1. Selected results of the BBSR/DV-RURBAN-study
Rupert Kawka
Federal Institute for Research on Building,
Urban Affairs and Spatial Development
Closing event „RURBAN –
sustainable rural-urban partnerships“ 
Jan. 28, 2014 in Brussels

2. Increasing importance in the EU

3. Growth and balancing policy – a pragmatic reason
(partly) ongoing financial crisis
difficult public borrowing
uncertain future: new crash?
 rural-urban partnerships as compromise between
growth and balancing policy on regional level
 contribution to Europe 2020

4. “How can cohesion policy take better account of the key role of urban areas and of territories with particular geographical features […]?“
(consultation 5th cohesion report)
of 352 answers
= 31 %

5. A realistic idea? No different demands and goals
additional administrative burden
no statistically proven surplus value
no altruism
Yes
connecting complementary, similar,
same potentials
co-operation for mutual benefit
managing linkages for economic
development and quality of life
win-win situations and conflict
management

6. Good examples exist …
… but not too many and mainly
sectoral partnerships

7. Topics and time From linkages to partnership “quasi-natural” linkages
sectoral partnerships
integrated partnerships with
governance
Yes
Yes
Sustainability?
my bet: yes

8. Topics and strategic/project space
Small/medium
sized towns
sub-
urban
rural area
city
accessibility to infrastructure
new forms of service provision
regional chains of value added
positioning of rural areas
tourism and cultural heritage
renewable energies
built-up area
joint spatial planning
open space
peri-urban agriculture
clusters, networking
e.g. SURF,
PLUREL
e.g.
hinterland
internal/external marketing
governance, future strategies
economic development
ecology, environment
e.g. MORO,
The Northern
Way

9. What is relevant? motivated actors different actors same eye-level
linkages
concrete and
many projects
shared problems
success
factors
feeling of being
a functional unit
small steps
time (initially and
for sustainability)
strategy/
shared goals
certain form
of governance
(integrated approach)
experience/tradition
in co-operation

10. The role of the EU? external motivator with money, ideas,
studies, seminars, brochures …
(innovative action, demonstration project?)
combining growth and balancing policy
realizing more territorial cohesion
establishing an “aquis rurbain”
overcoming division between
regional and agricultural policy:
two funds, one goal, no intersection
= enough inefficiencies

12. Thank you for your kind attention Please feel free to contact me!
Please feel free to contact me!