Author: Aleksandra Pawlowska (European Rural Development Network – ERDN) A GRANULAR perspective on the PREMIUM_EU final conference at the European Committee of the Regions. On 10 March 2026, the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels...
Beyond GDP and smarter indicators: GRANULAR Bootcamp explores how to measure what really matters for rural areas
Author: Maite Iglesias & Merveille Ntabuhashe Designing better policies for rural areas requires better ways of measuring what actually matters. This was the central message emerging from the GRANULAR Knowledge Transfer Accelerator Bootcamp held online...
GRANULAR partners discuss final phase of the project at General Assembly
Yesterday, GRANULAR held its sixth General Assembly online, as the project enters its final months before concluding in September 2026. The meeting allowed partners to align on remaining tasks and reflect on key results achieved so far. An integrated...
Climate neutrality in EU rural areas: from measurement to action
Author: Merveille Ntabuhashe (AEIDL) Rural areas are central to Europe’s ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Covering nearly 80% of the EU’s territory and hosting vast natural resources, rural regions hold enormous potential for climate mitigation and...
Rural tourism across Europe: Lessons from GRANULAR cross-visit in Italy
Author: Ilaria Lusini (GreenGea snc) Last year, the Italian Living Lab Val di Cecina Rural District hosted a three-day international cross visit...
GRANULAR’s assesses what is still missing in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)
Author: Serafin Pazos-Vidal (AEIDL) The European Commission’s proposal for the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework will shape rural development for the next decade. The European Commission tabled ambitious proposals last...
Changing patterns of farmland ownership in Europe raise sustainability questions
Farmland ownership in Europe is shifting from family farms toward corporate and group holdings, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. While company-owned farms often improve economic performance, this trend raises concerns about food security, rural livelihoods,...
New GRANULAR report shows what matters for rural wellbeing
Author: Gundi Knies, Thünen-Institute of Rural Studies Wellbeing, fairness, and resilience are central goals of the European Commission’s Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas (LTVRA), yet the drivers of wellbeing remain complex and...
Housing prices and rural attractiveness: case study from Czechia
Authors: Ing. Jan Pavlík, PhD. (CZU), Ing. Tereza Burešová (CZU) Rural areas can be attractive places to live, but how much do housing prices influence their attractiveness? Research emerging from GRANULAR project, led by the Czech University of Life Sciences...
Rethinking Accessibility: Universal Design in Rural Lithuania
Author: Monika Belhaj and Živilė Gedminaitė-Raudonė New research from the GRANULAR project highlights inclusive innovations in the Ignalina region in Lithuania. Dr. Živilė Gedminaitė-Raudonė and Dr. Monika Belhaj from the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences, have...