The European Commission has launched a public consultation on restructuring the European Heritage Label, an initiative that promotes heritage sites symbolic of Europe’s shared history and values. For rural areas, the revision could help boost local cultural tourism, stimulate innovation and development, and create job opportunities.

Rural areas are facing intense transformations that call for an updated definition of rurality and tailored public policies. The RURALITIC project will rethink the concept of ‘rural’ and examine the relations between social groups and geographical spaces.

The European Commission launched on 16 December 2025 the European Affordable Housing Plan to tackle access to affordable, sustainable and good-quality housing. The Plan addresses several challenges relevant for rural areas.

Discover the Mutur Beltz project that fosters traditional trades, rural knowledge, employment and gender equality by recovering sheep wool as a strategic economic, ecological and cultural resource. The initiative was among the winners of the EU CAP Network’s Agricultural and Rural Inspiration Awards (ARIA) 2025.

The European Commission has published the Horizon Europe work programme for 2026-2027, outlining upcoming funding opportunities under the EU’s research and innovation framework. The programme includes several calls of direct relevance for rural territories, notably under Cluster 6 ‘Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment’.