• Deepen comprehension of the impact of innovative socio-economic public policies on demographic trends in rural communities
• Maximise the application of rural proofing to align legislation with the unique challenges and opportunities in rural areas
• Promote the widespread adoption of effective policymaking practices to counteract the depopulation and shrinking of rural regions 
• Enhance peer-to-peer support by facilitating the exchange of successful experiences, fostering stronger collaboration, and promoting shared learning among stakeholders

Challenges

• Insufficient deployment of innovative, community-centred solutions to address rural challenges
• Absence of effective multi-level governance and a deficiency in rural proofing within supra-regional legislation
• Limited accessibility for regional and local authorities to evidence-based policy approaches with step-by-step methodologies of application and adaptation

Opportunities

• Enhance legislation to empower and strengthen rural areas, fostering prosperity through better socio-economic policies
• Collaboratively devise novel policies tailored to address specific rural challenges that may be approached at the local level, such as improved connectivity, blooming social economy and free, high-quality public services for all
• Cultivate an atmosphere of experimentation, innovation, and social engagement, facilitating the discovery, testing, and replication of successful initiatives

Objectives of the community group

• Address demographic challenges from local and regional policy perspectives by implementing innovative territorial public policies aimed at both retaining and attracting populations
• Exchange and disseminate place-based best practices in governance to guarantee the delivery of high-quality public services in rural areas, while promoting sustainable development and community well-being
• Adapt and replicate innovative public policy by promoting joint work between and among regional and local public administrations based on common challenges and potential for common solutions
• Co-create, experiment with and test innovative public policy across diverse rural areas, while fostering mutual support and collaboration to enhance effectiveness
• Contribute to progress in EU public policy innovation by sharing the results and impact of different policy approaches
• Advance rural proofing in policymaking at all levels to ensure the well-being of rural communities by accounting for their unique needs and perspectives
• Promote evidence-based demographic policies at all levels by testing, experimenting with, and evaluating innovative public policy

Group coordinators

• Leticia Abarca (Office of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, to the EU)
• Walter Singer (EU Representation Office of Carinthia, Austria, in Brussels)