Smart Rural: current status of the intelligent, technological, social and sustainable rural development in the European Union

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the current situation in the European Union regarding the Smart Rural, that is to say, the intelligent development in rural regions throughout the 28 countries that form the Union. It offers a quick study of the socioeconomic and sector context and provides a diagram tool in order to easily determine the degree of development in four dimensions that have been proposed, which cover different aspects of the rural reality. The main findings picture a European Union that has a long way to go until reaching a state of rural development. This study includes implications for the development of the rural regions in the European Union and for managing the progress achieved taking into account that the main goal is to fulfill an identified need to know the real status and the main areas to which the efforts must be directed.