The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has adopted an opinion on the Future of Rural Development 2028+, drafted by rapporteur Radim Sršeň (CZ/EPP), Mayor of Dolní Studénky. The opinion calls for rural development to be fully recognised as a central objective of EU cohesion policy, supported by stronger place-based investment, dedicated funding, reinforced rural-proofing and a governance model firmly anchored in subsidiarity and the active involvement of local and regional authorities.
The adopted text stresses that rural development must go beyond sector-specific agricultural policies and instead become part of a broader territorial cohesion agenda. It calls for integrated and locally tailored approaches that support services, infrastructure, innovation, entrepreneurship, social inclusion and demographic resilience across Europe’s rural territories. The opinion also highlights the importance of strengthening community-led instruments such as LEADER and Smart Villages, while ensuring that future EU funding frameworks provide clearer and more visible support for rural areas.
Rapporteur Radim Sršeň (CZ/EPP), Mayor of the Municipality of Dolní Studénky, said: “The Future of Rural Development is at a crossroads. Rural areas can either become a museum or a vibrant and attractive place to live for all generations. They have a lot of challenges as well as great potential, and a holistic, place-based, integrated, multi-fund and multi-policy approach is the only recipe for their future. There should also be adequate dedicated funding for rural areas, corresponding to the reality that 30% of European citizens living there, as well as for place-based integrated instruments such as LEADER/CLLD and Smart Villages etc., as they have proved to be very successful in engaging the citizens and bring tailor-made solutions for each corner of Europe.”
The opinion underlines that rural areas are essential for delivering key European priorities, including climate action, renewable energy, environmental protection, food security, territorial resilience and social cohesion. It also warns against increasing centralisation in the implementation of EU funds and calls for stronger decision-making powers for regional and local authorities throughout the design and implementation of future national and regional partnership plans.
In addition, the rapporteur advocates stronger rural-proofing across EU policies and funding programmes to ensure that the territorial impact on rural communities is systematically assessed and monitored. The opinion also calls for better territorial indicators and more transparent tracking of EU spending in rural areas, ensuring that support effectively reaches local communities.
The adopted text further highlights the importance of ensuring the “right to stay” in rural territories by improving access to quality jobs, housing, healthcare, education, transport and digital connectivity. According to the opinion, demographic decline and outward migration can only be reversed through long-term investment in vibrant and resilient rural communities.
Rural areas account for around 80% of the EU’s territory and are home to nearly 30% of EU citizens. However, local and regional leaders warn that these territories remain structurally underinvested, weakening economic, social and territorial cohesion, undermining democratic trust and limiting the EU’s long-term competitiveness. At the same time, rural territories are increasingly recognised as strategic assets for Europe’s resilience, sustainability and strategic autonomy.