STEP experts will represent Bulgaria on the 5th edition of the European Rural Parliament

Experts from STEP will take part in the 5th edition of the European Rural Parliament (ERP), which will take place from September 12-15 in Kielce, Poland. During the four days of the ERP, representatives of communities and organizations, scientific institutes and officials from the EU institutions will have the opportunity to exchange good practices and cooperate on important topics for the development of rural areas in Europe.

The European Rural Parliament (ERP) is the result of a long-term campaign that stands up for Europe's rural communities and ensures that the interests and well-being of these communities are strongly reflected in national and European policies. It is driven by the belief that rural people in the EU are under-represented in national and European debates and in the shaping of policies and programmes. Rural people themselves have the best understanding of their strengths, opportunities and needs. Rural communities must be encouraged to take action in the pursuit of their own well-being and be effective partners with national governments.

Over 200 million people in Europe live in rural areas - almost 1/3 of the population of the entire EU. They are a strong part of the economy of both the EU and national member states. With each passing year, the challenges before them increase - climate changes, bringing up numbers of social and economic changes, the loss of young people of working age, depopulation, etc. Their future depends on vigorous actions by the rural communities themselves, as well as on effective policies by governments at all levels.

The ERP 2022 program will include debates, workshops and study visits to local communities, local authorities and entrepreneurs. Participants will be able to learn about Polish traditions, examples of good practices in tourism, environmental protection, sports, culture, green energy, job creation, etc.

The full program can be viewed from the link: http://www.erp2022.eu/7,none,Programme

The European Rural Parliament is co-initiated by three pan-European networks:

European Rural Community Alliance (ERCA)

PREPARE Partnership for Rural Europe

European LEADER Association for Rural Development (ELARD)

More information on the ERP website: https://europeanruralparliament.com/