EU Leaders Emphasize the Crucial Role of Rural Areas for Europe's Future

The Logroño Declaration, adopted at a European Committee of the Regions’ Bureau meeting, emphasizes the critical need for integrating rural areas into all EU policies for sustainable development. This declaration highlights the importance of rural proofing, climate crisis adaptation, and targeted support to ensure the vitality and resilience of rural communities in the European Union.

In a recent development, European local and regional leaders emphasized the importance of rural areas in the European Union’s journey towards long-term sustainable growth. The discussion culminated in the adoption of the Logroño Declaration, a document underscoring the necessity of integrating rural communities fully into the European project.

The declaration was adopted at the European Committee of the Regions’ Bureau meeting in Logroño, Spain. It calls for the implementation of rural proofing in all EU policies. This approach aims to enhance rural areas’ appeal while safeguarding their populations’ quality of life. The leaders highlighted the need for targeted support in rural areas to effectively navigate the climate crisis challenges and the transition to green energy.

Rural regions in the EU face several systemic challenges, such as depopulation, a dwindling labour force, and a scarcity of essential services. The need for rapid adaptation to green and digital transitions compounds these challenges. Adopting the Logroño Declaration is a call to action for EU institutions to provide comprehensive support to rural areas, acknowledging their integral role in the success of the European project.

Vasco Alves Cordeiro, President of the European Committee of the Regions, highlighted the criticality of rural regions, which house one-fourth of Europe’s population and cover about 75% of the EU’s territory. He highlighted the risks posed by depopulation and climate change in these areas.

With the Logroño Declaration, the European Committee of the Regions sent a clear message: to achieve a sustainable future, the European Union needs solid rural areas with the full participation of rural communities in the European project.

— Vasco Alves Cordeiro, President of the European Committee of the Regions

Cordeiro stressed the need for policies specifically tailored to aid rural areas in the green and digital transitions, ensuring access to quality jobs and essential services and making these areas attractive to young people.

The Committee of the Regions’ Annual Report on the state of the regions and cities in the EU projects that 30 million people will leave Europe’s rural areas by 2033. This exodus poses significant threats to the EU’s sustainable development, economic growth, and climate-neutrality goals, among other places.

The Logroño Declaration also highlights the need to focus on attracting and retaining young people in rural areas. It urges consideration of the unique needs of these areas in all investments related to the Common Agricultural Policy, cohesion funds, national recovery, and resilience plans. The declaration calls for a minimum allocation of European funds for rural projects.

In addition to economic concerns, the climate crisis and biodiversity loss significantly impact the agri-food sector. The declaration calls for enhanced climate change adaptation, farmer support, and disaster risk management in close collaboration with local authorities.

Alfredo González, Secretary of State for Territorial Policy, praised Spain’s decentralized system, emphasizing the importance of cooperation among institutions, as demonstrated during the pandemic and other crises. He acknowledged the crucial role of regions and local authorities in effectively managing significant national and EU policies.

Regions and local authorities are essential players in improving the day-to-day management of significant national and EU policies, and the European Committee of the Regions is our partner in promoting these ideas in all corners of the European Union.

— Alfredo González, Secretary of State for Territorial Policy

Gonzalo Capellán, President of the Government of La Rioja, advocated including regional and local voices in Brussels’ policies. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with local actors and a commitment to fostering a modern, sustainable, accessible municipality model that leverages cultural and social heritage for economic development.

The Logroño Declaration marks a significant step toward recognizing and addressing the needs of rural areas in the EU, highlighting their indispensable role in the region’s sustainable future.