AUTHOR: Juliette Pagnon

This paper is an overview of the rural policy framework post-2020, developed for the SHERPA platform. It presents the latest developments regarding EU policies that impact rural areas.

Rural areas represent 83% of the EU territory (2018 data) and face increasing challenges, such as the effects of climate change, lack of connectivity and basic services, ageing populations and depopulation, and digitisation. The EU has put in place a policy framework to help rural areas address these challenges and improve their resilience. Specifically, during its 2019-2024 mandate, the European Commission undertook a series of reforms and policy proposals with important implications for rural areas — such as the European Green Deal and an agenda on building a long-term vision for rural areas.

This paper presents the latest developments regarding EU policies that impact rural areas. It is an update of a 2020 paper which provided an overview of EU rural policies from 2021 to 2027. It presents:

• The overarching political strategies and the policies within them that impact EU rural areas: the Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas and the European Green Deal, including its Fit for 55 package, the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies

• The EU’s long-term budget and the programmes it funds that also impact rural areas: the CAP, the Cohesion Policy and Horizon Europe.

This paper was developed as part of the Horizon Europe project Sustainable Hub to Engage into Rural Policies with Actors (SHERPA). It is intended to support the various stakeholders involved in the SHERPA Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs) in monitoring EU policy developments and identifying new opportunities—both for contributing to EU-level discussions and national implementation.

To read the full paper, please visit the SHERPA website: Timetable of EU negotiations & policy developments: An overview of the rural policy framework post-2020

Photo © SHERPA 2023