European Rural Community Alliance
ERCA
ERCA is a co-operative body for non-governmental organisations and networks, at European, national and regional levels, that implement integrated, cross-sectoral, place-based and local rural development.
ID: 760793613567-06
Lobbying Activity
Response to Long term vision for rural areas
9 Sept 2020
The European Rural Community Association ERCA is responding on behalf of the European Rural Parliament ERP. The ERP is a partnership of non-government national organisations across 40 European countries and 7 pan-European rural networks. All are rooted in rural communities and provide a strong connection to the most local level of rural Europe. This unique platform is co-ordinated by 3 pan-European NGOs: ERCA, PREPARE and ELARD. The biennial ERP Gathering involves representatives of 40 countries and EU Institutions, its outputs are summarised in the ERP Declaration and Manifesto (attached). Since the 2019 Gathering the Covid-19 pandemic has re-focussed perspectives and challenges and revealed many strengths and opportunities, which now need to be included in the EU Vision.
Problem the initiative aims to tackle
We support a focus on climate change and the green recovery, demographic change, local governance and influence, local resilience and capacity, local services and infrastructure (especially digital). We wish to point out however, that a positive future for rural areas will be enabled by giving capacity and opportunity for grassroots problem solving and action. Whilst the challenging issues remain, the capacity of rural people to create their own solutions and positive change is immense, as revealed by our collective experience and also by the response to Covid. We propose that the Vision not only considers the problems we need to tackle in rural areas as a starting point, but to also see the solutions and chances in rural areas as a starting point. The rural areas we know have far more opportunities and strengths than those mentioned. Localism and empowerment – both politically, financially and in terms of skills and opportunities is key to the future of rural Europe, removing the barriers to this and creating the opportunities should be a foundation. Rural areas are also very diverse and blanket policies do not fit all. Flexibility is key.
Basis for EU intervention (legal basis and subsidiarity check)
We support the need for an holistic rural vision, based on strong evidence and the importance of enabling co-ordinated and cross-cutting action across all policy areas. Many rural difficulties stem from over-sectoralised approaches to thinking and policy, which often force the most local level to attempt to bring these together to solve complex rural issues. Timing in terms of influencing the next round of policies and funding will be critical.
What does the initiative aim to achieve and how
We suggest that the vision alone will not be sufficient. To enable long lasting outcomes, realise the insights and expectations it will create and to turn the Vision into reality, will require a clear roadmap, activity and time plan and associated budget. Should it become part of the current policies, then there is already now a need to plan for a revamp of current policies and budgets to go with it. The amount of funding and public investment in rural areas is equally important as an activity plan with concrete goals.
Consultation of citizens and stakeholders
We support the intention to ensure the voices of all stakeholders and European citizens are heard. We would like to point out that the majority of people living in rural areas are not in fact directly connected to larger organisations, but work within the context of local groups or as individuals. Nor are many people directly involved in land use and food production. The collective network of the ERP has a direct reach into this very local, non-sectoral level of rural life. The inclusion of the voices from this level will be critical to gaining a real insight into the thinking, needs and ideas of the rural people. The LAGs and FLAGs also have real possibility to reach to the kitchen table of rural citizens, and we recommend including them in the team, through the LAG-networks and ELARD.
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