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Data extracted: July 2024.

Planned article update: September 2026.

Highlights

Eurostat’s twin publications on Rural Europe and Urban Europe provide a detailed picture of subnational/territorial developments across the European Union (EU).

Designing effective urban and rural policies requires a good understanding of the socioeconomic conditions that exist, which in turn depends on building a solid base of knowledge. Reliable, timely and comparable statistics can only be produced on the basis of a coherent and harmonised methodology that delineates cities, urban and rural areas in a consistent manner. This article provides a general introduction detailing the principal statistical building blocks for compiling subnational statistics that can then be used to analyse a broad range of issues impacting rural, intermediate and urban areas of the EU.

An infographic in the form of a stacked column chart showing the population distribution. Data are shown by degree of urbanisation for cities, towns and suburbs, and rural areas. Information is presented in percent, as a share of the total population. Data are shown for the EU, EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Annual data are presented for 2021. The complete data of the visualisation are available in the Excel file at the end of the article.
How are national populations distributed, by degree of urbanisation?
(% share of total population, 2021)
Source: Eurostat (GISCO), based on census population grid 2021 and local administrative units 2021


Introduction to territorial typologies

Location is a key attribute to virtually all official statistics. Most economic, social and environmental situations/developments have a specific territorial dimension; in other words, they are located in a fixed place. This is dependent, to some degree, upon a range of territorial resources, for example, transport or communications networks, access to services, as well as natural and human resources. Such geospatial diversity makes analysing different territories a complex task. In order to cast some light on these patterns, Eurostat has expanded its range of subnational statistics to cover a wide range of different territorial typologies that are designed to provide reliable and comparable data.

Towards the end of 2017, there was an important milestone in terms of legislative developments for subnational statistics

Prior to this, different territorial typologies and their related methodologies didn’t have a legal basis and they were, as such, not formally recognised by the European statistical system (ESS). Since the end of 2017, subnational statistics have a legal basis that is developed around a set of impartial and transparent territorial typologies. The main objectives of Tercet include

  • establishing a legal recognition of territorial typologies for the purpose of European statistics by laying down core definitions and statistical criteria
  • integrating territorial typologies into the NUTS Regulation so that specific types of territory could be referred to in thematic statistical regulations or policy initiatives without the need to (re-)define terminology such as metropolitan regions, predominantly urban or rural regions
  • ensuring methodological transparency and stability by clearly promoting how to update the typologies.

Figure 1 presents an overview of the main territorial typologies that have been developed, often in conjunction with other European Commission services and/or other international organisations. At the most basic level, these concepts can be split into 3 different groups.

  • Grid typologies – Eurostat collects population statistics based on 1 km² grid cells. These very detailed statistics are used to establish various cluster types – namely, urban centres, urban clusters and rural grid cells.
  • Local typologies – are based on statistics for local administrative units (LAUs) which generally comprise municipalities or communes across the EU. Statistics for LAUs may be used to establish local typologies, including
  • Regional typologies – are based on statistics that are grouped according to the classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS). These provide information at a relatively aggregated level of detail, with data presented for NUTS level 1, level 2 and level 3 regions, detailing larger to smaller territorial units, respectively. The most detailed statistics (at NUTS level 3) are used as building blocks to establish, among other classifications
A diagram providing an overview of the territorial typologies used for official statistics in the European Union. The diagram identifies grid-based, local and regional typologies for basic territorial typologies, urban typologies, a coastal typology, a border typology, an island typology and a mountain typology.
Figure 1: Territorial typologies – an overview
Source: Eurostat, Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003

These 3 different types of territorial typologies – grid-based, local and regional – are closely interlinked, as they are based on the same basic building blocks, namely, classifying population grid cells to different cluster types and then aggregating this information either by LAU or by region to produce statistics for a wide variety of different typologies.

An example for Poland

This section provides a practical illustration of the different territorial typologies, with an example for Poland.

A set of six maps showing different territorial typologies. The categorical maps show examples for: population density based on the GEOSTAT population grid; the grid cell classification based on cluster types; the degree of urbanisation based on local administrative units; the functional urban areas typology; the urban-rural typology; the metropolitan typology. Data are shown for Poland.
Map 1: Territorial typologies – an example for Poland
Source: Eurostat (GISCO)

Map 1 shows the different territorial typologies that are used within the main body of this online publication. These maps illustrate the broad range of potential analyses that may be carried out when using Eurostat’s subnational statistics.

  • In 2023, the population density of Poland (118 inhabitants per km²) was relatively close to the average for the whole of the EU (106 inhabitants per km²). The 1st map shows that across the Polish territory there were relatively few people living in many eastern and northern areas, while the most densely populated areas were concentrated around the capital city of Warszawa and in southern areas.
  • Poland displays a polycentric pattern of urban developments, its principal urban centres – composed of high-density clusters – are shown in the 2nd map, including from north to south, Gdańsk, Szczecin, Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Warszawa, Poznań, Łódź, Lublin, Wrocław, Katowice and Kraków.
  • The 3rd and 4th maps are based on local typologies.
    • The 3rd map highlights that relatively large swathes of Poland are rural areas with low levels of population density.
    • The 4th map underscores that commuting zones surrounding cities in Poland are often relatively small. With the exception of the capital city, Polish cities tend to be relatively compact, with clear boundaries dividing these cities and more sparsely populated surrounding areas.
  • The final 2 maps – maps 5 and 6 – present information for regional typologies (based on NUTS level 3 regions).
    • The 5th map shows the urban-rural typology, with the vast majority of Polish regions characterised as being predominantly rural or intermediate regions. There was, however, a cluster of predominantly urban regions in the south-western corner of the territory.
    • The 6th map shows that most metropolitan regions in Poland were located in the southern half of the county, with the most notable exception being the capital city.

The degree of urbanisation: cities, towns and suburbs, and rural areas

The degree of urbanisation is a local typology that, at a 1st level, identifies cities, towns and suburbs, and rural areas (based on information for population grids); statistics using this classification are 1 of the 2 principal sources used in this online publication.

The methodology classifies local administrative units (LAU or communes) as cities, towns and suburbs, and rural areas based on a combination of geographical contiguity and population density. The basis for the classification is the data for 1 km² population grid cells. Each cell has the same shape and surface area, thereby avoiding distortions caused by using territorial units varying in size. The methodology is applied in 2 steps

  • the 1 km² grid cells are classified based on population density, contiguity and population size
  • LAUs are classified – based on the type of grid cells their population resides in – into 3 types of areas
    • cities – densely populated areas where at least 50% of the population lives in 1 or more urban centres
    • towns and suburbs – intermediate density areas where less than 50% of the population lives in an urban centre and at least 50% of the population lives in an urban cluster
    • rural areas – thinly populated areas where more than 50% of the population lives in rural grid cells.

More about the data: a refined degree of urbanisation classification

Although cities are clearly defined settlements, the other 2 classes in the degree of urbanisation classification are quite heterogeneous. For example, the 1st level of the classification doesn’t separate villages from thinly populated or non-populated areas.

The degree of urbanisation classification can be extended to a 2nd level (although there is no legal basis for this). By doing so, the typology can be refined to identify smaller settlements, through distinguishing

  • towns from suburbs
  • villages, dispersed rural areas and mostly uninhabited areas within rural areas.

By developing statistics at this 2nd level, these more should help deliver more precise policymaking and analyses, ensuring that the specific needs of different types of urban and rural areas are addressed appropriately.

A categorical map showing the degree of urbanisation typology based on information for local administrative units. The map identifies the following classes: cities, towns, suburbs, villages, dispersed rural areas, mostly uninhabited areas. Data are shown for EU, EFTA and candidate countries.
Map 2: Degree of urbanisation, 2021
Source: Eurostat, based on census population grid 2021 and local administrative units 2021

The final map in this introductory section shows the urban-rural typology. Statistics based on this classification are the 2nd principal source used within this online publication.

The urban-rural typology is a regional typology, based on aggregating information for 1 km² grid cells up to NUTS level 3 regions, whereby

  • predominantly urban regions are NUTS level 3 regions where more than 80% of the population lives in urban clusters
  • intermediate regions are NUTS level 3 regions where more than 50% and up to 80% of the population lives in urban clusters
  • predominantly rural regions are NUTS level 3 regions where at least 50% of the population lives in rural grid cells.

More about the data: the urban-rural typology with remoteness

The urban-rural typology has been extended to include the concept of remoteness, to help better understand varying degrees of accessibility for services and the availability of infrastructure and economic opportunities, which can significantly impact the quality of life and development potential of different regions across the EU.

The extension of the typology identifies intermediate regions and predominantly rural regions where less than half of the local population can drive to the centre of a city of at least 50 000 inhabitants within 45 minutes. As such, the 2nd level of the classification identifies

  • predominantly urban regions
  • intermediate regions (close to a city)
  • remote intermediate regions
  • predominantly rural regions (close to a city)
  • remote predominantly rural regions.

Map 3: Urban-rural typology, 2021
Source: Eurostat (GISCO), based on census population grid 2021 and NUTS 2021


Area and population

This section provides some basic statistics that underpin much of the information presented within Rural Europe and Urban Europe; it analyses the distribution of the area and of the population according to the different territorial typologies described above.

In 2021, the vast majority of individual 1 km² grid cells were rural grid cells; they accounted for 96.4% of the total number of cells covering the EU, while the remainder were urban clusters (3.6%). Urban clusters (also referred to as moderate density clusters) can be further disaggregated within the classification to identify urban centres (also referred to as high-density clusters); they accounted for 0.7% of all grid cells in the EU (see Table 1). As urban centres are a subset of urban clusters, the shares for all 3 types of grid cell sum to more than 100.0% (due to double counting).

Aggregating this information at a local level, rural areas accounted for just over three quarters (75.5%) of the EU’s total area, with approximately a fifth (21.0%) classified as towns and suburbs, and 3.5% as cities. For this classification, the 3 unrounded shares sum to 100%; rounded values might sum to slightly more/less than 100.0%.

At a more aggregated level still, intermediate regions accounted for 50.4% of the EU’s total area, with a relatively high share for predominantly rural regions (39.8%); predominantly urban regions had a considerably smaller share of the EU’s total area, at just under a tenth (9.9%). Again, the 3 unrounded shares sum to 100%; rounded values might sum to slightly more/less than 100.0%.

All of the EU countries follow the general pattern observed across the EU, with a majority of their grid cells classified as rural. Rural grid cells accounted for more than 90.0% of the total number of grid cells in most EU countries, the only exceptions being Luxembourg (89.4%), the Netherlands (83.6%), Belgium (78.3%) and Malta (50.3%). In a similar vein, more than half of the total area was composed of rural areas in 24 of the EU countries, with lower shares recorded (once again) in Belgium (45.3%), the Netherlands (23.8%) and Malta (11.2%). Across regions, it is important to note that 3 EU countries – Cyprus, Luxembourg and Malta – are composed of single NUTS level 3 regions. This explains why all of the area of Cyprus and Luxembourg is classified as an intermediate region and all of the area of Malta is classified as a predominantly urban region. Aside from Malta, the Netherlands was the only other EU country where predominantly urban regions accounted for an absolute majority (55.1%) of the national territory. At the other end of the range, predominantly rural regions accounted for more than four fifths of the total area in Ireland (88.8%).

A table showing the distribution of area according to various territorial typologies. The table presents information for the degree of urbanisation grid level, the degree of urbanisation local administrative unit level and the urban-rural typology. Data are shown for the EU, EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Annual data are presented for 2021. The complete data of the visualisation are available in the Excel file at the end of the article.
Table 1: Distribution of area according to various territorial typologies, 2021
(% share of total area)
Source: Eurostat (GISCO), based on census population grid 2021 and local administrative units 2021

As of 1 January 2023, the most populous EU country was Germany, with an estimated 83.1 million inhabitants. The least populous EU country was Malta (542 100 inhabitants).

Table 2 shows a quite different picture to the information presented above (for the distribution of area), insofar as around 7 out of 10 (70.6%) people across the EU lived in an urban cluster in 2021, with the remaining 29.4% living in rural grid cells; note the totals shown for urban clusters in Table 2 include the shares of urban centres. An absolute majority of the population in each of the EU countries lived in an urban cluster, with particularly high shares recorded in Spain (82.9%), the Netherlands (86.6%) and Malta (96.3%).

An analysis of the population distribution, by degree of urbanisation at the LAU level reveals that, in 2021, 39.2% of the EU population lived in a city, with lower shares living in towns and suburbs (36.3%) and in rural areas (24.6%). A particularly high concentration of people – more than half – were living in the cities of Malta, Cyprus, Spain, the Netherlands and Greece. By contrast, 45.2% of the population in Ireland lived in a rural area, with shares of more than 40.0% also recorded in Slovenia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia.

An analysis of the population distribution, by urban-rural typology reveals that, in 2021, broadly similar shares of the EU population were living in predominantly urban regions (38.0%) and intermediate regions (41.3%), while the remaining fifth (20.7%) lived in predominantly rural regions. There were 5 EU countries where more than half of the population resided in predominantly urban regions: aside from the special case of Malta (100%), the highest share was recorded in the Netherlands, where approximately three quarters (78.1%) of the population lived in a predominantly urban region. At the other end of the scale, there were 2 EU countries where more than half of the population lived in a predominantly rural region. This was the case in Ireland (56.8%) and Slovenia (where a peak of 57.9% was recorded).

A table showing population distributions according to various territorial typologies. The table presents information for the degree of urbanisation grid level, the degree of urbanisation local administrative unit level and the urban-rural typology. Data are shown for the EU, EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Annual data are presented for 2021. The complete data of the visualisation are available in the Excel file at the end of the article.
Table 2: Distribution of population according to various territorial typologies, 2021
(% share of total population)
Source: Eurostat (GISCO), based on census population grid 2021 and local administrative units 2021

Map 4 presents a set of gridded data based on the GEOSTAT population grid. In the top left corner of the map, there is a dropdown menu that provides access to a range of different indicators to analyse the latest census results by sex, employment, age, mobility and place of birth. The map can be zoomed in/out using the tools in the top right corner.

Map 4: Population indicators based on the GEOSTAT population grid, 2021
Source: Eurostat (GISCO)


Population density

Combining information on population numbers and area, this section focuses on population density – the number of inhabitants living in a particular area (generally expressed in terms of inhabitants per km²).

As people tend to congregate together living in clusters (often surrounded by wide expanses of sparsely populated areas), national and highly aggregated regional information may fail to capture the true distribution of populations. Looking generally across the EU, the largest concentration of densely populated areas stretched from north-eastern France, into Belgium, the Netherlands and western Germany, while there was also a concentration of densely populated areas in northern Italy. By contrast, the most sparsely populated areas were in the north of Finland and Sweden, as well interior areas of Spain and Portugal.

Map 5 shows how the EU’s population was distributed at a 1 km² resolution (when zooming in at the most detailed level). In 2021, there were a number of grid cells which counted more than 50 000 inhabitants per km², for example in central Paris or in the suburbs to the north and south of Barcelona. By contrast, there were almost 3 million grid cells which were uninhabited.

Map 5: Population density based on the GEOSTAT population grid, 2021
(number of inhabitants)
Source: Eurostat (GISCO)


Figure 2 presents information on population density, by urban-rural typology. On average, the population density of the whole EU was 106 inhabitants per km² in 2023. This ratio was less than half the EU average in the 3 Baltic countries and less than a quarter the EU average in 2 of the 3 Nordic EU countries: Sweden (24 inhabitants per km²) and Finland (16 inhabitants per km²). The highest ratios were observed in Malta (1 715 inhabitants per km²) and the 3 Benelux countries: the Netherlands (477 inhabitants per km²), Belgium (383 inhabitants per km²) and Luxembourg (255 inhabitants per km²).

Overall population density figures can mask quite different patterns at a more disaggregated level. For example, although the overall population density of Hungary (103 inhabitants per km² in 2023) was close to the EU average (106 inhabitants per km²), it had a very high level of population density among people living in predominantly urban regions (3 276 inhabitants per km²); this was 7.2 times as high as the EU average for the same subpopulation (454 inhabitants per km²). There were also very high density ratios – more than 2 300 inhabitants per km² – observed for people living in the predominantly urban regions of Denmark and Latvia.

A comparison for 2023 between population density ratios for predominantly urban and predominantly rural regions shows that the largest variation in ratios was recorded in Latvia, with 148 times as many people living in each square kilometre of predominantly urban regions (remote and close to a city combined). There were also relatively large differences recorded in Hungary (47 times as many people living in predominantly urban regions), Denmark (36 times as many) and Ireland (33 times as many). By contrast, the lowest variations – and therefore the most even population distributions – were observed in Slovakia, Lithuania and Czechia. In these 3 EU countries, the population density of predominantly urban regions was no more than 4 times as high as that recorded for predominantly rural regions.

A set of six bar charts showing population density, by urban-rural typology. Separate charts are shown for the overall population and for people living in predominantly urban regions, intermediate regions – close to a city, intermediate regions – remote, predominantly rural regions – close to a city, predominantly rural regions – remote. Information is presented for the number of inhabitants per square kilometre. Data are shown for the EU, EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Annual data are presented for 2023. The complete data of the visualisation are available in the Excel file at the end of the article.
Figure 2: Population density, by urban-rural typology, 2023
(inhabitants per km²)
Source: Eurostat (urt_pjanaggr3), (urt_d3area), (urt_d3dens), (reg_area3) and (tps00001)

Land cover

Land cover refers to the observed biophysical cover of the Earth’s surface; it can be measured in various ways, including field visits, aerial photographs or satellite sensors. Land cover changes provide information for assessing, among other issues, climate change impacts on biodiversity and natural resources.

Map 6 shows land cover across the EU in 2018, based on information from the Corine land cover inventory that defines a total of 44 different classes.

Map 6: Land cover, 2018
(% share of total land cover)
Source: Corine land cover 2018


Information on data

The data presented in this online publication were downloaded in May and July 2024, as a function of the release dates for the main datasets. The accompanying text was finalised during August 2024.

Some of the dynamic visualisations presented in this publication are linked directly to the online database for the reference year(s) mentioned in the title of each visualisation. As their data feed is live, the information presented may change over time, as new or revised data may be added to each dataset.

Users who want more information about metadata should click on the hyperlinks given as part of the source under each visualisation. Once the database application opens, there is an icon in the top-right corner that provides ‘Explanatory texts’.

If you have specific questions on the data, please contact: Eurostat user support.

If you want more background information on Eurostat’s activities within this domain, please refer to the following dedicated sections

Source data for tables and graphs

Context

The integration of a broad range of territorial typologies into the NUTS Regulation in December 2017 underlines the importance of subnational statistics as an instrument for targeted policymaking and as a tool for understanding and quantifying the impact of policy decisions for specific types of territories. The availability of these typologies and related data have in turn encouraged questions such as

  • does it make sense to have the same policy target for pollution in a city centre as in an area of natural beauty?
  • does it make sense to have the same policy target for educational attainment in a capital city as in a remote, sparsely populated rural area?

Analyses such as these have led to a territorial dimension being introduced into a range of EU policy areas. Grouping different types of regions and/or areas according to territorial characteristics can help to understand common patterns. For example, while many urban areas/regions perform better in economic terms and may act as hubs for innovation and education, at the same time, they may also face a range of challenges related to congestion, pollution or housing.

Eurostat publishes EU statistics at a subnational level for a range of topics. These data are widely used in the context of EU regional policy. The Tercet initiative established legal recognition for territorial typologies by integrating them into the NUTS Regulation and its implementing provisions, thereby promoting a set of harmonised definitions that are based on methodological transparency and core definitions; this integration also established criteria for creating and updating each typology (as required). In turn, this has made it possible for thematic statistical and policy-based regulations to refer directly to the territorial typologies when legislating for subnational statistics.

European policy background

European policymaking is inherently multidimensional. It has to encompass a broad framework providing objectives for the EU as a whole; equally, it needs to acknowledge the – often specific – needs of national and subnational territories. Recent challenges such as the global financial and economic crisis, security concerns from terror attacks, the refugee crisis, the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU (Brexit), the COVID-19 pandemic (and associated measures), the war in Ukraine, energy security or the cost-of-living crisis provide a few examples of the two-sided nature of delivering both EU-wide and local solutions in a coherent manner.

A principal challenge faced by EU policymakers is to scrutinise any new laws to ensure that they take account of the considerable geographical diversity within the EU. The territorial dimension of EU policy is increasingly recognised, underlining the need to make the best use of all assets while ensuring that common resources are employed in a coordinated and sustainable way.

Cohesion policy

EU cohesion policy is designed to promote harmonious development within the EU by strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion. In doing so, it aims to promote job creation, business competitiveness, economic growth and sustainable development, thereby improving the overall quality of life experienced by people in the EU.

During the period 2021–27, the framework for regional development and cohesion policy provides support to all EU regions, while focusing on less developed regions. The policy targets 5 key investment priorities

  • smarter Europe, through innovation, digitalisation, economic transformation and support to small and medium-sized businesses
  • a greener, carbon-free Europe, implementing the Paris Agreement and investing in energy transition, renewables and the fight against climate change
  • a more connected Europe, with strategic transport and digital networks
  • a more social Europe, delivering on the European pillar of social rights and supporting quality employment, education, skills, social inclusion and equal access to healthcare
  • a Europe closer to citizens, by supporting locally-led development strategies and sustainable urban development across the EU.

Cohesion policy is delivered through a number of specific funds.

  • The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) aims to strengthen economic, territorial and social cohesion in the EU by correcting development imbalances between its regions. It focuses on providing funding for key policy areas such as: innovation and research; the digital agenda; support for SMEs; and the low-carbon economy. The ERDF also supports cross-border and transnational cooperation, under the European Territorial Cooperation objective (Interreg).
  • The Cohesion Fund aims to reduce economic and social disparities and to promote sustainable development. Funding is directed specifically at infrastructure projects to support the development of trans-European networks in the area of transport infrastructure, and at energy and transport projects that display clear environmental benefits in terms of energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy, developing rail transport, supporting inter-modality, or strengthening public transport.
  • The European Social Fund Plus provides support for people, with a focus on improving employment and education opportunities across the EU, as well as the situation of the most vulnerable people (those at risk of poverty).
  • The Just Transition Fund aims to support territories facing serious socioeconomic challenges arising from the transition towards climate neutrality. It is designed to facilitate the implementation of a European Green Deal, with the goal of reducing the EU’s net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 (compared with 1990 levels) and to make the EU climate-neutral by 2050.

The total budget for cohesion policy and the rules associated with its allocation are jointly decided by the Council and the European Parliament. A total of €392 billion has been allocated for the period between 2021 and 2027. Together with national co-financing, about €500 billion has been made available to finance programmes across EU regions. A large part of this budget is provided to regions whose development lags behind the EU average, in particular less developed regions predominantly located in the south or the east of the EU, the Baltic countries and several outermost regions.

Regional policy and funding help deliver many of the EU’s overall policy objectives. Cohesion policy programming is embedded within overall economic policy coordination, in particular the European Semester, the digital transition, the European Green Deal and the promotion of the European pillar of social rights. These links between cohesion policy and broader policy actions have been strengthened such that regional funding to any EU country which doesn’t comply with the EU’s economic rules may be suspended.

The 9th Cohesion report on economic, social and territorial cohesion highlights significant achievements of cohesion policy in terms of fostering upwards economic and social convergence in the EU, but also underlines the need for further improvement of the design of cohesion policy especially when faced with new technological and demographic challenges and the need to upskill the labour force. This desire to strength cohesion and growth policy in partnership with national, regional and local authorities has also been clearly emphasised in the European Commission’s Political guidelines 2024–2029.

Urban development policy in the EU

The various dimensions of urban life – economic, social, cultural and environmental – are closely inter-related. Successful urban developments are often based on coordinated/integrated approaches that seek to balance these dimensions through a range of policy measures such as urban renewal, increasing education opportunities, preventing crime, encouraging social inclusion or environmental protection.

Cohesion policy has supported sustainable urban development since 2000. It addresses the multisectoral challenges cities face and steers them to think about the interlinkages between challenges, avoiding sectoral approaches. The development of comprehensive strategies has enabled cities to work across silos (independent teams working in isolation), promote synergies and foster local partnerships. The increased attention to urban challenges has resulted in strengthened cohesion policy support for the 2021–27 programming period, with cohesion policy investing more than €100 billion in cities, with about €24 billion allocated for the implementation of integrated sustainable urban development strategies designed and implemented by cities. In addition, to favour innovation and experimentation, to facilitate the exchange of experiences and good practices, to provide a single-entry point to EU initiatives and opportunities, and to support capacity building for cities, the European Urban Initiative (EUI) was launched in 2022 with an initial budget of €450 million. The EUI is complemented by the interregional cooperation programme on sustainable urban development (URBACT).

Cooperation on urban matters is also carried out at intergovernmental level. The work was launched in May 2016, at a meeting of EU ministers responsible for urban matters held in Amsterdam at which an agreement was reached on an Urban Agenda for the EU, as established by the Pact of Amsterdam. The objective is to include an urban dimension in EU policies, and the Agenda’s implementation should lead to better regulation, better funding and better knowledge for cities in Europe. The work in ‘partnerships’ was initially focused on 14 priority areas covering the inclusion of migrants and refugees; air quality; urban poverty; housing; the circular economy; jobs and skills in the local economy; climate adaptation; energy transition; sustainable land use; urban mobility; digital transition; public procurement, security in public space; culture and cultural heritage. In 2021, a renewal process for the Agenda was started, in line with directions provided by the New Leipzig Charter – the transformative power of cities for the common good in 2020 and its implementing document, leading in November 2021 to the Ljubljana agreement. During this 2nd phase of the Urban Agenda for the EU, 4 new partnerships have been launched so far: on sustainable tourism and greening cities (in October 2022) and on food and cities of equality (in November 2023), while a call for 2 new partnerships on water sensitive cities and building decarbonisation are now open. Future topics are already under discussion for 2025. Through its contribution to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Urban Agenda is also outward-looking and connected to global challenges.

Rural development policy in the EU

The President of the European Commission has stated that ‘Rural areas are the fabric of our society and the heartbeat of our economy. They are a core part of our identity and our economic potential. We will cherish and preserve our rural areas and invest in their future.’

To ensure that rural areas continue to play an essential role in providing homes, jobs, food, biodiversity, varied ecosystems and more, a European Commission Communication set out A long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas – Towards stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous rural areas by 2040 (COM(2021) 345 final). In shaping this vision, the Commission gathered views of rural communities and businesses via public consultations and stakeholder-led events in order to outline a comprehensive plan designed to help rural communities and businesses reach their full potential in the coming decades. It highlights 4 complementary areas of action

  • stronger rural areas – home to empowered and vibrant local communities
  • connected rural areas – maintaining or improving public transport services and connections, as well as deepening digital infrastructures
  • more resilient rural areas – by preserving natural resources, restoring landscapes, greening farming activities and shortening supply chains, rural areas should become more resilient to climate change, natural hazards and economic crises
  • prosperous rural areas – by diversifying economic activities into sustainable local economic strategies and improving the value added of farming and agri-food activities.

The EU’s Rural Action Plan is a proposal contained within the long-term vision. The plan is based around 4 blocks of action (supported by 9 flagship initiatives). It will

  • foster territorial cohesion and create new opportunities to attract innovative businesses
  • provide access to quality jobs
  • promote new and improved skills
  • ensure better infrastructure and services
  • leverage the role of sustainable agriculture and diversified economic activities.

The Rural Pact provides a framework for European, national, regional and local cooperation. It is designed to facilitate interaction on rural matters between public authorities, civil society, businesses, academia and citizens. It has 3 objectives

  • amplify the voice of rural areas and raise them higher on the political agenda
  • structure and enable collaboration and mutual learning
  • encourage and monitor voluntary commitment for action.

The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) is intended to help develop farming and rural areas by providing a competitive and innovative stimulus at the same time as seeking to protect biodiversity and the natural environment. There are 6 priority areas, namely to promote

  • knowledge transfer and innovation in agriculture and forestry
  • the viability and competitiveness of all types of agriculture and support sustainable forest management
  • the organisation of the food production chain, animal welfare and risk management in farming
  • the restoration, preservation and enhancement of agricultural and forest ecosystems
  • the efficient use of natural resources and support the transition to a low-carbon economy
  • social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas.

At the end of 2021, a political agreement was reached on a new common agricultural policy for the period 2023–27. This legislation aims to make the common agricultural policy (CAP) more responsive to future challenges, while continuing to support EU farmers within a sustainable and competitive agricultural sector. The new policy is built around 10 key objectives that are focused on social, environmental and economic goals

  • ensure a fair income for farmers
  • increase competitiveness
  • improve the position of farmers in the food chain
  • climate change action
  • environmental care
  • preserve landscapes and biodiversity
  • support generational renewal
  • vibrant rural areas
  • protect food and health quality
  • foster knowledge and innovation.

Following the allocation of the EU’s long-term budget – the multiannual financial framework (2021–27) – a transitional regulation intended to ensure continued support for agriculture, forestry and rural areas was agreed in relation to funding for 2021 and 2022. This extended most of the rules about the CAP that were in place during the 2014–20 period, while also including new elements to encompass stronger green ambitions. In total, some €387 billion of funding has been allocated to the CAP for the period 2021–27. This comes from 2 different funds: €291 billion from the European agricultural guarantee fund (EAGF) and €96 billion from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

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Other articles


Online publications

Methodological publications

Background articles

Database


Cities and greater cities (urb_cgc)
Functional urban areas (urb_luz)
Perception survey results (urb_percep)

Thematic section


Publications


Statistical publications

Methodological publications

Methodology


External links


European Commission – Directorate-General Agriculture and rural development

European Commission – Directorate-General Regional and Urban Policy

European Committee of the Regions

European networks

United Nations

Legislation


Statistical legislation

Policy legislation

  • Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 522/2014 of 11 March 2014 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1301/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the detailed rules concerning the principles for the selection and management of innovative actions in the area of sustainable urban development to be supported by the European Regional Development Fund
  • Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)
  • Regulation (EU) No 1310/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down certain transitional provisions on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)

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