Last July the European Commission presented its proposal for the next €2 trillion Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) covering 2028–2034. President Ursula von der Leyen described it as a budget designed to meet Europe’s strategic ambitions in a time defined by...
Testing the GRANULAR Rural Proofing: What Living Labs Taught Us
Author: Giulia Martino (Ecorys) Can rural proofing really help policymakers design better, fairer policies for rural areas? That’s what eight Multi-Actor Labs across Europe set out to explore as part of the GRANULAR project. From Finland to Greece, and...
Rural resilience through a gender lens: What labour data and Regional Economic Dynamics in the EU reveals
Authors: Debora Pricila Birgier & Carlos Tapia (Nordregio) In many EU Member States, rural women face persistent structural disadvantages in labour markets. This has significant implications – not just for gender equality, but for the long-term resilience of...
Measuring Climate Neutrality in Rural Areas: A New Framework from GRANULAR
Author: Yuval Damari (Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Montpellier) As Europe advances towards its climate neutrality goals, rural areas play a crucial role in this transformation. However, most existing tools for monitoring climate neutrality are primarily...
Empowering Rural Communities: Strategies for Inclusive and Competitive Economies
May 20, 2025 | Blog, Knowledge Transfer Accelerator
Brussels, 16 May 2025 – Experts, policymakers, and researchers gathered virtually for a dynamic session under the GRANULAR project, discussing how innovative tools, data, and policy frameworks can boost economic resilience and competitiveness in Europe’s rural...
Living Labs Driving Change in Rural Areas: Insights from the GRANULAR Webinar
Mar 19, 2025 | Blog, Knowledge Transfer Accelerator
Author: Maite Iglesias (AEIDL) March 18, 2025 – A total of 98 participants joined the latest GRANULAR webinar to explore the transformative role of Living Labs in shaping rural development across Europe. Organised by the European Association for Innovation in...
Granular Rural Data: A Key to Understanding and Supporting Rural Communities
Dec 5, 2024 | Blog, Knowledge Transfer Accelerator
Author: Merveille Ntabuhashe (AEIDL) Yesterday, 75 actors convened to GRANULAR webinar to discuss the critical role of data in understanding and supporting rural communities. Organised by the European Association for Innovation in Local Development (AEIDL) as part of...
Empowering rural policy with data: New guidelines from GRANULAR
Nov 14, 2024 | Blog
By University of Pisa, Ciheam IAMM and IIASA. The GRANULAR project recently released new guidelines and training materials for data collection. Developed in collaboration with inputs from the project’s seven Living Labs, the report offers practical steps for local...
GRANULAR Rural Proofing: Tailoring Policies for EU Rural Areas
Author: Giulia Martino (Ecorys) Let’s imagine that you are a policymaker tasked with designing a new mobility strategy in your region. Let’s assume that your strategy includes a policy commitment to provide free bus travel to all children under a...
Enhancing rural policy effectiveness through Rural Proofing: Lessons from the OECD
Jul 16, 2024 | Blog, European projects
Author: Merveille Ntabuhashe, AEIDL The role of rural areas in the current socio-economic landscape is crucial. Yet, these regions often face unique challenges that demand tailored policy solutions. The new OECD paper by Betty-Ann Bryce, titled "Rural Proofing:...