Luxembourg Signs Greater Region Rural Areas Charter

On Monday 27 July 2026, Luxembourg's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Viticulture announced the signing of the Greater Region Rural Areas Charter, aimed at strengthening the long-term attractiveness and vitality of rural areas through enhanced cross-border cooperation.

The Charter was signed on Sunday 26 July 2026 at the Libramont Agricultural Fair by Luxembourg's Minister of Agriculture, Food and Viticulture, Martine Hansen, together with Anne-Catherine Dalcq, Walloon Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Saarland State Secretary Sebastian Thul, Samuel Bouju, Secretary General for Regional and European Affairs at the Prefecture of the Grand Est Region, Béatrice Moreau, Vice-President of the Grand Est Region, and Walter Reineck, Director at the Ministry of Agriculture of Rhineland-Palatinate.

According to the ministry, the Charter establishes shared priorities aimed at sustainably strengthening the attractiveness and vitality of rural areas across the Greater Region.

During the event Minister Hansen also thanked the Walloon Presidency of the Greater Region Summit for its commitment to finalising the document, which was developed by the "Agriculture and Forests" working group.

The Charter seeks to guarantee a high quality of life and equal access to services for all citizens, whether they live in urban or rural areas. It places particular emphasis on generational renewal, as well as the transfer and creation of agricultural holdings, which the ministry described as essential for maintaining a dynamic agricultural sector and ensuring long-term food security. It also calls for stronger cross-border cooperation in the fields of animal health and the management of animal health crises, noted the ministry.

"The Greater Region is a real force for cohesion in Europe. By combining our expertise and experience, we can provide concrete responses to the challenges facing our rural areas and strengthen their attractiveness," said Minister Hansen.

The ministry stated that the signing marks the beginning of closer cooperation, with partners set to exchange good practices and develop joint projects. A Greater Region LEADER conference is scheduled for autumn 2027, bringing together the region's 65 LEADER Local Action Groups to strengthen networking and foster new cross-border partnerships. It also highlighted LEADER Miselerland (Luxembourg) and LEADER Moselfranken (Germany) as the European Union's first cross-border cooperation based on a shared local development strategy.

Minister Hansen also underlined the importance of maintaining the LEADER approach within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), adding that the Charter reaffirms the Greater Region partners' commitment to working together to support vibrant, resilient and future-oriented rural areas.