A newly published study by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) explores digitalisation opportunities and challenges for reducing GHG emissions from agriculture. It reveals that while digital tools can enhance sustainable practices, they transform rural labour markets, creating demand for new digital skills, but also displacing low-skilled jobs.

Send your paper or project proposal exploring place-based innovation and the transformative role of the creative and cultural sectors in rural and non-urban areas to the EU-funded IN SITU project and have it featured in the project conference of 11-13 May 2026.

Europe’s rural areas must remain central in the upcoming EU policy and budget framework, highlighted the Rural Pact Policy Lab ‘Rural areas and communities in the post-2027 EU budget and policies’ of 5 November. The event brought together over 100 representatives from EU institutions, national and regional authorities, and civil society to exchange on how future EU policies can best support vibrant, resilient and inclusive rural territories.

The European Commission is currently gathering feedback across several key policy areas, offering rural stakeholders an important opportunity to help shape future EU initiatives and ensure that policies reflect real needs on the ground.

At its sixth meeting on 6 November 2025, the Rural Pact Coordination Group (RPCG) discussed how to ensure a visible and measurable rural dimension in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and upcoming EU policy cycle (2028–2034). The meeting also reviewed progress on translating the RPCG Declaration into concrete policy input and contributed to the preparation of the update of the EU Rural Action Plan (RAP) in 2026.