Contribute to the EU’s ‘right to stay’ strategy: share your feedback by 5 June
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
- Stronger Rural Areas
- Connected rural areas
- Resilient rural areas
- Prosperous rural areas
The European Commission has opened a call for evidence inviting stakeholders across Europe to contribute to the preparation of its forthcoming strategy on the ‘right to stay’. The initiative aims to address the conditions needed for people to live and build their future in the place they call home.
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- Submit your contribution by 5 June 2026!
The call seeks input from local, regional and national authorities, as well as stakeholders, businesses and citizens. Contributors are invited to share their views on what enables people to stay in their region, what challenges they face, and what is needed to address them.
The consultation follows the launch of the initiative at a high-level event (6 May 2026 – Brussels, Belgium). The European Commission’s Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto underlined the importance of stakeholder input: “We need your contributions… I want to hear from people on the ground what their challenges are and what their solutions are.”
He also noted that, while freedom of movement remains a key achievement of the European Union, “people should be able to stay because they want to, not leave because they have to”.
The ‘right to stay’ strategy will address a range of interconnected challenges, including access to jobs, public services, housing and connectivity, and requires coordinated action across policy areas and levels of governance.
Rural Pact Community members are encouraged to participate and share their perspectives, helping ensure that rural realities are reflected in the future strategy on the ‘right to stay’, expected in the last quarter of 2026.