• The 'Smart Rural' project aims to implement smart rural areas in Europe.
• Seventeen rural municipalities will be selected to receive guidance and technical support through the project.
• Five villages have already been selected in Finland, France, the Czech Republic and Greece, and another 12 will be selected by May 5, 2020.

This project will last two and a half years and will select seventeen villages across the European Union to receive guidance and technical support through the project. Five villages have already been selected in Ireland (Dingle, Co. Kerry), Finland, France, the Czech Republic, and Greece, with another 12 remaining to be selected before May 5, 2020.

Requirements to become a “smart village”

A rural town or city wishing to qualify as a "smart rural territory" must meet the following characteristics:

• Need support, ideas and inspiration.
• Have enthusiastic leaders who are committed to developing and implementing a smart town strategy.
• Have the human capacity necessary to mobilize for and in the process of smart town.
• Have certain basic technical capabilities:
  1. Sufficient broadband connectivity.
  2. Some initial ideas, flagship projects , or planning activities carried out on which the smart village process can be built, although this is not a prerequisite either.
  3. Candidates should be open to knowledge sharing and cooperation with other communities and stakeholders.

Ultimately, "smart villages" must strive to be rural communities that implement measures to retain and attract people to live and work in their communities.

Registrations

The simple application form is available at the following link:

https://form.jotformeu.com/E40/smart-rural-application

Form fields:

• The key features, challenges, assets and opportunities of the rural town/village/city.
• Description of the motivation to become a smart village.
• The added value you expect from becoming a participating village and the support your village/rural town needs.

What does a “smart village” get when it is selected?

• Would benefit from expert guidance in moving forward with village development plans and strategy implementation
• The village receives arranged visits from Europe to gain inspiration from the other selected villages
• Participate in exchanges and capacity building with other participating villages through Smart Village Academy events.
• Visibility is gained in debates and exchanges at European level

Registration deadline: May 11, 2020