News

The European Week of Regions and Cities returns to Brussels from the 13-15 October 2025. Each year, the event brings together thousands of participants and provides a platform for communication, networking, and collaboration on regional and urban issues. While the programme covers a broad range of topics, several sessions are expected to be particularly interesting and relevant to rural development.

While rural issues are increasingly recognised in EU discourse, true influence on policymaking remains limited. Read a new ARC2020 opinion piece by Edina Ocsko, Rural Pact Coordination Group (RPCG) Vice-Chair, calling for a shift toward strategic engagement with power holders to embed rural development at the heart of European policies.

Two recent thematic reports by the Interreg Europe ‘Down to Earth’ project demonstrate how rural areas facing demographic decline can build resilience and foster generational renewal through integrated policies.

A European Parliament resolution of 17 June 2025 aims to strengthen EU rural areas through reinforced cohesion policy measures. It calls for increased investment in short supply chains, innovation in sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, improved connectivity and mobility, and equal access to essential services.

The photo contest ‘Village and nature through the eyes of a woman’ will take place on 15 October in Koprivnica-Križevci County, Croatia. The contest will promote and document women’s daily lives, traditions, and the natural beauty of rural areas. The initiative can be adapted and replicated in other regions, offering a creative way to celebrate rural women and preserve cultural and environmental heritage.