European Network

We work closely with our friends and partners across rural Europe. There is much learning to be shared between Scotland and those across Europe.

One of the ways that we engage with this network is through the European Rural Parliament. This is a long-term campaign to express the voice of rural people in Europe; and to promote self-help and action by the rural people, in partnership with civil society and governments.

It is designed to:

  • Strengthen the voice of the rural communities of Europe, and to ensure that the interests and well-being of these communities are strongly reflected in national and European policies
  • Promote self-help, common understanding, solidarity, exchange of good practice and cooperation among rural communities throughout Europe.
  • Enable rural people to play their full role in addressing the great economic and political challenges which are currently affecting Europe.
  • European institutions need to connect with the concerns, the aspirations and the energies of European citizens. The ERP provides a space for this to happen.

The long-term purpose of the project is to strengthen relations between Scotland's rural movement and rural movements in European countries.