Cohesion Policy for rural areas after 2013. A rationale derived from the EDORA project (European Development Opportunities in Rural Areas) – ESPON 2013 Project 2013/1/2

The starting point of the EDORA project was the recognition that, rather than becoming more uniform in character, rural Europe is, in many ways, becoming increasingly diverse, implying new challenges and opportunities. The project’s overarching aim was to examine the process of differentiation, in order to better understand how EU policy can enable rural areas to build upon their specific potentials to achieve ‘smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’. The first phase of the project consisted of a literature review in order to establish a conceptual framework for subsequent empirical analysis. This identified a very wide range of aspects of contemporary rural change. In order to manage this complexity, and so that it could be communicated simply and clearly, three ‘meta-narratives’ of rural change were devised. In the second phase the evidence base for rural change was explored, both in terms of large scale patterns, based upon regional data, and local processes. The macro-scale patterns were addressed by three typologies. These were complemented at a micro-level by in-depth studies of 12 exemplar regions, reflecting a wide range of types and contexts. The third phase explored policy implications. The project’s findings point towards neo-endogenous approaches, in which a ‘bottom up’ process of regional programme design is fully supported and guided by available information, expert advice and the kind of strategic perspective which is best assembled at a central level. The EDORA findings are thus generally supportive of the ‘place based’ approaches advocated by the Barca Report

Study on employment in rural areas

This report is a response to a request by the 2003 Agriculture Council, for a review of rural employment, particularly in relation to young people and women, in order to assess thecontribution of the reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the new Rural Development Regulation (RDR) towards meeting the employment objectives agreed at the 2000 Lisbon Council (70% employment rate overall and 60% female employment rate by 2010).2. This immediate policy context, together with the 2004 enlargement, are set against a background of more gradual, but nonetheless far-reaching, changes in the role of agriculture, demographic and social changes, and the realignment of the rural economy.3. The objectives set for the report are therefore both empirical, - to set out a clear, comprehensive and up-to date picture of the European rural labour market, - and evaluative, - by addressing the fundamental issue of the extent to which these trends, are likely to help (or hinder) the EU meet itsLisbon employment objectives. A specific policy dimension is added by the requirement to investigate the role which the reformed CAP (Pillar 1 and Pillar 2) is likely to take in this proces

Study on employment in rural areas

This report is a response to a request by the 2003 Agriculture Council, for a review of rural employment, particularly in relation to young people and women, in order to assess thecontribution of the reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the new Rural Development Regulation (RDR) towards meeting the employment objectives agreed at the 2000 Lisbon Council (70% employment rate overall and 60% female employment rate by 2010).2. This immediate policy context, together with the 2004 enlargement, are set against a background of more gradual, but nonetheless far-reaching, changes in the role of agriculture, demographic and social changes, and the realignment of the rural economy.3. The objectives set for the report are therefore both empirical, - to set out a clear, comprehensive and up-to date picture of the European rural labour market, - and evaluative, - by addressing the fundamental issue of the extent to which these trends, are likely to help (or hinder) the EU meet itsLisbon employment objectives. A specific policy dimension is added by the requirement to investigate the role which the reformed CAP (Pillar 1 and Pillar 2) is likely to take in this proces

One Size Fits All? Regional Differentiation and Rural Development Policy

Since enlargement the European Union has become more diverse in many socio-economic, demographic and agricultural respects. A recent research project sponsored by DG Agriculture (SERA – Study on Employment in Rural Areas) carried out a review of a broad range of regional statistics relating to rural labour markets. The results were presented within the framework of the OECD rural–urban classifi cation. A broad overview of the fi ndings confirms the importance of two widely acknowledged processes of change, urbanisation and counter-urbanisation.Overlaying these urban-based centripetal and centrifugal processes both east–west and north–south differentiation affects particular socio-economic aspects. The net result of this complex combination of (macro-scale) processes is a tendency for accumulation of human capital in accessible signifi cantly rural (SR) regions and a depletion of the remoter, sparsely populated predominantly rural (PR) regions. The emphasis upon macro-scale patterns and trends complements the recent preoccupation of much rural development research upon localised ‘soft factors’. There is arguably scope for both in the design of rural policy. Broad spatial processes shouldinfluence resource allocation, whilst localised advantages, such as strong human and social capital, good governance, networking, clusters and networks, entrepreneurial culture, and so on, can form the basis of strategies for intervention

Cohesion Policy for rural areas after 2013: A rationale derived from the EDORA project (European Development Opportunities in Rural Areas) - ESPON 2013 Project 2013/1/2

The starting point of the EDORA project was the recognition that, rather than becoming more uniform in character, rural Europe is, in many ways, becoming increasingly diverse, implying new challenges and opportunities. The project’s overarching aim was to examine the process of differentiation, in order to better understand how EU policy can enable rural areas to build upon their specific potentials to achieve ‘smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’. The first phase of the project consisted of a literature review in order to establish a conceptual framework for subsequent empirical analysis. This identified a very wide range of aspects of contemporary rural change. In order to manage this complexity, and so that it could be communicated simply and clearly, three ‘meta-narratives’ of rural change were devised. In the second phase the evidence base for rural change was explored, both in terms of large scale patterns, based upon regional data, and local processes. The macro-scale patterns were addressed by three typologies. These were complemented at a micro-level by in-depth studies of 12 exemplar regions, reflecting a wide range of types and contexts. The third phase explored policy implications. Clearly these propositions point towards neo-endogenous approaches, in which a ‘bottom up’ process of regional programme design is fully supported and guided by available information, expert advice, and the kind of strategic perspective which is best assembled at a central level. The EDORA findings are thus generally supportive of the ‘place based’ approaches advocated by the Barca Report

Cohesion Policy for rural areas after 2013: A rationale derived from the EDORA project (European Development Opportunities in Rural Areas) - ESPON 2013 Project 2013/1/2

The starting point of the EDORA project was the recognition that, rather than becoming more uniform in character, rural Europe is, in many ways, becoming increasingly diverse, implying new challenges and opportunities. The project’s overarching aim was to examine the process of differentiation, in order to better understand how EU policy can enable rural areas to build upon their specific potentials to achieve ‘smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’. The first phase of the project consisted of a literature review in order to establish a conceptual framework for subsequent empirical analysis. This identified a very wide range of aspects of contemporary rural change. In order to manage this complexity, and so that it could be communicated simply and clearly, three ‘meta-narratives’ of rural change were devised. In the second phase the evidence base for rural change was explored, both in terms of large scale patterns, based upon regional data, and local processes. The macro-scale patterns were addressed by three typologies. These were complemented at a micro-level by in-depth studies of 12 exemplar regions, reflecting a wide range of types and contexts. The third phase explored policy implications. Clearly these propositions point towards neo-endogenous approaches, in which a ‘bottom up’ process of regional programme design is fully supported and guided by available information, expert advice, and the kind of strategic perspective which is best assembled at a central level. The EDORA findings are thus generally supportive of the ‘place based’ approaches advocated by the Barca Report.Rural areas, European Union, cohesion policy, neo-endogenous place-based approaches, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development,