Danube4Rural.com

The Danube4Rural.com project tackles one of the major challenges facing rural areas in the Danube Region—depopulation. It aims to develop an integrated transnational governance model that supports local and regional authorities in attracting remote workers by leveraging the inherent strengths of rural areas, such as a higher quality of life, more space, lower living costs, and a preserved natural environment. At the same time, the project strengthens the institutional capacity of public authorities to create modern, adaptable policy frameworks aligned with the global remote work landscape.

The project will develop and test solutions within three key policy packages—Quality of Life, Financial Incentives, and Regulatory Frameworks—to enhance the attractiveness of rural areas for remote workers. These policy packages will be co-designed and piloted in collaboration with local and regional authorities, employer organisations, and multidisciplinary experts through the establishment of a Remote Workers Policy Hub, bringing together stakeholders from 11 countries across the Danube Region.

The project develops and tests solutions in the following three key areas:

  1.  ‘Quality living conditions’,
  2. ‘Financial incentives’ and
  3.  “Regulatory environment”


The project will develop and test solutions within three key policy packages—Quality of Life, Financial Incentives, and Regulatory Frameworks—to enhance the attractiveness of rural areas for remote workers. These policy packages will be co-designed and piloted in collaboration with local and regional authorities, employer organisations, and multidisciplinary experts through the establishment of a Remote Workers Policy Hub, bringing together stakeholders from 11 countries across the Danube Region.

Danube4Rural.com will test its governance model in 10 disadvantaged pilot areas and ensure its transferability across the Danube Region, ultimately enhancing institutional capacities and improving macro-regional governance.

Main data of the project:

Project title: Integrated transnational governance model for adapting rural communities’ policies to the needs of remote workers and employer organisations

Project Code:: DRP0301399

Partners: 12 projektpartner és 11 társult stratégiai partner, 11 országból

Lead Partner: Municipality of Moravske Toplice (OMT) – Slovenia

Project Partners

  • L&R Social Research (L&R) – Austria
  • Development Agency of the City of Prijedor “PREDA”  – Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Regional Development Agency South (RDAS) Serbia
  • Old Royal Capital Cetinje (PCT / ORCC) – Montenegro
  • Sisak Moslavina County Development Agency SI-MO-RA Ltd  (SI-MO-RA) – Croatia
  • South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency (STRIA) – Hungary
  • North-East Regional Development Agency (NERDA) – Romania
  • Business Incubator – Gotse Delchev, Entrepreneurship Promotion Centre (BI-GD) – Bulgaria
  • National Rural Development and LEADER Network of the Republic of Moldova (NLN) – Moldova
  • NGO Take naše (Take naše) – Slovakia
  • Agriculture Cooperative „Smart Village” Knežica (SVK) – Bosnia and Herzegovina


Project Budget: EUR 2 022 032

Funding programme:: Danube Region Programme

Projektidőtartam: 01.04.2025 – 30.09.2027