News

PREPARE Advocates for Rural Europe at High-Level Meetings in Brussels

On 17 March 2026, PREPARE – Partnership for Rural Europe was represented by its Secretary General, Miodrag Matavulj, during an advocacy mission in Brussels as part of the European Rural Parliament (ERP) delegation. The delegation, which also included Piotr Sadłocha and Ben van Essen, engaged in discussions with senior representatives of the European Commission. Meetings were held with Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, and with representatives of DG AGRI, includi...
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PREPARE presents E-CLIF policy proposal to DG Agri

On 27 January 2026, the Secretary General of PREPARE, Miodrag Matavulj, accompanied by Tom Jones from ERCA, held a productive meeting with representatives of DG Agri. The meeting brought together officials from DG Agri units responsible for Social Sustainability, Research and Innovation, LEADER/CLLD, and Rural Areas and Networks. It was convened at the request of PREPARE in order to present its policy proposal for the European Community-Led Innovation Framework (E-CLIF). Advancing community-...
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Public hearing at the Committee of the Regions on the future of rural development post-2028

On 28 January 2026, Miodrag Matavulj, Secretary General of PREPARE, participated in a public hearing on the Future of Rural Development 2028+ at the European Committee of the Regions. The hearing was organised in the context of the preparation of an own-initiative opinion led by the Rapporteur Radim Srsen. The opinion examines the situation and challenges of rural territories across Europe and puts forward concrete proposals for financial measures to support rural development in the post-2028 p...
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PREPARE Participates in Cyprus National Celebration Marking 10 Years in the European Rural Parliament Movement

PREPARE is participating in the Cyprus National Celebration marking 10 years of the country’s participation in the European Rural Parliament (ERP) movement, hosted by the Troodos Network. The event is widely recognised as the Rural Parliament of Cyprus and brings together approximately 100 participants from civil society organisations, business, and the public sector. PREPARE is represented by Miodrag Matavulj, together with Panayiotis Papadopoulos from the Troodos Network. The programme includ...
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PREPARE and ERCA Strengthen Rural Dialogue and Cooperation in Cyprus

PREPARE and the European Rural Community Alliance (ERCA) are currently in Cyprus, represented by Miodrag Matavulj and Tom Jones, President of ERCA, to strengthen dialogue on rural development, rural democracy, and European cooperation. During their stay in Limassol, PREPARE and ERCA presented their organisations and the European Rural Parliament (ERP) on a local television station. The interview focused on the importance of rural voices, the role of civil society organisations, and the contribu...
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Lifelong Education and Training in FUTURAL: Unleashing smart solutions for Rural Communities’ Key Challenges

by reframe.food A continuous rise of climatic extremes such as heatwaves, droughts and floods has been observed by authorities across Europe. The European Climate Risk Assessment [1] of 2024, published by EEA delineates this phenomenon, clusters the affected domains and also spots the light on the areas of Southern Europe, low-lying coastal regions and EU outermost regions as the ones with multiple climate risks.Yet another challenge watched in Europe, and measured by Eurostat [2], is the cont...
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Circular Bioeconomy, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management in FUTURAL: Unleashing smart solutions for Rural Communities’ Key Challenges

by reframe.food All of us rely on nature for raw materials, food, energy, water and clean air. Nature and biodiversity make life possible, underpin our economies, and generate important social and health benefits. They are also our strongest ally in addressing the climate crisis [1]. At the same time, the EU needs bioeconomy to fight pollution and biodiversity loss while achieving its energy and climate targets by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050 [2]. Yet human activity is currently ...
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PREPARE Participates in the Organic Innovation Days 2025 in Brussels

From 4–6 November 2025, PREPARE took part in the Organic Innovation Days 2025, held in Brussels and organised by TP Organics and CORE Organic. The event brought together leading stakeholders, researchers, policymakers, and civil society representatives to exchange knowledge and discuss future directions for innovation in the organic and sustainable food sectors. The Organic Innovation Days included several key sub-events: the TP Organics Stakeholder Forum, the OrganicTargets4EU Final Conference...
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PREPARE at the European Rural Pact Policy Lab in Brussels

On 5 November 2025, Aris Adler represented the PREPARE Network at the Policy Lab “Rural areas and communities in the post-2027 EU budget and policies”, organised by the European Rural Pact in Brussels. The event gathered key policymakers, experts, and stakeholders from across Europe to reflect on the future of EU rural policy and discuss how rural areas can be better integrated into the next programming period after 2027. The discussions focused on the evolution of rural development policy and ...
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