Matignon announces a plan to fight against the territorial divide in the countryside

June 15, 2023

Technical assistance to accelerate projects in villages, funding to protect rural natural areas, medical buses… Matignon unveiled the outlines of its “France ruralities” plan on Wednesday, which Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne is due to announce on Thursday during a meeting. trip to Vienna.

This plan of around forty measures is the culmination of “a year of particularly intense partnership work centered on the issue of territorial equity”, i.e. “how we ensure all territories and in particular rural territories the same opportunities”, explained Matignon during a press briefing.

To meet the challenges specific to the rural world, which represents 22 million inhabitants and 90% of the surface area of France, four axes have been defined.

A “Villages of the Future” program will be launched to help rural municipalities carry out their projects (like programs for the “revitalization” of city centers such as “Action heart of the city”). And 100 “engineering” project managers will be recruited by the State and deployed in the prefectures.

Among the other highly anticipated measures, the villages will be remunerated thanks to the “biodiversity” allocation which will be increased from 42 million euros “to more than 100 million euros” to protect “rural amenities” namely protected natural areas (natural parks), but also areas that currently have no market value (soils, forests, ponds, wetlands, etc.) for municipalities.

Rural territories “represent extremely important issues in terms of carbon sinks, agricultural transition, production of renewable energies and this role (…) places them at the heart of ecological planning”, commented Matignon.

“France ruralités” also provides for an action plan which concerns “all the ministries” in order to improve the daily lives of the inhabitants of rural areas, where a feeling of relegation sometimes prevails.

On the transport side, a fund of 90 million euros over three years will help communities deploy “innovative” mobility services so that people “are less dependent on their car”.

Faced with the deterioration of buildings in certain town centres, a “vacancy exit bonus” will be put in place to put real estate back on the main residence market. A support fund for trade in rural areas must also be made permanent.

Regarding access to care, one of the main concerns of the inhabitants of rural areas particularly affected by medical deserts, the government will launch 100 “medico-buses” staffed with specialists, in particular gynecologists, in places “where it is most difficult to access” care.

Last axis: to perpetuate the system of rural revitalization zones (ZRR) – which allows companies, communities, etc. in rural areas to benefit from tax and social exemptions. Its cartography will be reformed to reach the most fragile municipalities.