Predominantly rural areas represent almost half of the entire EU territory and are populated by about 93 million people (i.e. 21% of the total European population). Although they are fairytale places, they pay the price of sudden socio-economic and environmental changes.
This is the reason why, with the support of the European Union, they must be converted to smart villages. In this article you will discover the importance of the digital transition for rural areas.
Read on or alternatively contact us by filling in the contact form to find out more.
Table of contents
Knowledge at the service of rural areas
The European Union has realised the need to combine the problem of overcrowding in cities with that of depopulation in rural areas, where the high school dropout rate has reached worrying levels. First and foremost, the low income of the population living in rural areas is a discriminating factor. It determines marginalisation, environmental degradation and emigration to more urbanised areas.
To prevent this from happening, it is therefore necessary to invest in the concept of the smart village which, although it does not have a clear definition, according to the European Commission can be understood as a rural area or a small urban centre whose traditional networks and services are enhanced by the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICT), as well as, obviously, a mentality based on the use of knowledge the benefit of the inhabitants and businesses in the area.
The digital divide problem
One of the problems that characterises rural areas is the digital divide, i.e. the gap between those who have easier access to new digital technologies and those who are partially or totally excluded from them.
In rural areas, with a predominantly agricultural economy, the digital divide often means disparities in economic, educational and employment opportunities. Furthermore, the lack of an efficient infrastructure and service network is the main cause of the digital divide.
One of the problems that characterises rural areas is the digital divide, i.e. the gap between those who have easier access to new digital technologies and those who are partially or totally excluded from them.
In rural areas, with a predominantly agricultural economy, the digital divide often means disparities in economic, educational and employment opportunities. Furthermore, the lack of an efficient infrastructure and service network is the main cause of the digital divide.
EU initiatives to promote smart villages
The concept of smart villages is linked to smart cities education, promoted by European initiatives such as the Smart Cities and Communities Initiative, the European partnership for innovation in cities and rural communities, which aims at better management of energy consumption, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and decongestion of roads.
The Cork 2.0 declaration
Another milestone in this regard is the Cork 2.0 declaration which, as of 2016, aims to:
- promote the prosperity of rural areas;
- strengthen rural value chains;
- invest in profitability;
- preserve the environment;
- manage natural resources;
- encouraging climate action;
- stimulate knowledge and innovation;
- introducing e-governance;
- encourage the implementation and simplification of policies to support rural areas;
- improve healthcare provision.
The Cork 2.0 declaration, in short, calls on European governments to invest in smart villages in order to make them attractive places where people can work peacefully with a high quality of life.
The EU Action for Smart Villages
The EU Action for Smart Villages, on the other hand, takes the form of an attempt by the European Union to illustrate more clearly all the benefits of creating smart villages in Europe.
The EU Action for Smart Villages states that the priority is to overcome the digital divide between urban and rural areas through policies to digitise essential services. In addition to this, other instruments supporting rural economies, such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the European Partnership for Innovation in Agriculture (EIP-AGRI) and the creation of a European Network for Rural Development (ENRD), play a highly strategic role.
More recently, we should also mention the European Commission’s final report (2019) on smart eco social villages and the European Green Deal.
Issues related to smart village development
One of the main problems related to the development of smart villages is the lack of Internet availability, which has an impact on entrepreneurship and tourism.
This was stated in the European Parliament’s Smart Villages (2021) briefing, which led to the establishment of a «pact for smart villages with a view to ensuring a more effective, integrated and coordinated approach to EU policies aimed at improving the quality of life in rural areas».
However, the main challenge to be addressed is digital literacy. With the new EU programming 2021-2027, the emphasis will in fact be on all those ‘smart’ services that schools in rural areas need.
In concrete terms, it is a matter for the social partners (political actors and citizens) to co-design systems capable of changing the perception of rural territories with low population density; these territories are undoubtedly a valuable asset for the European community and are, according to European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen, «a fundamental part of our identity and economic potential».
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