The future of the rural world has been the subject of much research in Europe and a large number of reports have been written on this subject. For the European Union, which aims to support rural development, it is essential to precisely define what a rural area is and even distinguish several different types of rural area. Rural areas are facing major challenges today which arise mainly from globalization, demographic change and the rural migration of young, well-trained people. Policies for rural areas aim to contribute to recognizing and making use of strengths and opportunities. Innovations have a direct influence on the level of welfare and satisfaction of each rural citizen and whole society. EU policies concerning innovations are aimed at transforming the European Union into a leading economy based on knowledge.