THE EUROPEAN COUNTRYSIDE MOVEMENT

The European Countryside Movement is a collaborative platform, open to representative non-governmental Organisations with an international focus.

The E.C.M. is a platform with variable geometry gathered around initiatives and / or specific communications. Without any moral or political personality, it values the specificities of associated NGOs in respect of their identity and their diversity. R.E.D. is the depositary and ensures the adequacy between the issues of the E.C.M. and the actions which carry the label.

The main objectives of this Movement are :

• to promote an integrated rural development policy which can mobilise and bring together all sectoral interests, by participative approaches of local development;

• to enter into useful dialogue with the international institutions, particularly those of the European Union, in order to protect the interests of all countryside socio-economic sectors, especially in the application of Community policies;

• to maintain the social and economic multi-functionality of the countryside in a positive relationship with urban areas;

• to contribute to the improvement of the overall quality of life of rural populations and preserve the autonomy of their actions;

• to bring together town and countryside, ensuring that both are involved on an equal footing in the development and implementation of land management policies at national and regional levels ;

The E.C.M. organizes meetings on the topical issues of rural development in Europe and adopts positions within the framework of the preparation of policies of the European Union.