Towards A Smart Rural Europe – TASTE

regional dynamics of Europe. With regards to the orientations assigned by the Horizon 2020 strategy, we plan to identify the main conditions for a Smart Rural Europe, given the profound changes in rural areas and the new regional and rural policies:
- Is there a possible smart development for European rural areas?
- Which type of smart development (agriculture, industry, peri-urbanisation, tourism/leisure …) can be privileged with regards to regional peculiarities?
The project intends to identify issues and forms of smart development of rural and periurban areas, given the diversity of local configurations. Two issues will be investigated: rural-urban relationship and territorial governance. We will examine the contribution of public policy and governance patterns as a consistent and innovative means of intervention to support smart development of rural areas, and refer to the new rural
paradigm in its two meanings: researches about this subject and the new policies devoted to this development.
We focus on a set of countries (Austria, France, Italy, Netherlands and Sweden) and 15 case studies that allow for interesting and useful comparisons. We will start collecting and analyzing data about land uses and social behaviors in countries and selected regions, in order to identify possible figures of land use conflicts and various functions of these areas (Year 1). Then, we will make surveys and interviews at the local level and investigate the possible futures of rural areas, in relation with smart development diversity (agriculture, business, peri-urban extension…) (Year 2). We will finally provide local stakeholders and policy makers with dedicated tools, in order to transfer scientific knowledge to the
managers of the European rural and peri-urban areas (Year 3). These tools are intended to contribute to a Smart, inclusive and diverse European Rural development.