News

• The European Commission launches the strategy on the "right to remain" in your own town or in your own country

• The new European strategy seeks to guarantee opportunities and services in rural areas so that living in rural areas is a voluntary choice and not an obligation to leave.

• The PAC Network is disseminating the public consultation opened by the European Commission to gather input on the future of the “right to remain”

Rural depopulation and the lack of generational renewal in agriculture have become two of the main challenges for the future of rural Europe. In this context, the European Commission (EC ) has put forward the concept of the “right to remain ,” a new strategy aimed at ensuring that people can build their lives in their places of origin without being forced to leave due to a lack of opportunities.

The EC has officially launched the process of developing the “right to remain” strategy, an initiative that aims to ensure that all people in Europe can remain and build their future in the place they consider home.

This approach responds to a growing reality in many rural areas: the continued exodus of young people in search of employment, training and services, which directly compromises territorial balance and generational renewal in key sectors such as agriculture.

Continuity and generational change

The concept of “right to remain” takes on special relevance in rural areas, where depopulation not only implies a loss of inhabitants, but also of economic activity, services and opportunities.

In particular, the agricultural sector faces a significant challenge in terms of generational renewal , largely conditioned by the difficulty young people have in developing their professional projects in these territories.

Factors such as:

• the lack of diversified employment,

• limited access to essential services,

• the lack of connectivity or infrastructure,

• the difficulty in accessing housing or training,

They contribute to many young people being forced to leave rural areas, fueling a self-reinforcing process of demographic decline.

The European strategy seeks to reverse this trend by creating conditions that allow staying to be a viable option, an essential element to guarantee the future of the countryside.

Cohesion policy as a tool to curb depopulation

The EC underlines the role of the European Union's (EU) cohesion policy as a key instrument for making this right effective, through investments aimed at reducing imbalances between regions and improving opportunities in territories in strategic areas such as:

• Economic development and local employment.

• Health, education and basic services.

• Dwelling.

• Digital connectivity.

• Transport.

• Training and education.

The goal is to move towards a model where mobility remains a freedom, but where leaving is not a necessity forced by a lack of opportunities.

Open public consultation

As part of the strategy design process, the EC has opened a public consultation   until June 5, 2026 , aimed at institutions, territorial agents and citizens.

This consultation will allow us to gather input to define measures that strengthen territorial roots and contribute to combating depopulation.

In this context, the CAP Network has already disseminated this initiative through its social networks, encouraging actors in the rural environment and the agricultural sector to participate and convey their needs and proposals.

The CAP in Spain: measures to promote generational renewal in agriculture

In parallel with European initiatives, the Common Agricultural Policy ( CAP ) in Spain incorporates a set of specific interventions aimed at facilitating the incorporation of young people and ensuring generational renewal in the countryside, in line with the "right to stay" approach.

The CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 includes a specific generational renewal strategy , whose objective is to attract and retain young farmers and new professionals in rural areas, thus promoting their economic and social development.

The main measures include:

• Supplementary income support for young farmers, which strengthens income during the first years of activity.

• Priority access to the national reserve of basic aid entitlements, facilitating the start-up of farms.

• Aid for the initial installation and creation of rural businesses , financed through the EAFRD and managed by the autonomous communities.

• Support for training, advice and modernization of farms , to improve competitiveness and professionalization.

These interventions combine direct income support with structural measures aimed at eliminating barriers to entry, such as financing or access to productive resources.

Overall, the CAP aims to make agricultural activity a viable, attractive and sustainable option for new generations , thus contributing to keeping people in rural areas and strengthening the socio-economic fabric of the territories.