A quick word on water and rural development policy after 2013 Mike Mackenzie Unit G1: Consistency of rural development policy DG for Agriculture and Rural Development European Commission, 8 November 2011

Essential general points Improved co-ordination with other EU policies ERDF, ESF, CF, EMFF New co-ordination structures at EU and national level Improved programming process built around “priorities” Simplified and improved measure menu Building on what’s good in current period Improving conditions, adding new elements

The “priorities” of rural development policy Fostering knowledge transfer and innovation in agriculture, forestry and rural areas Enhancing competitiveness of all types of agriculture and enhancing farm viability Promoting food chain organisation and risk management in agriculture Restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems dependent on agriculture and forestry Promoting resource-efficiency and supporting the shift towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy in the agriculture, food and forestry sectors Promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas

Two priorities in detail…. Restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems dependent on agriculture and forestry, with a focus on: (a)… (b) improving water management (c)… Promoting resource efficiency and supporting the shift towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy in the agriculture, food and forestry sectors, with a focus on: (a) increasing efficiency in water use by agriculture

Regarding measures…. Most of current water-related possibilities will still be there Change of baseline for many area-based measures Environmental element of direct payments included Easier to use measures in combination E.g. environmental payments + related training

Some relevant measures (1) Investment in physical assets investments in on-farm water efficiency infrastructure related to development of agriculture “non-productive” (environmental investments) Restoring agricultural production potential damaged by natural disasters; introduction of appropriate prevention actions Investments in forest area development and improvement of the viability of forests afforestation

Some relevant measures (2) Agri-environment-climate Organic farming Natura 2000, Water Framework Directive Payments Forest-environmental and climate services and forest conservation

WFD (and Natura) payments Compensation per hectare for specific requirements: introduced by WFD; in accordance with river basin management plans; going beyond level of legal protection existing when WFD was adopted; going beyond measures required to implement other EU water protection legislation; going beyond cross-compliance; going beyond “green operations” of direct payments; imposing major changes in land use and / or major restrictions in farming practice, leading to significant loss of income

For further information The CAP after 2013 http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/cap-post-2013/index_en.htm Commission Communication ‘The CAP towards 2020’ http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/cap-post-2013/communication/ index_en.htm Impact assessment http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/analysis/perspec/cap-2020/index_en.htm Legal proposals http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/cap-post-2013/legal-proposals/index_en.htm