Study visit on Rural Proofing Good Practices in Finland under the Coop4RURALGov project
On the 13th and 14th of January, 2026, a Study visit within the frame of the Coop4RURALGov project “Rural Proofing. Cooperation for better sparsely populated rural, coastal and mountain focused governance” took place in Helsinki, Finland. The visit brought together project partners and experts from Spain, Bulgaria, Estonia, and Ireland to learn from Finland’s long-standing experience in integrating rural perspectives into public policy and governance.
Finland was selected as a host country due to its well-established Rural Proofing system. With the majority of its territory classified as rural, Finland provides a relevant and proven reference model for evidence-based, participatory and territorially sensitive governance.
The main objective of the visit was to enable partners to directly explore the Finnish Rural Proofing ecosystem, understand its governance structures and assessment tools, and identify transferable practices for implementation in their own regions.
The first day focused on Finland’s policy ecosystem for Rural Proofing and its integration into national governance. Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry presented the evolution of Rural Proofing as part of the National Rural Policy Programme, highlighting inter-ministerial coordination and cooperation with local authorities.
Participants were introduced to the systematic integration of rural impact assessment in national decision-making processes, supported by data-driven evaluations and stakeholder participation. A practical example demonstrated how Rural Proofing is embedded in digital preliminary impact assessment tools, illustrating how rural considerations are incorporated into modern governance instruments.
During the second working day, concrete applications of Rural Proofing in legislative and strategic processes were showcased. Participants were also introduced to a newly developed Rural Transport Impact Assessment tool, designed to reveal hidden mobility and accessibility impacts of public decisions on rural areas. The day concluded with insights into Rural Proofing implementation at a municipal level, highlighting opportunities and practical constraints faced by local authorities.
The study visit provided valuable insights and practical knowledge to support the transfer of effective Rural Proofing methodologies to partner regions, contributing to more inclusive and territorially balanced governance.
