Long Term Rural Vision

The President of the European Commission announced that the Commission will develop a Long Term Vision for Rural Areas to enable them to make the most of their potential and support them in facing up to their own unique set of issues, from demographic change to connectivity, the risk of poverty and limited access to services. This should be done in close consultation with people living in rural areas, as well as local and regional authorities.

The ENRD Thematic Group on the Long Term Rural Vision, #rural2040, will consist of a small but dedicated cross-section of informed and engaged stakeholders from different parts of Europe. There will be at least four main meetings over the year-long period leading up to the Communication, with the first two meetings programmed for September and December of 2020. The members of the Thematic Group are expected to commit to participate in at least these first two meetings.

AIMS

• To contribute to and enrich the foresight exercise to be carried out for the Long Term Rural Vision in cooperation with the JRC. This will take place as the centrepiece of the first two meetings of the Thematic Group in September and December 2020.
• To act as a platform or exchange hub sharing, discussing and communicating the results of different activities carried out by Thematic Group members and other key actors involved in contributing to the Long Term Rural Vision.
• To improve the coherence and structure of dialogue that will take place among stakeholders on the Long Term Rural Vision in different parts of Europe.
• To communicate more widely with stakeholders and encourage their sustained involvement in the dialogue.
• To contribute to the ENRD conference on the Long Term Rural Vision (expected in spring 2021).

ADDRESSED TO

In order to fulfil these objectives, the Thematic Group needs to attract a small group (maximum 40 people) of experienced and committed members that reflect the diversity of rural Europe. They will be expected to participate as free-thinking individuals over the entire period rather than coming as the representatives of specific organisations, interests or Member States.

Participants will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:

• Experience and/or knowledge of rural challenges and opportunities;
• Capacity and willingness to contribute to the Long Term Rural Vision process;
• Commitment to participate in at least the first two meetings (22-23 September and indicatively 2-3 December) which will focus on the foresight exercise and preferably in all four meetings.

DEADLINE

You are invited to express and explain your interest in becoming a member of the Thematic Group and in participating in the meetings through the link below by 28 August 2020 at the latest.

 

REGISTRATION