Climate and environmental action, developing the circular and bio- economy, creating high quality jobs in the agriculture sector, for all these issues, involvement of rural areas is crucial to deliver real results. However, speaking at the Agri Innovation Summit 2017 on 12 October, Commissioner Phil Hogan explained that "this potential will only be fulfilled if rural communities are given the full benefits of digitisation and connectivity". Significantly investing in this area, the European Commission recognises its importance and has put in place policies and funding streams that are working together to achieve concrete results.