Stronger Rural Areas

17 Okt. 2025

First rural depopulation Congress spotlights European cooperation through the Rural Pact

Europe’s demographic resilience depends on empowering rural communities and ensuring that even the smallest villages remain “alive and full of future,” a headline message from the first International Congress on Depopulation of 23–24 September, Aragón, Spain.

06 Okt. 2025

Understanding Europe’s demographic shifts: new insights from Eurostat and the Rural Observatory

Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office, has released the 2025 edition of its interactive publication ‘Demography of Europe’, offering a comprehensive, data-rich view on how Europe’s population is changing — and what it means for communities across regions and territories.

29 Sep 2025

Advancing EU rural policies for resilient, inclusive, and future-oriented communities: insights from the Rural Pact Conference 2025

Over 250 rural stakeholders from across Europe gathered in Pecq, Belgium, on 16–17 September 2025 for the Rural Pact Conference, a two-day event dedicated to generating concrete actions for the EU rural vision. Organised by the Rural Pact Support Office, the Conference focused on shaping policies that strengthen rural resilience, competitiveness, and inclusiveness, while feeding directly into the upcoming update of the EU Rural Action Plan.