Rural community solutions to global challenges
The 6th ERP welcomed delegates to the North East of Scotland – Aberdeenshire, Angus, Moray and the Cairngorms National Park, on the 21st-23rd October 2025.
Scotland’s vision for hosting the ERP was to consolidate rural and island Scotland’s reputation on the European stage, opening doors for shared learning, and for new cross border community alliances, academic collaborations, policy synergy and business links.
Scottish Rural Action hosted the 6th European Rural Parliament, working in close partnership with the ERP Steering Group, the Scottish Government, Aberdeenshire Council and a host of European, national and local delivery partners .
Why Scotland?
As a former member of the European Union through the UK, Scotland were ideally positioned to examine the issues of the EU neighbour countries and many ERP partners.
Scotland can demonstrate local, national and cross-border rural development, out-with, yet in close collaboration with EU programmes.
Scotland’s enterprise agency approach to Community Led Local Development (CLLD) offers learning for European partners.
Highlands & Islands Enterprise’s 60th anniversary was celebrated and its story told at the ERP.
Why the North East of Scotland?
Aberdeenshire and the North East Scotland embody many aspects of Scotland’s rural economy and landscapes, and many aspects of rural Europe, in one area.
The geographic, cultural and economic diversity of the region “from coast to mountains” presents a rich showcase of the very best in public, business, community, and academic rural innovation .
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