Rural Pact Community Pulse reveals limited involvement in NRPP processes so far
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
- Stronger Rural Areas
- Connected rural areas
- Resilient rural areas
- Prosperous rural areas
The latest Rural Pact Community Pulse explored rural stakeholders’ involvement in preparation of the future National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs). It gathered views from more than 100 respondents across the EU, including Local Action Groups (LAGs), civil society organisations, public authorities, businesses, rural networks, researchers and citizens.
@European Union, 2026
Among respondents, involvement in preparing the future NRPPs is limited so far. Only 10% are actively involved in a structured process, while 15% have participated on an occasional or limited basis. Almost a third of respondents have not heard how to get involved, while nearly a quarter said engagement processes had not started yet.
Despite this, many are planning or taking action – beyond formal consultations – to help ensure that rural needs and priorities are reflected in the future NRPPs. This includes mobilising members, LAGs or other local actors to contribute to the process (48% of responses), and organising meetings, events or discussions to develop or promote rural priorities (40% of responses).
Other efforts include preparing position papers, recommendations or other written contributions (37% of responses); coordinating common positions with other stakeholders (36% of responses); and developing evidence, data or examples on rural needs and investment priorities (35% of responses).
Key factors for engagement and transparency
Respondents think that clear, practical information is most important to enable effective stakeholder engagement in the NRPPs. This includes information on the proposed NRPP framework and its implications for rural areas, as well as on engagement opportunities and timing.
For ensuring transparency and accountability in how public authorities consider stakeholder contributions, respondents highlighted several factors. Publication of a clear timetable, consultation stages and opportunities to contribute to NRPPs is considered most important. Other significant factors include clear identification of the authorities responsible, clear feedback and accessible information.
The results of this Community Pulse will help inform future Rural Pact activities and complement the Rural Pact Support Office's wider assessment of stakeholder needs.
A Rural Pact Policy Action Lab in June 2026 explored how rural actors and communities could best be involved in the planning and preparation of NRPPs in line with the partnership principle. Browse through the highlights report, videos and presentations for more insights on this topic.
The fourth edition of the Rural Vision Magazine looks at how and why rural stakeholders should engage in the post-2027 EU policy framework. Discover how some Member States are already involving stakeholders in the NRPP process.
The Community Pulse results provide a snapshot of views shared by responding Rural Pact Community members and should not be considered statistically representative of rural areas across Europe.