Regional and local leaders demand a New Deal based on a clear Rural Agenda and increased investment to help rural communities out of the crisis

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) discussed with Janusz Wojciechowski , European Commissioner for Agriculture, how to boost recovery in Europe’s rural areas. Regions and cities demand a ‘Rural Deal’ to set targets and coordinate Common Agricultural Policy, structural funds and the Recovery and Resilience Facility to overcome the crisis in rural areas, strengthen cohesion, make the agro-food industry greener, support local producers and diversify growth opportunities in rural communities. The Rural Deal should also provide for an inclusive governance mobilising EU, national, regional and local actors to deliver a sustainable recovery in Europe’s rural areas. These points were reinforced in an opinion on the EU Strategy for Rural Revival (a real call for Rural Agenda) backed by CoR members.