Smart Village Network
Read the Smart Village Network Declaration.
The Smart Village Network is an open, independent, bottom-up network of villages, village groups and village associations across Europe that aim to exchange their views and experiences about smart solutions in response to rural challenges.
The Smart Village Network makes the voices of villages heard at local, national and European levels. It is an open platform to discuss and debate various issues related to 'smart villages' and the future of the rural development policy.
Read the Smart Village Network Services’ Position Paper
The Smart Village Network Services has developed its Position Paper in relation to the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) Regulation. It argues that current EU policies are not sufficiently supporting the right of 137 million rural citizens – 30 % of the EU’s population – to stay and thrive where they live. The lack of targeted financial support from the EU and a clear focus of its innovation agenda risks the collapse of EU rural areas and communities. The post-2027 EU budget, including the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), must reverse this. In particular, it should earmark at least 30 % of the MFF Fund for rural communities beyond agriculture, introduce effective territorial targeting, and support smart small communities as local innovation hubs.
The SVNS is also proposing a specific amendment and recommends the inclusion of a new article under the NRP Plan on smart small communities.