Have a personal or library account? Click to login
The Governance and Development Policy Dimensions of the Success of Rural Proofing Cover

The Governance and Development Policy Dimensions of the Success of Rural Proofing

By: István Finta  
Open Access
|Oct 2025

References

  1. Atterton, J. (2008). Rural proofing in England: A formal commitment in need of review [discussion paper]. Newcastle upon Tyne: Newcastle University.
  2. Atterton, J., Korcekova, V. et al. (2022). A framework of rural proofing actions: Final output 2022. Milanówek: European Network for Rural Development.
  3. Bryce, B. (2024). Rural proofing: Lessons from OECD countries and potential application to health [OECD Regional Development Papers, No. 73]. Paris: OECD Publishing. DOI: 10.1787/4011899a-en.
  4. Cameron of Dillington, E. (2015). Independent rural proofing: Implementation Review. London: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
  5. Estèbe, P., Desjardins, X. & Hodent, C. (2024). Rural areas and rural policy in Europe. Comparative approach to five countries: Germany, Spain, Estonia, Ireland and Poland. Summary. Paris: Agence Nationale de la Cohésion des Territoires.
  6. Finta, I. & Horeczki, R. (2023). Characteristics of rural development programmes in peripheral regions. Tér és Társadalom 37(3), 53–76. DOI: 10.17649/TET.37.3.3504.
  7. Finta, I. (2022). Development trends and implementation of the overall development policy principles of the European Union in Hungary. Új Magyar Közigazgatás 15(2), 1–19.
  8. Greer, A. (2023). Countryside Issues: A Creeping Crisis. Parliamentary Affairs 56(3), 523–542. DOI: 10.1093/parlij/gsg104.
  9. Jones, P. (2022). Rural proofing – an elusive concept? Town and Country Planning. pp. 345–349.
  10. Lowe, P. & Ward, N. (2007). Sustainable rural economies: Some lessons from the English experience. Sustainable Development, 15(5), 307–317. DOI: 10.1002/sd.348.
  11. McGlynn, D., ed. (2017). Rural Connections. Focus on Rural Proofing. Luxembourg: Publication Office of the EU.
  12. Murdoch, J., Lowe, P., Ward, N., Marsden, T. (2003). The differentiated countryside. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.
  13. Nieto, A., Alonso, C. (2017). 25 Years of the Leader Initiative as European Rural Development Policy: The Case of Extremadura (SW Spain). European Countryside 9(2), 302–316. DOI: 10.1515/euco-2017-0019.
  14. Nordberg, K. (2021). Distributed Rural Proofing – an essential tool for the future of rural development? Sociologia Ruralis 61(1), 141–162. DOI: 10.1111/soru.12316.
  15. Pazos-Vidal, S. (2019). Subsidiarity and EU multilevel governance: Actors, networks and agendas. London, New York: Routledge.
  16. Pemberton, S. & Goodwin, M. (2010). Rethinking the changing structures of rural local government– state power, rural politics and local political strategies? Journal of Rural Studies 26(3), 272–283. DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2009.12.005.
  17. Pollermann, K., Aubert, F., Berriet-Solliec, M., Laidin, C., Lépicier, D., Vu Pham, H., Raue, P., Schnaut, G. (2020). Leader as a European Policy for Rural Development in a Multilevel Governance Framework: A Comparison of the Implementation in France, Germany and Italy. European Countryside 12(2), 156–178. DOI: 10.2478/euco-2020-0009.
  18. Rewhorn, S. A. (2019). A critical review of rural proofing in England [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Chester.
  19. Sherry, E. & Shortall, S. (2019). Methodological fallacies and perceptions of rural disparity: How rural proofing addresses real versus abstract needs. Journal of Rural Studies 68, 336–343. DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2018.12.005.
  20. Shortall, S. & Alston, M. (2016). To rural proof or not to rural proof: a comparative analysis. Politics & Policy 44(1), 35–55. DOI: 10.1111/polp.12144.
  21. Shorthall, S. & Sherry, E. (2017). Briefing paper one: Preliminary recommendations to assist with the development of a guidance framework and monitoring framework for rural proofing related to the Rural Needs Act. Newcastle upon Tyne: Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Centre for Rural Economy, Newcastle University.
  22. Shortall, S. & Sherry, E. (2018). Rural proofing in Northern Ireland. An overview and recommendations on guidance, implementation and governance. Newcastle upon Tyne: Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Centre for Rural Economy, Newcastle University.
  23. Shortall, S. & Brown, D. L. (2019). Guest editorial for special issue on rural inequalities: Thinking about rural inequalities as a crossnational research project. Journal of Rural Studies 68, 213–218. DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2019.04.001.
  24. Shucksmith, M. (2018). Re-imagining the rural: From rural idyll to Good Countryside, Journal of Rural Studies 59, 163–172. DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.07.019.
  25. Thuesen, A. & Nielsen, N. (2014). A Territorial Perspective On EUś Leader Approach In Denmark: The Added Value Of Community-Led Local Development Of Rural And Coastal Areas In A Multi-Level Governance Settings. European Countryside 6(4), 307–326. DOI: DOI: 10.2478/euco-2014-0017.
  26. Woods, M. (2011). Rural (2nd ed.). Abingdon, United Kingdom: Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9780203844304.
  27. Atterton, J. (2022). Analytical overview of rural proofing approaches and lessons learned. ENRD Thematic Group Rural Proofing – Background document. European Network for Rural Development. https://ec.europa.eu/enrd/sites/default/files/tg-rp_background_paper-rural_proofing-jane_atterton_220127.pdf.pdf (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  28. ÁROP 1.1.22.-2012-2012-0001 (2013). „The modernisation of local public services for competitiveness”. https://arop.rkk.hu/ (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  29. CE (Council of the European Union) (2025). Special Committee on Agriculture: Implementing the rural proofing principle.
  30. CoR (European Committee of the Regions) (2022). Rural proofing – a foresight framework for resilient rural communities https://ldnet.eu/rural-proofing-a-foresight-framework-for-resilient-rural-communities/ (Accessed date 03/03/25).
  31. Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (2008). Rural challenges, local solutions: Building on the Rural Delivery Pathfinders in England. A report by Defra on behalf of the Rural Delivery Pathfinders, (London).
  32. Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (2022). Rural proofing: Practical guidance to consider the outcomes of policies in rural areas. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6388a51bd3bf7f32848cbc3d/rural-proofing-guidance.pdf (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  33. Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (2024). Delivering rural opportunity: third report on rural proofing. Policy Paper. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-rural-opportunity/delivering-rural-opportunity-third-report-on-rural-proofing (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  34. ENRD Thematic Group (TG) on Rural Proofing (2022). Rural proofing actions at different levels. Key considerations. Outcomes of the 2nd Thematic Group meeting: 19/05/2022. European Network for Rural Development. https://ec.europa.eu/enrd/sites/default/files/2nd_enrd_tg_rural_proofing_summaryboard_0.pdf (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  35. European Economic and Social Committee (2014). Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Community Led Local Development (CLLD) as a tool of Cohesion Policy 2014–20 for local, rural, urban and peri-urban development (exploratory opinion at the request of the Greek Council presidency) (2015/C 230/01). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2015.230.01.0001.01.ENG (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  36. Gardiner, B. (2019). Select Committee on the rural economy. Corrected oral evidence: Rural Economy: Tuesday 22 January 2019 11.30 am [minutes of meeting]. https://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/rural-economy-committee/ruraleconomy/oral/95525.html (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  37. Gaugitsch, R., Messinger, I., Neugebauer, W., Schuh, B. and Toptsidou, M. et al. (2022) Rural proofing – a foresight framework for resilient rural communities. (Brussels: European Committee of the Regions). https://ldnet.eu/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2022/06/Rural-Proofing_CoR_coter_nat_rural.pdf.
  38. GRANULAR (2024). D 5.1 Guidelines for the rural proofing of transition policies in Europe. https://www.ruralgranular.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GRANULAR_D5.1_Guidelines_for_the_Rural_Proofing_of_Transition_Policies_in_Europe.pdf.
  39. Hall, H. and Gibson, R. (2016). Rural proofing in Canada: An examination of the rural secretariat and rural lens. https://ruraldev.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/RuralProofinginCanada-HallGibson.pdf (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  40. House of Lords (2019). Time for a strategy for the rural economy. House of Lords Paper 330, Select Committee on the Rural Economy. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201719/ldselect/ldrurecon/330/330.pdf (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  41. Jackson, S. and Clarke, R. (2003). Proofing rural lifelong learning. Project Report. (London: Birkbeck College, University of London). https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/9582/1/2003_JacksonClarke_ProofingRuralLLL-TEXT.pdf (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  42. KÖFOP-2.1.2-VEKOP-15 (2019). “Public Service Reform Underlying Good Governance” Finta, I. (2019) Dimensions of self-government ability at the municipal level. (Budapest: Nemzeti Közszolgálati Egyetem). https://nkerepo.uninke.hu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/14691/Finta_Az_onkormanyzasi_kepesseg_dimenzioi.pdf;jsessionid=4AFC28AB8376EFFE3CFFF855354BAED8?sequence=1 (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  43. Kommun Forbundet (2016). Landsbygdspolitik och landsbygdssäkring – i Finland, Norge, Storbritannien och Kanada. https://www.kommunforbundet.fi/ekonomi-ochlivskraft/livskraft/landsbygdspolitiken-och-landsbygdsutveckling (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  44. Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (2023). https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/55/enacted (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  45. Mantino, F., Forcina, B., Vironen, H., Fonseca L. and Kahila, P. (2023). Review of rural proofing instruments and experiences in European and non-European countries [A deliverable of the RUSTIK project]. https://rustik-he.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/D1.3-Report-on-rural-proofing-1.pdf (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  46. OECD (2011). OECD rural policy reviews: England, United Kingdom 2011. OECD Rural Policy Reviews. (Paris: OECD Publishing). https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264094444-en.
  47. OECD (2014). Innovation and modernising the rural economy. OECD Rural Policy Reviews. (Paris: OECD Publishing). https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264205390-en.
  48. OECD (2020). Section 4: ‘Implementing the rural well-being policy framework: Guidelines and the institutional picture of OECD countries’. In: Rural Well-being: Geography of Opportunities. (Paris: OECD Publishing) pp. 139–177. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/9f760bc0-en.pdf?expires=1724338769&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=DBE7F17789650D00F7F125149B323CE0 (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  49. Parnell, W. and Lynch, C. (2022). Proposals for an effective rural proofing model for Ireland. Department of Rural and Community Development. https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/06a3d-rural-proofing-proposals-for-a-rural-proofing-model-for-ireland/ (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  50. Pazos-Vidal, S. (2022). ‘Rural proofing in Spain’. Presentation to the First Meeting of the European Network for Rural Development’s Thematic Group on Rural Proofing, Jan. 2022. https://enrd.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/tg1-rp_conclusions_of_the_g100_rural_proofing_initiative_from_spain_pazos-vidal.pdf (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  51. Prime Minister’s Office (2023). Finnish Council of regulatory ompact analysis, Annual review 2022. (Helsinki). https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/164804/VNK_2023_6.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  52. Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of The European Parliament and of The Council of 24 June 2021 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32021R1060 (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  53. Rural Vision (2024). Rural Proofing. https://rural-vision.europa.eu/action-plan/cross-cutting/rural-proofing_en (Accessed date 05/06/24).
  54. Woods, M., Heley, J. and Goodwin-Hawkins, B. (2018). The ROBUST conceptual framework: A Guide for Practitioners (ROBUST Deliverable 1.5). (Prifysgol Aberystwyth, Aberystwyth University). https://research.aber.ac.uk/en/publications/the-robust-conceptual-framework-a-guide-for-practitioners-robust- (Accessed date 05/06/24).
Language: English
Page range: 535 - 553
Submitted on: Apr 15, 2024
|
Accepted on: Apr 15, 2025
|
Published on: Oct 7, 2025
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

© 2025 István Finta, published by Mendel University in Brno
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.