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Interregional Workshop in Tallinn, Estonia

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By Project Coop4RURALGov

Data-Driven Rural Proofing in Focus: Interregional Workshop in Tallinn, Estonia

On 28–29 May 2025, partners of the Coop4RURALGov project will gather in Tallinn, Estonia, for an interregional workshop on a key challenge for rural governance today: how to implement databased and knowledge-based rural proofing.

Hosted at the Go Hotel Shnelli in the heart of Tallinn, the two-day event brings together policymakers, researchers, and project partners to explore how data, research, and local knowledge can shape more inclusive and effective policies for sparsely populated rural, coastal, and mountain areas.

The workshop opens on Wednesday, 28 May, with a keynote from Antonia Husberg of Finland’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Drawing on Finland’s rural policy ecosystem, Husberg will highlight how spatial data, rural research, and participatory approaches strengthen rural proofing in national policymaking.

A series of presentations will follow, including:

  • A survey on the future of spatial and temporal accessibility of local public services, presented by Holger Ehrlich (Estonia’s Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture) and Eneli Kindsiko (Foresight Centre, Parliament of Estonia).

  • A pilot analysis of draft legislation, assessing regulatory impacts on urban, rural, and coastal areas.

  • Preliminary findings of a comparative study on rural proofing practices in Spain, Bulgaria, Ireland, and Estonia, led by Anne Põder and Taavi Kiisk from the Estonian University of Life Sciences.

The afternoon will focus on validating and expanding the comparative study, allowing participants to contribute their insights and experiences in two working sessions.

The second day, Thursday 29 May, will center on the development of country-based rural proofing models. Participants will map out existing mechanisms at national, regional, and local levels and imagine what a more robust system could look like by 2027. This hands-on session will conclude with a summary of key takeaways and next steps for project partners.

A Steering Committee meeting will take place before closing the workshop with a shared lunch.

Coop4RURALGov continues to promote cooperation for better rural governance — and this workshop marks another step forward in building the data infrastructure and policy tools needed to make rural proofing a practical reality across Europe.