The Rural Pact Conference “Acting for Rural Areas - Sharing Rural Pact Experiences and Learning for the Future” took place in Uppsala 3-4 May. Some 150 participants from institutions & NGOs of 27 Member States gathered on site at Ultuna, campus for the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

The Bureau of the Committee of the Regions, gathering European Union's local and regional leaders, met in Kiruna, Sweden, in April. They have adopted the Kiruna Declaration, calling the EU institutions to take into account the specific challenges faced by remote areas in the EU budget.

Museum in the Village is a cultural programme designed for rural residents aged over 65, who often face limited accessibility to cultural activities. The initiative connects 13 museums & 13 villages across Portugal, bringing together museum professionals, artists, communities, and local authorities.

In 2021, over one quarter (26%) of the EU population aged 16–74 years reported to have above-basic overall digital skills. For people living in rural areas this share was 20%, while a higher share was recorded for people living in cities (33%).

On 11 May 2023, the Rural Pact Support Office hosted its first Good Practice webinar entitled “Fostering social entrepreneurship in rural areas through local action”. We are excited to announce that all the presentations and video recordings from this event have been uploaded to the event page.

The European Commission has adopted two proposals for Council recommendations as part of the European Year of Skills, to enhance digital education and skills development.

The EU co-legislators agreed on the European Year of Skills on March 7, 2023. The initiative will provide a unique opportunity to push for a skills revolution in Europe, promoting upskilling and reskilling of all working-age people, regardless of their current skills level.

The Council of the European Union has adopted on 25 April new conclusions on “opportunities of the bioeconomy in the light of current challenges with special emphasis on rural areas”.

The European Commission is launching a call for Regional Innovation Valleys (RIVs) to strengthen Europe's innovation ecosystems and address Europe's societal challenges, in particular those of digital and green transitions.