ECR member Oszkár Seszták represented our group during a discussion with European Commission Vice-President Dubravka Šuica and Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski in the January CoR plenary. His main request was the protection of rural areas "given the numerous challenges they face".

Demographic challenges have significant consequences for rural areas, highlighted Mr Seszták, "and if we take the negative effects of climate change on agricultural production, for example, this will force more and more people to move away from rural areas".

However, when regenerating rural areas, Mr Seszták warned that their cultural traditions and diversity must be protected as they can "easily end up being dismantled by globalisation".

Mr Seszták's final words in the debate were that the countryside should not be seen as a source of problems, "but as an opportunity where there could be social reproduction, a circular economy, an abundance of locally produced food, and recreational tourism".

Mr Seszták is the president of County Council of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg Megye in Hungary and Member of the Natural Resources Commission in the European Committee of the Regions.