Information sources | The European Network for Rural Development (ENRD)

Information sources

Rural areas in Europe are facing different challenges concerning poverty and social inclusion. A higher proportion of the EU-27 population living in rural areas face the risk of poverty or social exclusion compared to urban areas. In 2019, just over 23.6% of the population was at risk of poverty or social exclusion, while lower shares were recorded for people living in cities. To tackle these disparities, ENRD CP has given special attention to vulnerable groups such as young people, women, migrants, the elderly, persons with disabilities and minorities.

In addition, many rural areas are locked into a 'circle of decline' by two mutually reinforcing trends: i) a shortage of sustainable business activities; and ii) inadequate and declining services. Tackling these issues and creating an enabling environment to counter demographic trend of depopulation is essential for achieving vibrant rural areas.

Youth

Young people suffer more than any other age groups from disadvantages such as unemployment, difficult access to education and training, obstacles to set up new businesses, and lack of basic services. These disadvantages are even worse for young people living in rural areas, often causing youth migration to bigger towns and cities and increasing the depopulation that traditionally affects rural areas.

Toolkit for youth participation in the Just Transition Fund | EC, 2021
Conclusions on raising opportunities for young people in rural and remote areas | EU Council, 2020
EU Youth Strategy (goal 6)
Youth Employment Guarantee Country by Country and Factsheets by countries
How to promote the role of youth in rural areas of Europe? | European Parliament, 2010
European Rural Youth Parliament: youth resources

Women

Women have always played a key role in the development and sustainability of the agricultural sector and rural areas more generally. Yet their role and contribution – both on and off-farm – are still undervalued and understated.

Gender Equality | European Commission
CAP: Women and farming
The professional status of rural women in the EU | European Parliament, 2019

Migrants

Migrants residing in rural areas and working in agriculture are a particularly vulnerable group due to the temporariness of employment and the considerable difficulties of their integration. Local initiatives have proven that the successful integration of migrants in the new rural context is possible.

EU Strategy on Migrant Integration
Integration of migrants in middle and small cities and in rural areas in Europe | CoR, 2020
Implementation of 2016 Action Plan on Integration: Interactive tool to track all the policies and resources of EC in this area
Social inclusion of refugees and immigrants in Swedish Rural areas | Swedish NRN
Care and Integration of Refugees | Austrian NRN
Migration in EU rural areas | European Commission, 2019
Immigrant Integration to rural areas: A transnational Project and its Results, 2019
Working Together for Local Integration of Migrants and Refugees | Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development & European Commission, 2018
Toolkit on the use of EU Funds for the Integration of People with a Migrant Background | European Commission, 2018
White Paper: mainstreaming migration into local development planning and beyond | International Organisation for Migration, 2015

The elderly

The aging population in rural areas often faces isolation, social exclusion and difficult access to basic services (health care, transportation, civic participation, etc.).

Green Paper on Aging | EC, 2021
Older people in Europe – EU policies and programmes | Briefing | European Parliamentary Research Service, 2014

Persons with disabilities

The lack of specialised support services for people with disabilities can be one of the major barriers to their living independently in rural areas.

European disability strategy 2010-2020
Towards Independent Living: Collection of examples from Europe | European Network on Independent Living, 2019,
Briefing on the Use of EU Funds for Independent Living (Country by country briefing) | European Network on Independent Living, 2018
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: General comment No. 5 on living independently and being included in the community, 2017

Minorities

The majority of Roma in the EU face multiple forms of discrimination, which result in social exclusion and persistent poverty. In rural areas, the lack of economic opportunities, poor public services, and sub-standard housing and infrastructure are specific challenges.

EU funding for Roma integration | European Commission
Handbook for improving the living conditions of Roma at the local level | World Bank, 2015

Vibrant Rural Areas

Rural Development policy can play an important role in combatting depopulation and other challenges related to the quality of life in rural areas. However, this fundamental challenge requires interventions that go beyond the remit of the CAP and require more joined-up work with other EU, national, regional and local policies.

The impact of the common agricultural policy on generational renewal, local development and jobs in rural areas | European Commission, 2021
Delivering Quality Education and Health Care to All: Preparing Regions for Demographic Change | OECD, 2021
ESCAPE European Shrinking Rural Areas: Challenges, Actions and Perspectives for Territorial Governance | ESPON, 2020
Report on the impact of demographic change | European Commission, 2020
Social Innovation in Marginalised Rural Areas (2020): Social Innovation: Practice Guide
Rural 3.0. A Framework for Rural Development | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development & European Commission, 2018
Statistics on rural areas in the EU | Eurostat, 2017
Sustaining Rural Services and Infrastructure | Project Report | European Rural Parliament, 2017
Shrinking rural regions in Europe: Towards smart and innovative approaches to regional development challenges in depopulating rural regions | ESPON, 2017
Start-up and management of Coworking Spaces | E-Book | Youth Re-Working Rural, 2017
Sustaining Rural Services and Infrastructure | European Rural Parliament, 2017
Strategy to Improve Rural Service Delivery | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development & European Commission, 2010