The Rural Pact Conference, organised by the Rural Pact Support Office, will gather 250 participants from across Europe. The event will offer two days of networking and facilitate exchanges to advance the rural vision 2040, update the Rural Action Plan and guide Rural Pact actions and future policies.
Since the launch of the rural vision, important progress has been made in the implementation of the Rural Action Plan, including in the context of the Rural Pact. The European Commission report from March 2024, ‘The Long-Term Vision for the EU’s Rural Areas: Key Achievements and Ways Forward‘, outlines the progress made and highlights ideas for further support made by EU institutions and stakeholders. It also identifies areas requiring additional effort and continuity to achieve their objectives. In February 2025, in its Communication on a “Vision for agriculture and food”, the Commission committed to work towards an updated EU Rural Action Plan in 2025 and to strengthen the Rural Pact, among other actions contributing to fair living and working conditions in vibrant rural areas, in which rural citizens should have the right to stay.
This Rural Pact Conference will bring together the Rural Pact community to reflect on and learn from the practices and experiences implemented under the rural action plan and look at the future to ensure stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous rural areas. By engaging with the Rural Pact community, the conference aims to collect their needs and ideas for the updated EU Rural Action Plan, and contribute to the political debate shaping future policies for rural areas.
Finally, this conference will review the Rural Pact’s achievements, listen to its community, particularly local stakeholders, and collect recommendations to shape and guide its future direction.