A rural proofing tool to unlock the full potential of rural areas and communities through better rural-centred EU policymaking for a fair and sustainable EU

Key points

The EESC:

• stresses that agricultural and rural policies support the provision of essential public goods for all citizens, but their benefits cannot be sustained without access to basic services. Their erosion particularly affects women, young people and vulnerable groups, undermining their right to remain in rural areas; the EESC therefore endorses the Commission’s Right to Stay initiative;
• highlights that rural proofing is a horizontal, transparent, participatory and cross-sectoral assessment tool, ensuring all policies are examined through a rural lens. It should promote territorial fairness and equal access to services, opportunities, infrastructure and participation, particularly for women and young people;
• notes rural proofing ensures policymakers ‘think rural’ from the earliest stages of policy design across areas such as transport, health and climate. It helps identify both direct and unintended impacts on rural communities;
• stresses that rural proofing should be a strategic governance tool strengthening rural-sensitive approaches in EU policymaking. Despite existing mechanisms, it remains fragmented and lacks an EU-wide methodology to ensure policies and funding are fit for rural areas;
• calls for a common EU rural proofing tool based on a validated methodology and minimum standards to ensure consistent and transparent application across EU policies;
• highlights that embedding rural proofing across the EU requires mandatory screening of major proposals and stronger, comparable rural data through the Rural Observatory, including youth and gender factors;
• recommends establishing rural proofing units or champions in each ministry, with senior staff and political leadership;
• underlines that rural proofing should operate as a participatory governance mechanism that ensures rural communities, civil society organisations (CSOs) and social partners are genuinely involved;
• recommends that the Commission revisit its Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas (LTVRA) to broaden its definition of rural proofing;
• calls for the next MFF to integrate rural proofing into territorial impact assessments and cohesion indicators.