Logo for the European Rural Parliament featuring a green map of Europe with colorful speech bubbles above. Text reads European Rural Parliament.
Logo of the European Rural Parliament featuring a green map of Europe surrounded by colorful speech bubbles. The text European Rural Parliament is in bold black letters on the left.
Five people stand on a stage at the European Rural Parliament event. One person is holding a certificate and shaking hands with another, while the others look on and smile. A banner and screen display the event’s logo.

About the ERP

The European Rural Parliament

Expressing the voices of rural people in Europe; promoting self-help and action by rural people, in partnership with civil society and governments.

What is the ERP?

The European Rural Parliament (ERP) was designed by ELARD, ERCA and Prepare to:

  • Strenghen the voice of the rural communities accross Europe, and ensure that their interests and well-being are strongly reflected in national and European policies.
  • Promote self-help, common understanding, solidarity, the exchange of good practice and cooperation among rural communities throughout Europe.
  • Enable rural people to play their full role in addressing the great economic and political challenges currently affecting Europe.

A Gathering is held every two years, bringing together rural players – local, national and European – to exchange experiences and agree the rural policy agenda with which to advocate to policy makers at national and EU levels. Each Gathering attracts between 350-400 participants from around 40 countries. In each alternate year a Mid-Term Event is held to review progress and raise new agendas.

Rural Youth Europe has integrated the consortium as a fourth partner in 2025. The ERP has 70 national and regional Partner organisations in 40 European countries (Council of Europe Area) and 7 pan-European networks, all civil society organisations working for the wider benefit of rural communities.

The 6th European Rural Parliament took place in Inverurie, from 20 to 23rd October, 2025. The event gathered more than 400 delegates from 39 countries. The event was hosted by our Scottish partner, Scottish Rural Action,  under the theme: ‘Rural Community Solutions to Global Challenges’.

Learn more
Colorful bunting and signs reading European Rural Parliament and Sharing Hopes... hang above handwritten notes clipped to a line in a bright indoor event space.
A person wearing a yellow European Parliament shirt holds a slice of cake on a napkin in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Another person is blurred in the background.
A handwritten note clipped to a string of colorful bunting reads, I hope too many connections occur rather than too few, displayed in a lively indoor setting with people in the background.

History of the ERP

The European Rural Parliament was initiated in 2013 by ERCA, working with its Swedish member Hela Sverige ska leva (Rural Sweden) who led and funded the first event in Brussels in 2013, based on the original model of the Swedish Rural Parliament.

Following the 1st ERP, a partnership of 3 pan-European networks was established to manage the ERP process and gatherings: European Rural Community Alliance (ERCA), Partnerships for Rural Europe (PREPARE), European LEADER Association for Rural Development (ELARD).

Five ERPs have been held in Brussels (2013), Austria (2015), Netherlands (2017), Spain (2019) and Poland (2022) – delayed due to Covid.

A group of people, mainly children, walk down a street carrying various national flags, including Italy, Scotland, and Bulgaria. They proudly wear green shirts as they march past houses and a tree in the background. This vibrant parade truly captures the spirit of unity that defines us.
A group of people standing in a row in front of multiple international flags inside a modern room with wooden walls and a ceiling. The group includes men and women dressed in business and casual attire.
A group of children dressed in traditional Eastern European attire perform on an outdoor stage adorned with sunflowers. The backdrop features trees and a clear blue sky. A large speaker is positioned to the right of the stage.
Logo with three overlapping human shapes in blue, green, and red, symbolizing unity and collaboration akin to the Scottish Rural Islands Parliament, next to the text Empowering Minds Together in black.
Logo of the European Leader Association for Rural Development. It features the abbreviation ELARD with blue swirls and stars, reminiscent of the Scottish Rural Islands Parliament. Text on the right reads European Leader Association for Rural Development, Brussels, www.elard.eu.
The logo of the PREPARE Partnership for Rural Europe showcases abstract shapes in purple and green, reminiscent of the diverse landscapes celebrated by the Scottish Rural Islands Parliament, with the text elegantly positioned alongside.
Purple text reads Rural Youth Europe with tulip shapes integrated into the words, forming a vertical line through the center. The design combines floral and bold text elements on a light background.

ERP Community

A woman holding a white mug sits at a table, engaged in conversation with three men in a busy indoor setting. This lively scene captures the spirit of connection and collaboration that defines our About Us story.
Read more

The 6th ERP

A group of people sit around a table covered with sticky notes, engaging in a lively discussion during a workshop. Several other groups are visible in the background, with coffee cups and papers on the tables.
Read more

Youth Parliament

A group of people stand outdoors in front of a modern building, listening attentively to a woman speaking. Some wear name badges and lanyards, suggesting an event or tour. Trees and parked cars are visible in the background.
Read more

Support Us

Four people stand in front of a purple backdrop, smiling and waving. They wear name badges, and a banner for the European Rural Parliament is visible on the left side of the image.
Read more
Skip to content