FUTURAL project calls for policy shift to unlock community-led rural innovation
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Existing innovation policies seldom target rural communities directly – a structural shift to empowering local actors through recognition, funding, and governance reforms is needed. This headline message emerged from a recent FUTURAL project webinar which spotlighted how community-led innovation can become central to post-2027 EU frameworks.
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The EU-funded FUTURAL project outlined its policy analysis on existing support for community-led rural innovation, including recommendations for the post-2027 period, at the ‘Smarter, stronger and more competitive rural areas’ webinar of 21 May 2025.
Discussions highlighted that while rural communities are key to achieving EU goals on sustainability, digitalisation, and cohesion, existing policy frameworks – particularly under the common agricultural and cohesion policies – rarely support rural innovation at the local level beyond agri-food and forestry related subjects. Rural innovation remains an untapped resource, hindered by administrative complexity, limited funding accessibility, and under-recognition in mainstream strategies – read the event highlights report.
A shift in both mindset and structure is necessary to address these shortcomings – FUTURAL calls for a formal recognition of community-led innovation as a strategic driver of territorial development. This means not only integrating rural innovation into sectoral policies, but also designing tailored funding instruments and governance mechanisms.
Among its eight policy recommendations, FUTURAL calls for earmarking 8% of relevant EU funds for rural innovation, incorporating rural proofing across policy areas, and enabling regulatory flexibility to support local experimentation. It urges the EU to reinforce digital infrastructure and skills in remote areas and to ensure meaningful participation of rural stakeholders in policymaking processes.
Explore the latest Rural Pact resources on innovation, including videos and presentations from a recent webinar. Join the online discussion group on ‘Innovating rural public policy’ to connect and exchange with peers.