Indicators for the assessment of the potential for employment creation in rural areas

The EU Framework 7 project “RuralJobs” has used the DPSIR model to show the link between ‘driving forces’ of employment and economic prosperity, and policy responses. These driving forces can be ‘endogenous’ or (neo-) ‘exogenous’ to the territory. They act on the labour market or employment (‘state’) through the ‘pressures’ of jobs (economic activities) and people (the labour force). In turn, the employment rate (jobs per person) influences the ‘impact’ (sustainable economic prosperity). ‘Responses’ can be policy responses or socio-economic responses. A set of 40 indicators was compiled from strategies and programmes relevant to employment in rural areas in the EU.