News

• The European Economic and Social Committee proposes establishing a common methodology to ensure that European Union decisions take into account the needs of rural communities.
• Rural verification would allow the detection of negative effects of policies in areas such as transport, housing, health or education before their implementation.
• The report proposes strengthening the participation of the rural population, improving territorial data, and incorporating this evaluation into European funding.

Public policies can have different consequences depending on the characteristics of each territory. A measure related to transport, housing, or digitalization, for example, can pose specific difficulties in rural areas if it does not take into account distances, the availability of services, or connectivity limitations. To anticipate these effects, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) proposes strengthening rural verification , a tool that allows policies to be analyzed from the perspective of people who live and work in rural areas.

The proposal is part of the opinion on the initiative “ A rural verification tool to unlock the full potential of rural areas and communities by developing better, rural-focused EU policies for a fair and sustainable EU, ” adopted on 23 September 2026 , in which the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) calls for a common methodology for implementing this assessment across the European Union (EU). The aim is to ensure that rural needs are considered from the earliest stages of policymaking and that, when negative consequences are identified, adjustments can be made to improve territorial equity and access to services, infrastructure, and opportunities.

What is rural verification and what is it for?

Rural verification involves examining how a public policy may affect rural areas and adapting its design when necessary. It is not limited to measures specifically targeting rural areas, but also considers decisions made in other areas that may influence the living conditions of these communities. The EESC indicates that the tool should allow for:

• Anticipating territorial impacts: identifying both the direct effects and the indirect or unforeseen consequences of a measure.

• Adapting policies to local needs: taking into account demographic, geographical and infrastructure differences between territories.

• Correcting potential inequalities: preventing the rural population from having structurally worse access to services, opportunities, infrastructure or spaces for participation because of where they live.

• Evaluate the results: check if the measures taken meet the identified needs and make adjustments when necessary.

A common methodology for the entire EU

Although mechanisms already exist that incorporate the rural perspective into some decision-making processes, the EESC warns that their application remains fragmented and that there is no validated methodology at European level that guarantees coherent action.

Therefore, the report proposes establishing a common tool based on shared minimum criteria, with room to adapt to national, regional, and local characteristics. Its main elements include:

• An initial examination of the proposals: to identify from the early stages whether an initiative may have differentiated effects in rural areas.

• A territorial impact assessment: analyzing the social, economic and environmental consequences in greater depth when necessary.

• Consultation with stakeholders: incorporating the experiences and needs of rural communities into the evaluation process.

• Corrective and alternative measures: adjust the proposals to reduce the negative effects and document the decisions taken.

• Transparent follow-up: recording the findings and subsequently checking whether the policies have achieved their objectives.

The EESC also calls for mandatory pre-screening for major proposals and for rural verification to be structurally integrated into EU funding planning and evaluation.

Basic services, a condition for remaining in rural areas

The report notes that agricultural and rural policies contribute to providing essential public goods, but their benefits are compromised when communities lose access to basic services such as transport, housing, health, education or internet connection.

These difficulties disproportionately affect women, young people, and other vulnerable groups, and can limit their opportunities to remain in or return to the area. The document also notes that average rural income is 87.5% of that recorded in urban areas.

To address these inequalities, the EESC argues that the evaluation should take into account the different needs of the population and allow for the detection of barriers that could go unnoticed in general planning.

More participation and better data on rural areas

For rural verification to work, the EESC considers it necessary to improve coordination between administrations and ensure that affected communities can participate effectively in policymaking. Proposed measures include:

• Incorporate the rural population: facilitate the participation of civil society organizations, social partners, farmers, businesses and service providers, with special attention to women and young people.

• Create rural promoters in the ministries: appoint officials with coordination capacity and political backing to promote the application of this tool.

• Strengthen the EU Rural Areas Observatory: provide more detailed and comparable data on demographics, access to services and economic outcomes, broken down by age and gender.

• Improve coordination between administrations: promote the exchange of information and collaboration between local, regional, national and European levels.

The opinion also recommends reviewing the European Commission's Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas to broaden the focus of rural verification.