A common European Rural Parliament will be organized on 13 November in Brussels, for the first time in Europe’s history. Representatives of local and national organisations from across Europe will come together for one day in Brussels to agree on what the most important development issues of rural development in Europe are. It is about raising awareness amongst politicians and those in power but also highlighting common issues and pursuing them strategically at the national as well as international level.

The rural movement is growing throughout Europe. People organise themselves and even if it happens in different ways, a historical mobilisation is going on in rural Europe. In the first historic gathering of the European Rural Parliament, one can meet organisations from the Nordic and Baltic countries that represent local development groups, and other that have formed networks of committed NGOs and institutions as in Poland and Slovenia. Some other countries and regions  have set up and now operate their own national Rural Parliaments such as Holland and Brandenburg, and some are about to hold their first, including Scotland.

New democratic standards!
The European Rural Parliament is inspired by the Swedish model where grassroots and policy makers meet on equal terms. We now go one step further and use our website to create more democratic, direct, open and transparent rural governance. Anyone can send in proposals to the parliament to be debated on the European Rural Parliament page. Additionally, anyone with interest, knowledge and commitment can apply here for a place in the European Rural Parliament (ERP).

People in the rural areas are no longer far from where decisions take place and policies are formulated, they can now advocate their needs and aspirations straight into the European centre of power!

The European Rural Parliament gathering will take place on 13 November in the premises of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

Inviters are the European networks: The European Rural Alliance, ERA, The European Rural Community Association, ERCA and the Partnership for Rural Europe, PREPARE. The event is planned and organized in collaboration with several networks and organizations involved in rural development. Main organisers are: Hela Sverige ska leva (All Sweden Shall Live), Soumen Kylätoiminta ry , (Village Action Association of Finland, SyTy)  and Hela Norden ska leva (All North Shall Live).