The Alpine Space SMARTVillages project published its policy recommendations to support the development of Smart Villages in the alpine area. Discussed during the project’s international conference in November 2020, these recommendations will be handed out to regional and European policymakers, regional authorities and EUSALP stakeholders in order to further enhance the smartness of mountain villages.
Case studies and recent observations demonstrated that the Smart Villages approach can help alpine villages to cope with natural constraints and distance, can facilitate their contribution to the Green Deal’s objectives and can help them to build more resilient communities, including in times of crisis. The SMARTVillages project therefore recommends to:
- Consider the smart transformation of mountain, rural and peripheral villages as a strategic priority in European, national and regional policies,
- Increase the allocation of funds for experimentations under the Smart Villages concept,
- Further encourage networking and exchange of experiences between rural and mountain areas and with urban areas,
- Make use of the Smart villages approach to communicate the innovation potentials and attractiveness of mountainous and rural areas,
- Develop digital infrastructures and skills, including in rural mountainous villages.
Mobility, access to broadband, social inclusion of newcomers, territorial attractivity and sustainable energies, among others, are crucial issues on which the Smart Villages approach can provide solutions through social and digital innovations. Euromontana welcomes these policy recommendations and encourages regional policy makers to make use of the approach in their future programming and to make of the transformation of mountain villages a strategic priority for the future.
Share the recommendations of SMARTVillages!
22 January 2021
