Call: Consolidated policy framework and governance models for synergies in rural-urban linkages

• Health, demographic change and wellbeing;
• Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research, and the Bioeconomy;
• Secure, clean and efficient energy;
• Smart, green and integrated transport;
• Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials;
• Europe in a changing world - inclusive, innovative and reflective societies;
• Secure societies - protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens.

This Programme aims to promote the transition towards an optimal and renewable use of biological resources and towards sustainable primary production and processing systems. These systems will need to produce more food, fibre and other bio-based products with minimised inputs, environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions, and with enhanced ecosystem services, zero waste and adequate societal value.

Consolidated evidence is needed to assess the impact of urban-rural interaction on rural growth potential and understand, in concrete and operational terms, how linkages and dependencies between urban and rural activities affect the creation of added value and jobs. There is a need for thorough understanding and a consolidated conceptual framework to tailor policy intervention at different scales so as to maximise rural job and growth creation on the basis of synergistic interaction.

Proposals should consolidate a conceptual and policy framework adapted to the diversity of European needs, including a well-argued approach to defining functional areas. They should analyse how European rural areas interact with other (in particular, urban) areas in their region or beyond, should involve case studies covering a diverse set of territorial contexts and scales of analysis, should involve participatory research identifying concrete opportunities for greater synergies and cooperation between urban and rural activities and communities, and should assess the effectiveness of a variety of existing or emerging governance approaches and instruments.

Activities should look at economic, environmental and social linkages and dependencies in an integrated way and examine various territorial settings, covering various forms of territorial interaction beyond city-hinterland relationships, including networks of small market towns and other types of more distant, cross-border or international interaction.

At least three legal entities. Each of the three must be established in a different EU Member State or Horizon 2020 associated country. All three legal entities must be independent of each other. 

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of up to 6 million € would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts. Funding rate: 100%