The Rural Pact: A committed community
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
- Stronger Rural Areas
- Connected rural areas
- Resilient rural areas
- Prosperous rural areas
The Rural Pact Community is proposing specific, voluntary actions that contribute to achieving the ten shared goals of the EU’s Rural Vision. Whether a formal commitment or an ongoing idea, everyone is welcome to contribute and no action is too small.
The Rural Pact Support Office has collected 121 commitments to date – find out who has committed, what actions are proposed and what topics are addressed.
Submit your commitment to the Rural Pact.
Why engage and what is a ‘commitment’?
The Pact’s community, comprising public authorities, academic and research institutions, civil society organisations, businesses and individuals, is invited to submit formal or informal commitments within the framework of the Rural Pact to demonstrate their willingness to make a difference in EU’s rural areas and, potentially, inspire others to act. One of the first commitments to be implemented was the organisation the 3rd Rural Geographies conference by the University of Groningen (Netherlands) in June 2023.
These commitments represent a collective ambition to contribute to making rural areas stronger and more resilient, connected and prosperous by 2040. What stands out is the kaleidoscope of themes these commitments encompass. They embody the shared vision under which rural areas require holistic and coordinated efforts that take account of social, environmental and economic challenges while responding to the specific needs and inherent diversity of each rural area.
Examples of commitments to the Rural Pact
- A ‘strong’ commitment – the French Rural Parliament commits to establishing a High-level Institute for Rural Studies (IHEMRU) to provide training, encourage scientific research and foster dialogue among diverse rural stakeholders. Launched in early 2023, the institute provides insights into contemporary economic and societal issues through the prism of rurality. It also explores key questions regarding the future of these territories in the context of digital transition, sustainable development and governance, empowering students to actively co-create tomorrow’s solutions.
- A ‘resilient’ commitment – the Share Network commits to advancing inclusive rural territories by disseminating its latest policy brief, championing the role of rural territories in integrating migrants and refugees, encouraging synergy between integration and rural revitalisation policies, amplifying communities’ voices while advocating for inclusive and meaningful participation, promoting multilevel and multi-stakeholder collaboration, cultivating best integration practices, facilitating mutual learning and bridging the gap between EU and local initiatives for a more resilient rural future.
- A ‘connected’ commitment – Eurocities commits to strengthening urban-rural cooperation based on a territorially balanced development across Europe supported by key actions: promotion of a political exchange at EU level, drafting of a policy statement, ‘Delivering EU’s Rural Vision 2040 through urban-rural cooperation’, and a case studies publication to identify gaps and opportunities in terms of instruments and policies, and implementation of a technical discussion with research organisations such as ESPON (the European Observation Network for Territorial Development and Cohesion) and the Joint Research Centre.
- A ‘prosperous’ commitment – the Romanian GAL Napoca Porolissum commits to implementing sustainable rural development strategies which enhance the well-being of local communities and preserve cultural heritage and the environment, by developing and implementing a comprehensive local development strategy that reflects the needs, opportunities and challenges of the region and aligns with the goals and principles of the Rural Pact. Community engagement, capacity building, mobilisation of funding resources, monitoring and evaluation constitute the driving actions of this commitment.
When exploring these commitments, we must remember that they are not just promises on paper. They represent a call to action, a collective determination to make the EU’s rural areas thrive and, ultimately, become key players in shaping Europe’s future.
These collective actions, in their own diversity, reflect the spirit of the Rural Pact, where every action counts and where everyone’s voice is valued. They place rural communities at the forefront of change, where each member actively participates at their own level in addressing the challenges faced, so that no one is left behind.
This is an open invitation to all stakeholders forming the EU’s rural community, to commit at its own level to this shared vision and contribute to a brighter rural future.