THE FACTS
Rural
25% of the rural population has no access to internet.
Mountainous
About 30% of the EU territory is covered by mountainous areas.
Remote
Sparsely populated territories tend to grow much less than the EU average.
Areas
Rural, Mountainous and remote areas constitute 80% of the EU territory, are home to 57% of its population and account for 46% of gross value added.
Our Twitter
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Congratulations to the new @_CEJA_ President. He has large shoes to fill due to the good work of his predecessor @diana_petroio
Dear @MeedendorpPeter, @IntergroupRUMRA & I look forward to working together with you.
Young farmers have never been as relevant as they are today
The #RuralPact Coordination Group has finally been launched. Now we MUST move from vision to ACTION. Rural areas desperately NEED it! Recent update of the Geography of Discontent study shows this quite clearly. We have no time to waste!!!⌛️ @RadimSrsen @EURuralPact
Our Member @HerbertDorfmann arguing against the #NatureRestauration law and in favour of digital, data driven farming as an alternative.
statement⬇️
Our Member @HerbertDorfmann arguing against the #NatureRestauration law and in favour of digital, data driven farming as an alternative.
statement⬇️
News
Data-driven solutions for sustainable farming and smart villages – New opportunities for European farmers, innovators and customers
On 25 April 2023 the RUMRA & Smart Villages Intergroup co-chair, MEP Franc Bogovič, hosted an event in the European Parliament titled:
Data-driven solutions for sustainable […]
How does Lithuania see smart villages of the country?
PhD Angele Kedaitiene
Transatlantic Club Climate Alfa.
former European Parliament and European Commission
Lithuania, country with great agricultural and rural traditions, has recently spurred in providing for the […]
PRESS RELEASE – Members of the European Parliament’s RUMRA & Smart Villages Intergroup visit digital Linz
The city of Linz is considered a digital beacon of Austria. With a multitude of offers, the city of Linz has created a range of […]
The RUMRA & Smart Villages Intergroup in the European Parliament visits digital Linz on a fact finding mission.
The city of Linz is Austria’s digital beacon. With a multitude of offers, the city of Linz has created a range of so called ‘Open […]
REPORT ON THE LONG TERM VISION passed in plenary on 13.12.2022
The European Parliament voted nearly unilaterally in favour of the report on the long-term vision for rural areas, which was written by our RUMRA and […]
MEP Engin Eroglu on Benefits of the Future of Europe Conference for Smart Villages
Benefits of the Future of Europe Conference for Smart Villages
MEP Engin Eroglu
A number of persistent prejudices against rural and remote regions still persist today. Behind […]
MEP Hannes Heide on Tourism in Rural Areas
Tourism in Rural Areas
MEP Hannes Heide
Tourism has collapsed everywhere during the lockdown. Numerous companies are still threatened with bankruptcy. On the other hand, outdoor tourism […]
Sign the Manifesto for Rural Innovation
REInA (Rural European Innovation Area) is a pan-European open platform which aims to gather innovative initiatives to support the creation of a new Rural European […]
Dive into the key data for EU rural areas. The Commission breaks it down by topic.
In the context of the long-term vision for rural areas, the European Commission has made available on its website key data for EU rural areas […]
Register to event with EU40 on Promoting Regional Funding – Wednesday, 2 June at 14h
Promoting Regional Funding – How to maximise the use for our rural regions
Wednesday, 2 June 2021 | 14:00H | Register here
Hosted by Niklas Nienaß, Vice-Chair […]
The European Commission launches the Atlas of Demography (AoD)
On 29 April 2021, Commission Vice-President Dubravka Šuica (Vice-President for Democracy and Demography) and Commissioner Mariya Gabriel (Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth) […]
Read the article by MEP Engin Eroglu on “Advantages of Big Data AI for Smart Villages”
Advantages of Big Data AI for Smart Villages
The analysis and use of Big Data is increasingly becoming the focus of public attention. Big Data refers […]
SmartVillages Project – Compendium of the Interreg Alpine Space
Discover the Compendium of the Interreg Alpine Space SmartVillages project, which showcases the results after three years of implementation of the project. The Smart Village […]
Commissioner Suica at SILVER SMEs conference – Press Release by Euromontana
Press release
Commissioner Šuica reaffirms the opportunities to tackle demographic change in rural and mountainous areas at SILVER SMEs conference
On 21 April 2021, Euromontana organised an […]
What is a smart village? Discover the answer in the video by the EPRS
In recent years, smart villages began to flourish, revitalise and empower rural communities. The concept implies the participation of local people in improving their economic, […]
SSPA Network project: 5 FOR RURAL. Smart Rural Societies
The Confederations of businessmen of Cuenca, Soria and Teruel (CEOEs) are the founding entities of the SSPA Network (Sparsely Populated Areas of Southern Europe), a […]
PRESS RELEASE – Rural areas should not be left behind in the recovery plans
On March 23, 2021 the Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the RUMRA & Smart Villages Intergroup issued a joint Press Release:
At the start of […]
EPRS Publication – Smart Villages: Concept, Issues and Prospects for EU Rural Areas
On March 1st 2021, the European Parliament Research Services (EPRS), the EP think tank, published a briefing on Smart villages: Concept, issues and prospects for […]
Read our member’s paper on Smart Villages Policies: Past, Present & Future
On February 4, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of University of Ljubljana published an article entitled Smart Villages Policies: Past, Present and Future. It features […]
A rural agenda is urgently needed for rural areas after COVID crisis
This article was originally published on the official website of the European Committee of the Regions:
A rural agenda is urgently needed for rural areas after […]
Towards a Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas : Contribution from RUMRA & Smart Villages The European Parliament Intergroup on Rural, Mountainous and Remote Areas
The RUMRA & Smart Villages Intergroup welcomes and strongly supports the European Commission’s commitment to developing a new Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas, as well […]
Unlocking the Full Potential of Rural Areas in Europe : A conversation with Vice-President Šuica
On Thursday 19 November 2020, Vice-President of the European Commission Dubravka Šuica addressed the members of the ‘RUMRA & Smart Villages’ Intergroup and engaged in […]
Roadmap for the Long-term Vision for Rural Areas
The EU aims to create a debate on the future of rural areas and the role they have to play in our society. This initiative […]
1st General Assembly of the RUMRA & Smart Villages Intergroup, 21 October 2020
On 21st October 2020, the RUMRA & Smart Villages Intergroup of the European Parliament held its first General Assembly. The Executive Board, composed of the […]
Article on Smart Villages in the Parliament Magazine
We spoke to MEPs from across Parliament about how the EU can better support rural communities.
Inaugural meeting of the new Intergroup SMART Villages for Rural Communities
On 16 July in Strasbourg, Members of the European Parliament Franc Bogovič (EPP) and Engin Ergolu (RE) hosted the inaugural meeting of the Intergroup SMART Villages for […]
DISCUSSING A SMART FUTURE FOR EUROPE’S RURAL, MOUNTAINOUS, AND SPARSELY POPULATED AREAS
On 10 April, the Parliamentary Intergroup on Rural, Mountainous and Remote Areas (RUMRA) initiated by Euromonta, R.E.D and FREE, organised a conference at the European […]
Hybrid Internet as a solution to improve connectivity in EU rural areas
Combining fixed & mobile networks for faster Internet
Where?
Thursday 22 November 2018, 13.30 to 15.00am, European Parliament (6th floor – Room: JAN 6Q1)
Co-organised by: Mr PAscal […]
European agenda for rural, mountainous and remote areas
Breakfast debate
Tuesday 20 November 2018, 8.00 to 9.30am, European Parliament
The RUMRA Intergroup (rural, mountainous and remote areas) in the European Parliament and the […]
One step closer towards the acknowledgement of rural areas in the European agenda
RUMRA welcomes the adoption of the motion for a resolution addressing the specific needs of Rural, Mountainous and Remote Areas, presented by MEP Iskra Mihaylova […]
Putting rural issues on EU agenda: Industry leaders & policymakers join the RUMRA Intergroup for a breakfast briefing
On 1 June, the RUMRA Intergroup hosted a breakfast briefing to discuss the EU’s need for a rural agenda. Our Chair, MEP Mercedes Bresso, called […]
Cohesion in Rural Europe
Thursday 1 June 2017
08:00-09:30, European Parliament, Members’ Salon, Brussels
If Europe is to unlock the potential of all its territories while achieving its ambitious targets, a […]
The European Committee of the Regions: The need for a White Paper on Rurality
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has published its formal call for a White Paper on Rurality. This marks an enormous step towards addressing […]
Euromontana publishes its 2016 European Charter for Mountain Quality Food Products
Euromontana recently published its 2016 European Charter for Mountain Quality Food Products. The Charter was developed following the adoption of the optional quality term “mountain […]
Both Policy Makers and Industry agree on the need to address Rural Energy on European Level
On 29 November, the Parliamentary Intergroup on Rural, Mountainous, and Remote Areas (RUMRA) and Mercedes Bresso, Chair of RURMA, hosted a breakfast debate on the […]
RUMRA Breakfast briefing approaching!
RURAL ENERGY MATTERS: A NEW RURAL ENERGY AGENDA FOR EUROPE
An invitation to attend a Breakfast Briefing
Tuesday, 29 November 2016
08:00-09:30; European Parliament, Members’ Restaurant, Brussels
Speakers:
MERCEDES […]
Euromontana conference sees the publication of the Bragança declaration
We, representatives of Euromontana, assembled here in Bragança on the 4th October 2016, do declare:
The first to be affected by climate change, mountain populations are […]
Euromontana hosts conference on Climate Change in Mountainous Areas
RUMRA board member Euromontana, the European Association of Mountain areas, in association with the Mountain Research Centre (CIMO) of the Polytechnic institute of Bragança (IPB) […]
RUMRA hosts event on “Women between the urban and rural area – The success story”
On Wednesday 16 March, RUMRA Intergroup hosted an event and exhibition in the European Parliament on the theme of women between the urban and rural areas. […]
Read our latest Newsletter
Dear Reader,
With the support of the three main political groups – as well as broad participation by colleagues from other groups – and the membership […]