European Alliance Group adopts Panevėžys declaration on the sustainability of rural areas
On the 30th September in the town of Panevėžys Lithuania the European Alliance group held a very successful meeting which focussed on EU policy towards the sustainability of Rural Areas. Guest speakers included former Minister of Agriculture Mr Kazys Starkevičius, Member of the Lithuanian Parliament, Ms Daiva Matonienė, vice Minister for Environment, Mr Dermot Ryan former chairman of the Special Advisory Committee on CAP for the Irish Presidency of Council of the EU, amongst others.
The Group adopted the Panevėžys declaration on the sustainability of rural areas which clearly called for measures which are tailored, flexible and coordinated approaches to the challenges rural areas in Europe are facing with a reinforced role for local and regional authorities and stakeholders. The declaration stresses that rural development policy must insist on diversification, modernisation and investment in all economic activities located in rural areas having partnerships in accordance to a bottom up approach and local involvement as its core elements.
Some of the TV coverage of the meeting: