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Since the reform of the EU Common Agricultural Policy CAP in 2003/2004, rural development is playing an increasingly important role in helping regional areas (91% of the EU's territory and home to approximately 56% of its population) to meet the economic, social and environmental challenges of the 21st century. The EU member states are encouraged to work towards a more sustainable rural development, in line with the Göteborg Strategy, and to boost growth as well as to create jobs in regional areas, in line with the Lisbon Strategy.
At the moment, Europe's regional areas are diverse and include many leading regions. However, some areas will face particular challenges as regards jobs, vitality and sustainability in the coming years. Furthermore, the continued restructuring and modernisation of Europe's rural economy will place a heavy burden on many regional areas.
The project partners in Vital Rural Area encounter in their own regions - on a
Only by creating transnational networks it will be possible to develop sustainable solutions and to release hidden potential.Local and regional authorities are mostly too small to solve these challenges. Acting on their own and with too limited resources they can only present partial solutions. However, the participants in Vital Rural Area have already experienced in the preparatory phase that combining forces in an European alliance leads to better and more adequate remedies. Especially if all players (policy makers,
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