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The EU Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas

Rural areas cover 83 % of the EU and are home to 30 % of its people. In 2021 the Commission set them four aims for 2040, carried by two pillars.

What are the four aims of the EU Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas, and what two pillars carry it?

Stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous rural areas by 2040. The vision rests on the Rural Action Plan (Commission actions and flagships, rural proofing, a rural observatory) and the Rural Pact (a cooperation framework for actors at every level).

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The long-term vision for EU rural areas, 2040Rural areas cover 83 percent of EU territory and are home to 30 percent of its population. The 2021 Long-Term Vision for the EU's Rural Areas has four aims for 2040: stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous. It is delivered through the Rural Action Plan, with rural proofing and a rural observatory, and the Rural Pact, a framework for cooperation from EU to local level. PoliRural+ contributes through objective O4 and the Slovak pilot. The long-term vision for EU rural areas, 2040 European Commission, 2021 · target date 2040 83%of EU territory is rural 30%of the EU populationlives there PROBLEMS THE VISION NAMES an older, slowly shrinking populationweak connectivityunderdeveloped infrastructurefew kinds of jobslimited access to services Strongerempoweringcommunities, access toservices, socialinnovation Connectedtransport and digitalconnectivity Resilientnatural resources,greener farming,training, diverse qualityjobs Prosperousdiversifying theeconomy; value infarming, agri-food,agri-tourism Rural Action PlanCommission actions and flagship initiativesCAP and Cohesion Policy are "fundamental" to itrural proofing of EU policy initiativesa rural observatory for data and analysis Rural Pactcooperation of public authorities and stakeholders atEU, national, regional and local levelLocal Action Groups can bring it to the local levelexamples: a Catalan Rural Pact, a French RuralAgenda POLIRURAL+ Contributing to the vision is part of objective O4. The Slovak technical pilot implements a nationalrural vision "as contribution to the EU Rural Pact". Source: D2.2 Rural-urban linkages and opportunities post COVID-19; Commission staff working document (March 2024), as summarised inthe block; project fact sheet (objective O4)
Rural areas cover 83 percent of EU territory and are home to 30 percent of its population. The 2021 Long-Term Vision for the EU's Rural Areas has four aims for 2040: stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous. It is delivered through the Rural Action Plan, with rural proofing and a rural observatory, and the Rural Pact, a framework for cooperation from EU to local level. PoliRural+ contributes through objective O4 and the Slovak pilot.

The Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas: four aims for 2040

main tellingdepth: standard3 min markdown

EU rural areas cover 83 % of EU territory and are home to 30 % of the EU population. In 2021 the European Commission presented its Long-Term Vision for the EU’s Rural Areas. It names the problems rural areas face (an older and slowly shrinking population, weak connectivity, underdeveloped infrastructure, few kinds of jobs, limited access to services) and the opportunities that the green and digital transitions open beyond farming and forestry. The vision is based on foresight and wide consultation with citizens and rural actors.

Four aims, one horizon

AimFocus in the Rural Action Plan
StrongerEmpowering rural communities, access to services, social innovation
ConnectedTransport and digital connectivity
ResilientPreserving natural resources, greener farming, training and diverse quality jobs
ProsperousDiversifying economic activity, adding value in farming, agri-food and agri-tourism

The target date is 2040.

Two pillars

The Rural Action Plan sets out Commission actions and flagship initiatives. The CAP and Cohesion Policy are described as “fundamental” to delivering it. The plan also brings two working tools. Rural proofing reviews EU policy initiatives for their effect on rural jobs, growth and sustainable development. A rural observatory collects data and analysis on rural areas. A Commission staff working document published in March 2024 took stock of 2021–2023 and listed the remaining challenges: depopulation, access to services, socioeconomic gaps, the digital divide and vulnerability to climate change.

The Rural Pact is a framework for cooperation between public authorities and stakeholders at EU, national, regional and local level. It invites them to act on the vision’s shared goals. At the LEADER Congress of December 2023, the Rural Pact Support Office and DG AGRI described LEADER and the Pact as mutually reinforcing: Local Action Groups can bring the Pact down to the local level, and the Pact can make LEADER more visible. They cited two national and regional versions, a Catalan Rural Pact and a French Rural Agenda.

Where PoliRural+ connects

Contributing to the vision is part of project objective O4. D2.2 asks the pilots to build rural communities that are “well-integrated with urban areas” in line with the vision, and to work on functional regions rather than administrative boundaries. The clearest national case is the Slovak pilot. Its technical pilot implements the Action Plan and Road Map of a national rural vision “as contribution to the EU Rural Pact”. Its policy brief links Smart Village investments directly to the 2040 vision. The next block follows that Slovak vision from dialogue to action.

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