MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale Ministero delle Politiche Agricole e Forestali Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale Krakow, 30th November 2005 Giuseppe Blasi Future of European Rural Development Italian experience in programming and challenges for new generation of RDPs

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale Table of contents Financial management and rural development Rural development consistency and integration with other policies

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale OBJECTIVE 1 REGIONS: - 1 Regional Operational Programme for each Region - 1 Rural Development Plan for each Region (only so called accompanying measures) NON OBJECTIVE 1 REGIONS: - 1 Rural Development Plan for each Region ALL ITALIAN REGIONS: -1 LEADER + Programme for each Region -1 National Programme (LEADER + NETWORK) Italian programming architecture (2000 – 2006 period)

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale Financial implementation ( up-dated to October 31 st, 2005) 2000 – 2006 programming period (Meuro) Programmes EAGGF Planned Expenditures EAGGF Incurred expenditures % RDP (Guarantee) 21 plans4.512,34.033,089,4% ROP (Guidance) 7 programmes3.292,31.244,537,8% Leader + (Guidance) 21+1 programmes287,969,224.1% TOTAL 50 programmes8.092,55.346,766,1%

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale RDP : expenditure trend

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale What is happening in programming ? Different financial performances Why ? 1.Different organizational and management skills of Regions 2.Different financial rules for the two funds (EAGGF Guarantee allows greater flexibility) 3.Different kinds of operations implemented (Leader type operations are slower)

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale What is happening in programming ? Why RDPs experience a better performance ? 1.Close coordination at central level that allowed financial temporary compensations between Regions with low expenditure level and Regions with high expenditure level 2.EAGGF Guarantee expenditure rules are quite pressing so Regions have to adopt more rigorous procedures

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale What will happen in programming ? There will be just one fund with financial rules that do not allow compensations among programmes How to save the experience gained in ? The only option could be a national RDP: a big challenge in a high regionalized country as Italy. That will be a political choice What we are doing now ? We are thinking about a new programme model (in any case in the framework of RD regulation), that could ensure regional autonomy in programming and managing, leaving the role for coordination in financial matters at a national level And what more ? This new role for the national level would be coherent with the new strategic approach for RD becouse the national RDP would ensure a greater consistency with both NSP and CSG

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale Consistency and integration with Cohesion Policies Consistency and integration with Cohesion Policies Where to work ? AT NATIONAL LEVEL Between NSP and NSF AT PROGRAMME LEVEL Between programmes AT PROJECT LEVEL Between Stake Holders and measure

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale Consistency and integration with Cohesion Policies Consistency and integration with Cohesion Policies Where to work ? The next programming period is based on the following principle: one fund one, programme For that reason it will be difficult to have integration among various funds (different rules can create incompatibility) The strategic planning will be the most important instrument to ensure consistency and integration

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale Consistency and integration with Cohesion Policies How to work ? 1.Share a common definition of territorial areas on which concentrating operations 2.Once the areas are defined, it is necessary to find the integration on the most important strategic issues

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale RD and Cohesion policies How we are working at national level Definition of Rural Areas by OECD

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale RD and Cohesion policies How we are working at national level Territorial dimension NSF (ERDF+ESF+State Aid+other national instruments) 1.Cities 2.Clusters industry 3.Other Rural areas NSP (EARDF+CAP+State Aid+other national instruments) 1.………… 2.Clusters industry Agri-food clusters 3. Other rural areas Periurban With environmental value Declining and threatened of abandonment

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale RD and Cohesion policies How we are working at national level Common issues on which find integration (not just demarcation) Research Networks, ICT, infrastructures and logistic Training (farmers and rural population) Environment Job policies (employment and entrepreneurship)

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale RD and Environmental policies Common working issues RD and Environmental policies Common working issues Forestry sector Water sector Biodiversity Soil Landscape

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale RD and Cohesion policies How we are working at programme level RD and Cohesion policies How we are working at programme level Programmes should detail how demarcation and integration have to take place Ensuring arrangements and close cooperation between managing authorities of different programmes A specific coordination structure should be set up

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale RD and Cohesion policies How we are going to work at project level Integration can be found in: 1.Business plan 2.Agri-food commodity system 3.Joint operations 4.Territorial operations

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale RD and Cohesion policies How we are going to work at project level RD and Cohesion policies How we are going to work at project level 1: Business plan Grant support to beneficiaries that have a business plan containing operations related to more than a measures (not only funded by EARDF)

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale RD and Cohesion policies How we are going to work at project level RD and Cohesion policies How we are going to work at project level 2: Agri-food chain system Coordinated operations, made to support investments from subjects involved in the same agri-food chain, aimed to increase the value of a product or to decrease production costs Who is the beneficiary?

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale RD and Cohesion policies How we are going to work at project level RD and Cohesion policies How we are going to work at project level 3: Joint operations Projects made by a community in order to increase the impact of joint operations comparing to a sum of individual operations

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale RD and Cohesion policies How we are going to work at project level RD and Cohesion policies How we are going to work at project level 4: Territorial projects A territorial body, being in charge to organize a set of coordinated and consistent operations based on a defined area Who is the beneficiary?

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale RD and Cohesion policies How we are going to work at project level RD and Cohesion policies How we are going to work at project level What we learned from Integrated projects need: Training and information for involved subjects Animation actions Technical support for partnerships Subjects with a well defined role Improvement of the governance Coordination and subsidiarity between regional and local government

MiPAF - Direzione Generale dello Sviluppo Rurale Information section sviluppo rurale