EU Rural vision

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 proposals aim to support Member States and the education sector in providing accessible and high-quality digital education and training for European citizens.

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 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 and NGOs of 27 different Member States gathered on site at Ultuna, campus for the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

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.

Read the SHERPA’s article on the challenges and economic opportunities of population ageing in rural areas and find out more about the Silver SMEs project, its impactful initiatives, and the ways to seize the potential of the Silver Economy in rural areas.

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

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.

Lidija Pavic-Rogosic, member of the European Economic and Social Committee, shares thoughts on the Rural Pact and the needed holistic approach for sustainable rural/urban development further to the workshop entitled “Integrated approach for sustainable agriculture and green rural development in the EUSAIR region”.

Discover the insightful RUSTIK report delving into the nuances of functional rural areas. With its structured approach covering theoretical frameworks, current approaches, proposals, and operational implications, the report provides valuable insights into understanding functional rural areas.

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%).