Together with the European Countryside Movement (ECM) and their other partners, the Assembly of European Regions calls for the production of a White Paper on rurality by the European Commission as an urgent need for the success of the broader European project and the well-being of its inhabitants. 8 keys to understand this urgent need:
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The territorial importance of rurality in the EU makes it a major part of the European project.
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The added value and the potential for creativity and innovation that rural areas can bring, in all their diversity, are significant.
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The contributions that rural territories can make to the inclusive, sustainable and smart growth aimed at by the Europe 2020 Strategy are under-recognised and under-exploited and the current European policies fail to develop all their potential.
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New technologies have an important role in realizing rural potential, as they reduce some of the limitations imposed by location.
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Current development systems generate significant regional imbalances and these are growing.
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The inequality of residents and local stakeholders in terms of access to public services is growing.
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The falling levels of health, transport and safety services in rural territories gives inhabitants cause for concern and frequently results in a feeling of abandonment.
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The implementation of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) and rural development Fund in the current programming period illustrates the limits of the E.U. approach.
You can read ECM’s position paper here.
