Demographic basis of rural territories state support in the EU countries

Abstract

Demographic processes observed within the boundaries of European Union rural areas, including a decrease in the rural population, unfavorable changes in its age composition, deterioration in health, an increase in mortality for various reasons, and especially in connection with the pandemic COVID-19, cause new serious problems that require an active state intervention, namely the development and application of government support various forms. The purpose of the study, the results of which are presented in this article, is generalization and analysis of the available statistical material on rural demography in the EU countries over the past few decades, identification of the main trends and problems in the development of their rural areas, general characteristics those components of the Common Agricultural Policy that are aimed directly at rural development in the current conditions. The work uses survey and analytical research methods that are suitable for studying a large amount of data over a long period of time, including information regarding the demography of the EU countries, presented in the sources of global statistics. The hypotheses verifi ed in the course of the study allowed, in the end, to conclude that negative demographic processes in some countries of the European Union correlate with the phenomena observed in domestic demography and, as a result, determine similar problems and directions for their solution, the growth of the rural population, recorded in some countries (especially in connection with the coronavirus crisis and its consequences), generates many important tasks in the development of rural areas, as it is accompanied by an additional need for jobs, infrastructure facilities, services that important for life. The conclusions obtained during the research of demographic processes in the EU countries are advisable for using as, firstly, a starting point in further research to identify the possibilities for incorporating the European experience in supporting rural areas in domestic economic practice, and secondly, conceptual ideas in determining the content of the relevant public policy.