The paper presents an assessment of the barriers to cross-sectoral coordination, proposes a framework for integrated rural policy, and discusses how a structured strategy could foster sustainable rural development. The proposed framework includes the establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Rural Development Council, a Joint Rural Development Fund, and enhanced community-led development mechanisms. Findings suggest that implementing these measures could significantly improve policy coherence, optimize resource use, and enhance rural resilience. The study concludes with recommendations for policy integration, future research directions, and best practices for fostering long-term rural sustainability.
This policy brief presents key findings from the PoliRuralPlus project, which supports sustainable rural–urban development across Europe. It highlights shared challenges and proposes strategic actions, including AI-enabled knowledge systems, FAIR data spaces, and support for circular economies and local food chains. The recommendations aim to guide EU and regional policies in line with the Green Deal and Digital Decade goals.
This report presents exploitation roadmaps to 2030 and beyond, based on Key Exploitable Results (KERs) and tailored to specific regions. The roadmaps encompass societal impact, research and innovation, capacity building, business and financial growth, and policy development, ensuring long-term benefits for rural and urban stakeholders.
Centered around strengthening rural-urban linkages, this video demonstrates how integrated data analysis - powered by geospatial and AI components - can help policymakers and local communities gain a more holistic view of regional development prospects. At the core of the approach is JackDaw, a geo-enabled chat agent that merges location-specific data with large language model (LLM) reasoning. Key themes and features Multi-dimensional spatial insights: By gathering structured data on a variety of spatial attributes - ranging from population distribution to the presence of cultural sites - JackDaw helps users assess the interdependencies between rural and urban areas, highlighting mutual benefits such as tourism flows or service accessibility. Rural-urban linkage analysis: One exemplary scenario shows how to evaluate a location’s weekend tourism potential, taking into account the number of nearby urban residents, local amenities, and driving distances. This data-driven lens underscores the extent to which rural areas can attract visitors (and thus investment) from surrounding cities. Real-time, context-aware decision support: Unlike generic AI solutions, JackDaw dynamically retrieves up-to-date geospatial information before advising on policy or strategic investments. This ensures the conversation remains contextually grounded in current rural-urban realities, whether in planning new facilities or aligning local services with urban demand. Bridging analytical gaps: The video illustrates how bridging the information asymmetry between rural and urban territories can spur proactive solutions - like improved transport connections or marketing campaigns - ultimately enhancing the well-being of both communities. By demonstrating how robust data analysis can expose latent development opportunities - particularly in the context of rural-urban synergies - this video reinforces PoliRuralPlus’s broader goal of empowering decision-makers to adopt targeted, evidence-based measures that foster balanced, sustainable growth in Europe’s diverse regions.
Webinar of the PoliRuralPlus series, titled "Lessons Learned Part 1", was held virtually on March 27, 2024. The session aimed to disseminate experiences and knowledge accrued from the PoliRural project, focusing on Foresight methodologies applied across various European regions. The webinar featured insightful contributions from key participants including Gabriel O’Connelll and John O’Flaherty from the Monaghan pilot, Santa Vītola from the Vidzeme pilot, and Tuula Löytty from the Southern Finland pilot. They shared significant feedback based on their extensive experiences with the Foresight process within the PoliRural framework.
The second webinar of the PoliRuralPlus series, entitled "Lessons Learned Part 2," was conducted on April 22, 2024. This session continued the exploration of the advancements and insights gained from the initial phase of the PoliRural project, focusing specifically on the development and application of innovative tools to support rural development. This webinar provided an in-depth discussion on three pivotal tools developed during the PoliRural project, aimed at enhancing the semantic analysis of texts, exploring policy options, and evaluating the attractiveness of rural regions. These tools are essential for stakeholders involved in regional planning and policy-making.