Two recent opinions of the European Economic and Social Committee (read here) and the Committee of the Regions (read here) call on EU and national authorities to empower villages through integrated and flexible programme support. 

Both opinions make the case for: overcoming the digital divide through the provision of fast broadband; boosting rural-urban partnerships; improving public services in transport, education, training, health and social care; and supporting bottom-up approaches such as LEADER/CLLD.  

Follow ENRD’s ongoing thematic work on ‘Smart Villages’.