Enhancing rural-urban linkages – new policy brief

The recommendations outlined in the policy brief range from broad strategies to more specific actions, and are illustrated with good practices from relevant Interreg Europe projects.

1. Establish rural-urban agreements for sustainable development to respond to place-based societal challenges and foster rural innovation ecosystems. These agreements should leverage national and EU support such as ITI, CLLD, and other territorial tools, and promote flexible governance.
2. Engage and empower citizens to co-create a common vision for the future – this should involve citizens, academia, businesses, civil society, and public institutions in building on existing cooperative initiatives and starting with manageable, pilot projects.
3. Take incremental steps with concrete projects – starting with low-cost, high-impact projects, such as developing local food supply chains, can build momentum, demonstrate immediate benefits, and foster trust among stakeholders.
4. Promote a shared sense of regional identity and belonging to unite urban and rural communities. Emphasising the interdependence of these areas can help create a cohesive, functional region.
5. Facilitate knowledge and innovation transfer by promoting strong linkages between universities, research institutions, and rural communities.