Preparatory works for the post-2020 programming period will begin in the next months. Which place will be given to the rural territories in these reflections and in the following proposals?

Current development systems generate significant regional imbalances between cities and countryside. The inequality of residents and local stakeholders in terms of access to public services (health, transport and safety services,..) is growing. The same applies with the quality of the basic infrastructure necessary for development, such as high-speed broadband and mobile telephony.

And yet, the vitality of rural areas is essential to this well-being of both rural and urban populations. The potential of rural areas, with their diversity, is insufficiently recognized or exploited in support of the objectives of the 2020 Europe Strategy.

Simple adjustment of policies will not be enough: the situation calls for a major evolution! It is time that a deep reflection on rurality can be conducted by the Commission so that policy post-2020 genuinely takes more and better account of rural areas.

The call for a White Paper on rurality launched by the European Countryside Movement and supported nowadays by many authorities explains that need. Producing a White Paper on rurality is a necessary step to open a wide and overall debate, towards a rural Agenda to include in the heart of the post 2020 programming period. Also sign our petition for a White Paper on rurality
In this prospect, the conference on April 19 is a key milestone for a better taking into account of the rural territories in the future European policies.

A conference organized by the international association Rurality-Environment-Development (R.E.D.) and the NAT Commission of the Committee of the Regions, in partnership with the European Countryside Movement (E.C.M.)