New JRC study analyses innovation across European regions
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
- Stronger Rural Areas
- Connected rural areas
- Sports, Culture and leisure
- Research and innovation
- Digital
A new publication by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) examines differences in innovation between urban and rural areas. It reveals significant urban-rural disparities, with some rural areas standing out as innovation hubs.
Image by Funtap on Canva
Innovation is a key driver of competitiveness and territorial cohesion in the EU, with the potential to reduce socio-economic divides. However, detailed data on innovation have rarely been available to distinguish between rural and urban regions.
Using some newly developed metrics, the JRC study highlights the uneven distribution of innovation capacity between urban and rural regions, showing that rural areas face considerable disparities in benefiting from investment in research and development, and in generating patents, trademarks and industrial designs.
It also reveals differences in innovation capacity between rural areas. Some rural regions face structural barriers that limit their capacity to benefit from innovation-driven growth, hampering competitiveness, job creation and opportunities. Yet some show innovation levels above the EU average, often benefiting from specialised industrial structures, public research capacity or proximity to urban hubs.
The JRC study calls for the development of data-driven, place-based policies on innovation that recognise territorial diversity and foster more balanced territorial development across EU regions.
The development of new metrics and studies on innovation and entrepreneurship in rural areas supports the research and innovation objective of the EU’s rural vision.
Explore the latest Rural Pact resources on the topic of research and innovation.