Objective Rural Development (RD) is the result of complex, dynamic processes which are determined by a range of driving forces, including demographic, socio-economic, technological and environmental change. As a result, future evolution of rural areas in the EU is highly uncertain. Last decade studies on developments in rural areas in the EU have not achieved a common definition of 'rural' in EU, lacking harmonized data to describe socio-economic and environmental dynamics as well as meaningful indicators reflecting the specific situation in rural areas. There is an urgent need to know: what are major trends and driving forces affecting rural regions" At which scales do these processes operate" Which of these processes are amenable to change through RD policies and go vernance" How might rural policies be adapted in the future to take account of these processes" The results of FARO EU will help to answer these questions by reducing present uncertainties and contribute to defining appropriate future RD policies. We will follow an innovative approach for rural areas, by analysing patterns and trends of a selection of territorial indicators specific for rural areas within a Spatial Regional Reference Framework. The particular role and relevance of forms of governance and IC T and their effectiveness will be assessed. A set of scenarios representing a full range of rural areas driving forces will be produced to asses effects of the rural policies with conditional probabilistic futures. Scenarios will be (a) quantified through a chain of economic, environmental and land use models (b) qualified by SWOT analysis and (c) tested in five case study regions. The outcomes of the project will have a strong foundation in policy realities policies because FARO EU will involve stakeholder s in rural development and policy makers at the national and EU levels in several workshops. Final recommendations will identify effectiveness of present defined in the new RD Programme and future policies. Fields of science social sciencessociologygovernance Keywords foresight analysis rural development Programme(s) FP6-POLICIES - Policy support: Specific activities covering wider field of research under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) POLICIES-1.1 - The modernisation and sustainability of agriculture and forestry Call for proposal FP6-2005-SSP-5-A See other projects for this call Funding Scheme STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project Coordinator STICHTING DIENST LANDBOUWKUNDIG ONDERZOEK Address Costerweg 50 Wageningen Netherlands See on map Links Website Opens in new window EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (9) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITE CATHOLOQUE DE LOUVAIN Belgium EU contribution € 0,00 Address Place de 'lúniversite, 1 Louvain-la-neuve See on map INSTYTUT EKONOMIKI ROLNICTWA I GOSPODARKI ZYWNOSCIOWEJ PIB Poland EU contribution € 0,00 Address Swietokrzyska 20 Warszawa See on map Links Website Opens in new window UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address 6 kensington terrace Newcastle upon tyne See on map Links Website Opens in new window UNIVERSITATEA DIN BUCURESTI Romania EU contribution € 0,00 Address Blvd. mihail kogalniceanu, no. 36-46, sector 5 Bucharest See on map Links Website Opens in new window WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY Netherlands EU contribution € 0,00 Address Costerweg 50, 6701 bh wageningen Wageningen See on map Links Website Opens in new window JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE Belgium EU contribution € 0,00 Address Rue de la loi 200 Brussels See on map Links Website Opens in new window RED ESPANOLA DE DESARROLLO RURAL (SPANISH NETWORK FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT) Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address Constancia 38, local Madrid See on map Links Website Opens in new window INSTYTUT BADAN SYSTEMOWYCH POLSKIEJ AKADEMII NAUK / SYSTEMS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, POLISH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Poland EU contribution € 0,00 Address Newelska 6 Warszawa See on map Links Website Opens in new window UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Old college south bridge Edinburgh See on map Links Website Opens in new window