actions.
Each action will bring different EU policy areas together to deliver on the vision, and its shared goals.
Six cross-cutting actions complete the picture.
Stronger rural areas
Rural areas should be home to empowered and vibrant local communities. Enabling both women and men to take active part in policy and decision-making processes, involving a broad range of stakeholders and networks as well as all levels of governance, is key to developing tailor-made, place-based and integrated policy solutions and investments.
Innovative solutions for the provisions of services should be developed, making the most of the possibilities offered by digital tools and encouraging strongly social innovation.
Connected rural areas
The further development of rural areas is dependent on them being well connected between each other and to peri-urban and urban areas. This makes them easier to reach while improving access to a wider range of services for local communities.
Maintaining or improving public transport services and connections, as well as deepening digital infrastructures, are essential to ensure better-connected EU rural areas.
Resilient rural areas
The preservation of natural resources, the restoration of landscapes, including cultural ones, the greening of farming activities and supply chains will make rural areas more resilient to climate change, natural hazards and economic crises. As providers of services that protect ecosystems and solutions for carbon neutrality, rural areas have a key role to play in the green transition.
The green and digital transitions should be fair and take the needs of all rural members into account, including those from disadvantaged groups to strengthen the social resilience of rural areas. Making rural areas more socially resilient requires tapping into the full breadth of talents and diversity in our society.
Prosperous rural areas
Rural areas can become more prosperous by diversifying economic activities to new sectors with positive effects on employment, and improving the value added of farming, agri-food, forestry and other bioeconomy activities.
The diversification of economic activities should be based on sustainable local economic strategies including measures that make their environment attractive to companies and extend digital literacy. It also requires giving access to digital and hybrid education and training for communities to acquire new skills and support entrepreneurial mind-sets.