Rural Pact Coordination Group (RPCG) Declaration on the future of rural areas and rural development policy in the European Union
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
- Stronger Rural Areas
- Connected rural areas
- Resilient rural areas
- Prosperous rural areas
The RPCG Declaration – adopted on 12 December 2024 – sets out a strategic proposal for the post-2027 EU funds and policies to address the challenges faced by rural areas. It calls for a strong shift in future policies to ensure the sustainability and resilience of EU’s rural areas in the long run.
- European Union
The Declaration is a collective response to the questions set out in the European Commission’s report on the long-term vision for EU’s rural areas of March 2024. It aims to inform and influence future policy with specific proposals to provide better support for rural areas and communities.
Highlighting the importance of rural areas and communities not only for rural inhabitants, but for the broader economic, environmental, and social well-being of the European Union as a whole, the Declaration calls for:
- Increased and streamlined funding for rural areas through a compulsory minimum allocation to rural areas from all post-2027 EU funds and a better resourcing of community-led, place-based approaches, such as LEADER and Smart Villages;
- Enhanced coordination among relevant administrative bodies at all governance levels, compulsory implementation of the Rural Pact model, including multi-fund and multi-stakeholder coordination, and guidance and training for the implementation of ‘rural proofing’;
- Capacity building for local actors, including on access to funding, tailored interventions reflecting the diversity of rural areas and their particular needs, and extended use of data to inform evidence- and result-based future policies.
The Declaration was developed through a strong participatory process with Rural Pact Coordination Group members, who were invited to provide input via a questionnaire addressing the nine questions outlined in the implementation report on EU rural vision. RPCG members adopted the final, consolidated text of the Declaration by simple majority on 12 December 2024.