Rethinking Sustainable and Integrated Development in Non-Urban Areas: Cooperative Foresight and Anticipation (Rural COOP)
Within the Rural COOP partnership, 7 project partners from 6 European countries collaborate to improve the implementation of regional development policies in rural and mountainous areas. By focusing on integrated territorial development (ITD) and applying participatory foresight and anticipation methods (FAM), the project empowers local and regional public authorities (LRPAs) to co-design sustainable, inclusive, and future-oriented policy solutions with citizens and stakeholders. Rural COOP supports green transitions, reduces territorial disparities, and fosters EU cohesion by developing innovative community-based models and aligning ITD practices across diverse governance contexts.
The partnership brings together public authorities, development agencies, and civic learning organisation’s, combining complementary expertise and regional experiences.
Programme: Interreg Europe 2021-2027
Duration: 01.05.2025 – 31.07.2029
Budget:
Total budget: 1,644,315.00 EURO
Partner’s budget: 161,300.00 EURO
Lead partner: Autonomous Province of Trento – Lead Partner (IT)
Partners:
LINKS Foundation (IT)
Opolskie Centre for Economy Development / Opolskie Voivodeship (PL)
Region Sörmland (SE)
Conference for Adult Lifelong Learning in Southern Switzerland (CH)
Municipality of Lushnje (AL)
Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Vratsa (BG)
Project Objective: The aim of the project is to improve how regional development policies are designed and implemented in non-urban areas by introducing participatory foresight and green governance approaches. Rural COOP fosters sustainable transformation through citizen engagement, collaborative visioning, and capacity building. The project prioritizes long-term strategic thinking and inclusive policymaking to support green community development and reduce rural marginalization.
According to this new perspective, local policy innovation should be grounded in anticipatory planning, stakeholder collaboration, and integrated, place-based approaches that enhance regional resilience and social cohesion.
Challenges:
The project addresses cross-cutting challenges affecting rural and mountainous areas in Europe:
Fragmentation in regional governance: Weak coordination across local actors and lack of participatory tools.
Underdeveloped foresight capacity: Local authorities often lack skills and models to anticipate future needs.
Environmental and socio-economic disparities: Rural territories face persistent development gaps and limited capacity for green transition.
Low civic participation: Limited involvement of citizens in policy design and implementation processes.
Expected Results:
Strengthened competences: Local and regional public authorities gain expertise in foresight, strategic planning, and participatory governance.
Improved ITD policy instruments: Local policies are redesigned using collaborative methods and adapted to regional realities.
Green community models: New, inclusive governance solutions co-developed with stakeholders to address rural sustainability challenges.
Territorial convergence: Project fosters alignment across diverse regions, contributing to EU cohesion goals.
Policy knowledge exchange: Leveraging the Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform (PLP) for sharing practices and tools across borders.
Key Outputs:
Good Practice Catalogue: A collection of participatory and foresight-based approaches in rural ITD.
Capacity Building Programme: A training series and toolkits tailored for LRPA needs.
Local Policy Workshops: Stakeholder engagement sessions using FAM methods.
Hybrid Policy Conference: A transnational forum to share results and foster replication.
Evaluation & Monitoring Framework: A structured methodology to assess impacts and ensure policy follow-up.
