EUROPEAN
COMMISSION

Brussels, 30.6.2021
COM(2021) 345 final
ANNEX 1

ANNEX
to the
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the
European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions
A long-term Vision for the EU's Rural Areas - Towards stronger, connected, resilient
and prosperous rural areas by 2040
{SWD(2021) 166 final} - {SWD(2021) 167 final}

EN

EN

Action title

Start date

Description

Stronger rural areas

Flagship: Set-up a rural
revitalisation platform

The rural revitalisation platform will be a one-stop shop for rural communities, rural project
holders and local authorities alike to collaborate. It will predominantly support rural areas
affected by population loss, ageing and a lack of economic opportunities, by sharing information
and best practices on tools and strategies.
2022/2023

It will promote LEADER, Smart Villages, Interreg and integrated territorial strategies with a view
to making rural areas more attractive and making services accessible to all. It will link up with the
pilot action ‘Small Places Matter’ under the Territorial Agenda and the ‘Smart Rural 21’ project
to develop smart village approaches.
Research and innovation activities will support the development of innovations by and for rural
communities as well as training and knowledge exchange to accelerate the spread and adoption of
these innovations.

Flagship: Research and
innovation for rural
communities

Enhanced networking for
LEADER/CLLD and
Smart Villages.

2021

2021

These will include, in the first two years of Horizon Europe, the creation of an ‘expertise and
training centre on rural innovation’ together with actions targeting smart solutions for smart rural
communities, innovations in farming and rural areas and innovations in the field of corporate
social responsibility to improve health and safety at work in farming. The development of rural
innovation ecosystems and related analysis of triggering factors will be supported by the set-up of
a yearly forum of Start-up Villages for rural innovation, connecting rural innovation actors across
the EU.
Over the past 30 years, communities have been empowered to develop local strategies with CAP
funding under the LEADER approach, which has been extended to other funds through so-called
Community-Led Local Development (CLLD). Enhanced networking will promote these
approaches, along with others such as Smart Villages and sustainable coastal communities, and
provide more advice to local communities, notably on access to funding and the conception of
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such strategies.
Develop a study on land
use linked to sustainable
farming.

2022

The Commission will develop a study on land use linked to sustainable farming, and will assess
how it can further incentivise optimal land use planning/zoning.
The new Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Programmes (2021-2027 ) will reach more
people in rural areas through inclusion measures covering all fields of education, training, youth,
sport and volunteering such as:

Support education,
training, youth, sport and
volunteering activities in
rural areas.

2021

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Specific financial mechanisms
Targeted communication activities
Easier-to-access mobility and cooperation activity formats
Expanded set of digital measures (particularly suited for cooperation and initiatives at local
and regional level)
Training and networking opportunities.

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Connected rural areas
Flagship: Develop rural
mobility through
(1) support to rural
municipalities in
identifying best practices
(2) Multimodal digital
mobility services

2021

It is imperative to improve existing transport connections. To this end, sustainable multimodal
mobility solutions and connections should be optimised, making use of digitalisation. Building on
its experience with urban mobility networks, the Commission will support rural municipalities in
discussing and identifying mobility solutions. The network will showcase local level initiatives
which local authorities could replicate in their territory and provide a forum for discussion on
rural mobility issues. Improving connections between road, rail, waterways and air transport can
make them more accessible to rural areas. Digital platforms should also be used to create
multimodal real-time information, ticketing or booking services, allowing people to easily reach
their final destination through the most sustainable mode of transport.
1. Digital connectivity: closing the gaps between rural and urban areas and enabling universal and
affordable access to high-speed broadband, including 5G. This will be achieved by mobilising
private-sector investments through complementary public funding from national and European
sources, notably from the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the ESIF and the Connecting Europe
Facility (CEF).

Flagship: Rural Digital
Futures

2021

2. Digital technology: digital innovation and new technologies such as artificial intelligence,
robotics, Internet of Things solutions and Digital Innovation Hubs contributing to the
development of rural areas by implementing the actions of Europe’s digital decade. New
European programmes such as Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe Programme will be
mobilized to support innovation and deployment of digital capacities.
3. People (“human capital”): boosting competencies needed for the digital transformation of rural
areas, including digital skills and entrepreneurship. The European Social Fund Plus, the EAFRD
and other European programmes will contribute to make this happen.
4. Measuring the progress towards closing the digital gap between urban and rural areas by rearranging existing indicators, notably from the Digital Economy and Society Index, in a Rural in
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Digital Index.

Support the roll-out of
broadband in rural areas.

Continue promoting the
digitalisation of the
agricultural sector through
capacity building (including
in digital skills), research
and innovation, and
demonstration including in
the fields of Internet of
Things, robotics and
automation, big data
management and use

Highlight urban-rural
linkages in the new EU
Urban Mobility Framework

Improve accessibility of
rural areas through the
Drone Strategy 2.0.

2022

Broadband Competence Offices (BCOs) are contact points in Member States or regions. They
provide guidance and advice to broadband project promoters, investors and users (local and
regional public authorities, citizens, operators, businesses and any relevant stakeholder). A
strengthened support facility will support the BCO network to improve rural broadband roll-out
and facilitate investments.

2021

The CAP and Horizon Europe will continue to support the digitalisation of agriculture through,
training, advice and innovation actions under the CAP and funding large-scale pilot projects
under Horizon 2020, and R&I actions under Horizon Europe.

2021

The new EU Urban Mobility Framework will include specific actions to better integrate the
urban, peri-urban and rural linkages. This will be done through further development of the
Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs), where dedicated attention will go to better support
connectivity between rural, peri-urban areas and metropolitan/urban areas. This via safe and
sustainable mobility options.

2022

In addition to utility services (field inspections and measurements), drones can improve
accessibility in remote rural area. They can be used for delivery of small goods in rural area (eg.
Small packages, prescribed medicine to patient homes, mail, food, small automotive parts, etc.).
The European Commission will take this into account in its Drone Strategy 2.0.

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Resilient rural areas
(1) The creation of a work stream on rural areas in the Covenant of Mayors
A rural work stream within the Covenant of Mayors will be created to disseminate best practices
and support rural municipalities in accessing EU funding to support the green transition.
(2) The use of structural funding to finance the renovation wave
Flagship: Support rural
municipalities in energy
transition and fighting
climate change

2022

Member States, regions and local authorities should further seize the opportunity to finance
investments through territorial instruments of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD): Integrated Territorial
Investments (ITI’s), Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) and LEADER.
(3) Address rural areas in the New European Bauhaus
The New European Bauhaus, which connects the European Green Deal to our living spaces by
adapting buildings and public spaces will also play an important role and be promoted in this
respect.

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Rural areas can become relevant actors in addressing climate change and restoring biodiversity.
To that end, the provision of ecosystem services by farmers and foresters should benefit from
further recognition. For instance, the restoration, rewetting and conservation of wetlands and
peatlands has great potential in terms of climate benefits as it can deliver immediately significant
emission reductions in a relatively small area, while at the same time delivering several cobenefits related to water management and biodiversity.
Flagship: Climate action
in peatland through
carbon farming

Flagship: the proposed
EU Mission on soil health
and food.

2021

This transition would be more effective with a territorial approach, in particular in those rural
areas hosting extensive peatlands. These regions could make benefit from support under the Just
Transition Fund. Carbon farming initiatives could be a further source of income for their farmers
and foresters, rewarding them for carbon sequestration. As set out in the Farm-to-Fork Strategy, a
new EU carbon farming initiative will promote this new business model. CAP, the Cohesion
Policy and the LIFE programme can provide support to develop pilot carbon-farming initiatives
in their regions. Ensuring strong advisory support to farmers and foresters will be particularly
relevant. This support is key to the success of environmental land management schemes involving
farms of all sizes.
This proposed mission funded under Horizon Europe, aims at implementing an ambitious
research and innovation programme funded under Horizon Europe, including the development of
innovation in ‘living laboratories’ involving stakeholders, citizens, scientists and other actors (e.g.
local authorities) and lighthouses (sites with exemplary practices) with the objective to improve
soil health and with strong social dimensions.

2021

The proposed mission should contribute to tackle soil challenges in rural areas, but also in urban
settings, building connections between rural and urban practices. The mission should also
implement citizen engagement activities and seek to improve knowledge on soil. Synergies
should be sought with the Horizon Europe Mission on healthy oceans and waters, to improve the
health of EU’s water systems, in particular achieve zero pollution.

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Support for women will be provided to entrepreneurship, participation in decision-making and
investments in work-life balance services, such as early childhood education and care, as well as
services for older people.

Flagship: Social resilience
and Women in rural
areas.

There can also be opportunities to increase women’s participation in the labour market, in
particular in agriculture, under the Common Agricultural Policy or the schemes and support of
European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).
2021

The Commission will continue supporting Member States’ work on improving the availability,
accessibility and affordability of quality education and care services for children, older persons
and persons with disabilities in rural areas through investments from the European Social Fund
Plus, the European Regional Development Fund, the InvestEU programme and the European
Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
Special attention will also be paid to people in vulnerable situation.

Analyse spatial mobility in
demographically declining
areas in Europe.

Prepare a study on the
working conditions of
agricultural seasonal
workers.
Address the inclusion and
integration of people with a
migrant background in rural
areas.

2021

The Commission will analyse the drivers of demographically declining and left behind areas in
Europe, and will examine the demographic, economic, social, labour market and cultural effects
of urban-rural mobility in both sending and receiving areas. It will promote rural development,
sustainability and socio-economic equality and it will identify policy recommendations focusing
on the return of individuals to their place of origin.

2022

The Commission will launch a study looking into the working conditions of seasonal workers in
the agricultural sector. It will address the general situation of their working conditions in the EU,
focusing on identification of applicable rules and regulations.

2022

As part of the implementation of the Action plan on integration and inclusion 2021-2027, the
Commission will explore options to build rural partnerships to promote inclusion and integration
of migrants in rural areas.

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Ensure equal opportunities
to children in rural areas

Address the needs of people
with disabilities in rural
areas.

2021

Ensure equal opportunities to children in rural areas by implementing the European Child
Guarantee and providing children in need with free access to early childhood education and care,
education and school-based activities, at least one healthy meal each school day, healthcare, and
effective access to heathy nutrition and adequate housing.

2021

By implementing the New Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 in
collaboration with the MS, the Commission will support improved access to their rights in rural
areas.

Prosperous rural areas
The flagship promotes sharing and supporting experiences across the Single Market to revitalise
rural areas through cooperation, best practice and knowledge exchange. A series of actions is
proposed to enable industry entrepreneurs, SMEs and social economy organisations to return to,
transform and thrive in rural areas:
Develop SMEs in rural areas by favouring clustering, networking and cooperation through the
Single Market Programme, COSME and European Enterprise Network;
Flagship:
Entrepreneurship and the
social economy in rural
areas.

2021

Promote social economy business models in rural areas through the European action plan for the
social economy;
Boost retail and local supply chains in rural areas by e.g. improving the interface of local
producers and retail and creating local food hubs;
Creation and support of innovative environments in rural areas through educating and
empowering future entrepreneurs to develop societal or business models and solutions that would
cater for the needs of local communities, with the help, expertise and service provisions of the
EIT KICs.

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Continue encouraging
Member States to increase
education, training and
employment opportunities
for young people in rural
and remote areas under the
reinforced Youth Guarantee
and the European Education
Area.

Promote the development of
a sustainable bioeconomy,
including in the framework
of the EU Forest Strategy
and in the carbon-farming
initiative.

Highlight the role
of Producer Organisations
(POs) in rural development
and strengthen producers
group of geographical
indications

2021

The reinforced Youth Guarantee is a commitment by the EU Member States that all young people
under 30 receive a good quality offer of employment, continued education, apprenticeship or
traineeship. As part of this commitment, Member States should address the needs of young
people in rural and remote areas. Particular attention will be paid to making jobs and other
opportunities available. The Commission monitors the implementation of the reinforced Youth
Guarantee, including the progress in the situation of young people in rural areas.
The Commission Communication on Achieving the European Education Area by 2025 outlines
the Commission’s vision and foresees important initiative to foster the quality and inclusiveness
of national education and training systems, which will have an impact on rural and remote areas.

2021

2022

The Commission will propose a new EU Forest Strategy with a number of actions, including to
plant 3 billion trees by 2030. This will provide opportunities for jobs and growth through forest
restoration activities, and will support farmers and rural communities in adapting to climate
change, protecting their crops from more frequent adverse weather events (floods, droughts,
heatwaves, etc.) and diversify their revenues. A network of forest-dominant rural areas and
municipalities will be also promoted, to give voice to forest rural areas, ensuring their
representation in key initiatives and facilitating specific assessments of reality and needs of forest
areas across the EU.
POs can strengthen the social fabric in rural areas by offering their members a sense of belonging
and by increasing the level of social capital and trust within the communities where they are
based. They can contribute to increasing the standard of living in rural areas by securing jobs and
livelihoods. POs not only directly employ people; they also indirectly help producers earn their
living from farming.
The Commission will address the role of producer organisations and their contribution to rural
development in future events with the aim to highlight and give visibility to their contribution.
The Commission will also empower the producers groups of geographical indications with
additional tools for further strengthening their position in the food supply chain to keep securing a
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fair return for their products.

Implementation of RAP and governance
Apply rural proofing
notably to the
Commission's major
legislative proposals which
affect rural areas.

Set-up a Rural Observatory
to bring together all data
collected by the
Commission on rural areas,
including official statistics.
Enhance availability of
statistics on rural areas
through:
(1) making available new
detailed data collected in
the framework of the 2021
round of population and
housing censuses in the EU
disseminated via the 2021
Census Statistical Atlas;

2022

Mechanism to assess the impact of major legislation and initiatives on rural areas.

2022

The Observatory will be put in place through a European Commission research group in charge
of improving and centralising data collection and analysis specifically for rural areas, in synergy
and complementarity with existing relevant initiatives such as the Knowledge Centre for
Territorial Policies and the Knowledge Centre on Migration and Demography, as well as
monitoring and data collection under the various instruments of the European Pillar of Social
Rights Action Plan. The Observatory will also support the dissemination of data on rural areas.

2021

The Commission will continue its work to reinforce statistical data collection and provision on
rural areas.
(1) While publications of demographic statistics at NUTS3 level in line with Regulation (EC) No
1260/1230 will continue, the 2021 round of population and housing censuses will provide
detailed regional information, including collection of georeferenced population data at 1 km
square grid from all Member States for the first time;
(2) Pending the outcome of the ongoing evaluation and impact assessment of European statistics
on population, the Commission will propose a new framework regulation integrating census,
demography, migration statistics and extending the data requirements towards their geographical
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(2) further increasing the
availability and quality of
official statistics on rural
areas by modernising the
legal framework for
demographic statistics.

detail to enhance the score of statistics relevant for rural areas;
(3)The European Commission will establish a harmonised approach on the use of Geospatial
Information Systems, developing pan-European geospatial datasets (for example on public
transport, education, health care etc.) and enabling the production of more georeferenced statistics
and related indicators (like accessibility of schools, hospitals, etc.).

(3) developing PanEuropean geospatial
datasets
(4) Mainstreaming the
degree of urbanisation

Work on the definition of
functional rural areas

Propose a Rural Pact to
national, regional and local
authorities committing to
address the specific needs
of rural areas.

2022

The European Commission will continue discussion with stakeholders to define functional rural
areas.

2021

A Rural Pact is proposed to the national, regional and local authorities and stakeholders. This
Pact will aim to address unmet rural needs, especially focusing on remote and depopulated areas,
which are often most affected

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Publish a toolkit on the
combination of EU funds
for the revitalisation of rural
areas

2022

Guide providing operational and practical solutions to rural stakeholders to make full use of the
opportunities offered by post 2020 EU Funds. It will also provide practical examples of
innovative investments combining funding sources and getting better value for support. Links
with methodological support for integrated territorial strategies under Cohesion Policy are
foreseen.

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