News | 21 Oct 2024
New CoR report: regions call for strategies supporting rural development and territorial cohesion
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
- Stronger Rural Areas
- Prosperous rural areas
- Resilient rural areas
- Connected rural areas
Demographic challenges such as ageing, brain drain, depopulation and rural-urban disparities are increasingly affecting regional competitiveness and social cohesion. The 2024 report of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) outlines the most pressing issues regions face and on-the-ground solutions to inform EU policy decisions.
© European Union 2024
Against this backdrop, the latest edition of the CoR’s ‘The state of regions and cities’ report calls for:
- Turning the long-term vision into a concrete European Rural Agenda, including dedicated budget, targets and indicators;
- Introducing a multi-fund approach, with minimum earmarking of European funds for agricultural and non-agricultural projects in rural areas;
- Enhancing the LEADER approach, Smart Village initiatives and Local Action Groups across funds;
- Strengthening the role of regions in the governance of the Common Agricultural Policy, based on regional strategies for food security and rural development.
The CoR further calls on regions to act as direct links to rural areas by:
- providing first-hand knowledge of local challenges and needs;
- playing an active role in the Rural Pact to guarantee involvement of local and regional players; and
- applying rural proofing to strategies and investments.
Exchange with peers online – join the Rural Pact Community Group on Rural depopulation and repopulation.