Support to rural businesses Working for the improvement of the implementation of the RDPs Bringing together stakeholders Support to rural businesses Elena Maccioni Bergamo, 16.02.17

From September 2016: Thematic working Group (TG) on Smart and Competitive Rural Businesses Around 25 stakeholders including: Managing Authorities National Rural Networks Local Action Groups EU & national stakeholder organisations European Commission Messages from the TG Addressed to policy makers at EU and national level

The basics Thriving rural areas cannot do without: What should be evident… Thriving rural areas cannot do without: access to services & presence of a variety of businesses able to cover the communities needs Rural areas whose economic activities concentrate purely on farming activities / where no other sectors are developed: If you are not into farming are simply not attractive Fail to provide opportunities for demographic groups like the younger and the oldest generations Don’t fulfil the complex set of needs of active communities

Objectives Need for good business ideas & In order to successfully: Diversify the offer of services in rural areas Create job opportunities /new businesses Give space to innovation & creativity to new & already established businesses Need for good business ideas & a good entrepreneurial environment.

Opportunities Diversification & specialization processes reach the best results if they Build upon the resources available in the territory (local natural, cultural, economic & human capital), Provide economic returns that stay in the rural territories Contribute to the development of the rural communities investing in social innovation Multifunctional land use

Sustainable rural tourism Sustainable rural tourism is a perfect example of rural business able to provide all these opportunities: local + open to other markets (urban) + environmental sustainable + economic sustainable + innovation + in many cases provides additional services It builds up on local people, products, culture, nature Sustainable tourism both for the sake of preserving nature and also for the sake of giving equal opportunities to future generations Innovation is key in the tourism sector. Tourism is also stimulated by a endless competition and this oblige people working in the tourism sector to develop competitive products and services Involving demographic group considered disadvantaged in rural areas (young, women and people with handicaps)

Tools examples: accelerators, incubators & digital hubs Policy (1) Effective support for rural creative businesses / creation of the ‘entrepreneurial environment’ require: Tools examples: accelerators, incubators & digital hubs knowledge transfer access to capital development of services for businesses long lasting mentoring support networking peer to peer learning

EARLY FINDINGS - RDP analysis (2016-2017) Diversification & rural business support are provided mainly through LEADER/CLLD Policy recommendations: RDP measures addressed to beneficiaries that are not only farmers Target diversification & specialization processes Focus more budget on support to farming activities

EARLY FINDINGS - RDP analysis (2016-2017) Ultimate front of rural development & development of the tourism sector requires access to broadband & support for the development of internet based solutions Recommendations: Analyse the intensity of the investments for digitization & broadband infrastructures in rural areas  ESIF (structural) funds enough investments?

Thank you very much! Elena Maccioni elena@enrd.eu