1. EU Rural Development Policy Budapest, 21-22 September 2006
Tamas Szedlak
European Commission
Directorate General Agriculture and Rural Development
Unit F6. Bioenergy, biomass, forestry and climate change

2. The Salzburg Conference 2003 – What do we want from our policy
A living countryside is not only in the interests of the rural society but also of society as a whole.
Preserving the diversity of Europe’s countryside and encouraging the services provided by multifunctional agriculture is of ever growing importance.
The competitiveness of the farming sector must be a key aim, taking into account the diversity of agricultural potential in different rural areas.
Rural development policy must apply in all rural areas of the enlarged EU.
Rural development policy must serve the needs of broader society in rural areas and contribute to cohesion.
CEPF RD Conference , Budapest

3. The Salzburg Conference – How can we do things better
Rural development policy should be implemented in partnership building on the lessons learnt from LEADER.
More responsibility must be given to programme partnerships.
A significant simplification of EU rural development policy is both necessary and urgent.
Delivery must be based on one programming, financing and control system tailored to the needs of rural development.
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4. Simplification CURRENT 5 types of programming
Guarantee
Guarantee Objective 2
Guarantee new MS
Guidance Objective 1
Guidance LEADER+
3 financial management and control systems
Guidance
Simplification
Single funding, programming, financial management and control framework for RD
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5. « LEADER Axis » Rural Development 2007-2013
Axis 1 Competi -tiveness
Axis 2 Environment + Land Management
Axis 3 Economic Diver. + Quality of Life
Single set of programming, financing, monitoring, auditing rules
Single Rural Development Fund
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6. Regulation and Guidelines
Rural Development Regulation (RDR), CR (EC) No 1698/2005, defines the purpose and scope of assistance from the EAFRD
Community Strategic Guidelines(CSG),
Council Decision of 20 February 2006 (2006/144/EC) => EU level priorities within the RDR framework, in particular focus on sustainability (Göteborg) and growth and jobs (Lisbon)
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7. Three core objectives:
RDR
Three core objectives:
Improving the competitiveness of the farm and forestry sector through support for restructuring, development and innovation
Improving the environment and the countryside through support for land management
Improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging diversification of economic activity
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8. The CSG helps to:
identify and agree the areas where the use of EU support for rural development will create the most value added at EU level;
make the link with the main EU priorities (Lisbon, Göteborg) and translate them into RD policy;
ensure consistency with other EU policies, in particular in the field of cohesion and environment;
accompany the implementation of the new market oriented Common Agricultural Policy and the necessary restructuring it will entail in the old and the new Member States.
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9. CSG NSP Internal consistency/other EU level strategies
Complementarity with other Community instruments
CSG
NSP
EU priorities:
Knowledge transfer/priority investment sectors
Biodiversity/water/climate change
Creation employment opportunities
Governance/endogenous development potential +
National priorities
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10. Overall strategy issues
Balance between the axes based on an assessment of the economic, social and environmental situation and of needs and gaps
Weight of the different EU and national priorities
Match funding capacity
Implementation capacity (national, regional, local)
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11. Strategic issues axis 1
Desired development farm structures (which farms to target)
Strengths/weaknesses agrifood sector
Balance between restructuring and innovation
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12. National Strategy
Based on an assessment of the general situation of the agricultural and forestry sector the MS will set out how it will deal with and set quantified objectives for key issues such as:
Supporting the restructuring of the agricultural sector
Improving integration in the food chain
Developing business skills
Developing new outlets for agricultural and forestry products
Developing high quality products in line with market demand
Improving the environmental performance of farms and forestry
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13. Rural Development Programme
In its RDP the MS will set out:
How much it plans to spend on axis 1 (minimum 10% of the Community contribution to the programme)
Which measures it wishes to implement and how they fit to the strategy
An indicative breakdown of funding per measure
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14. Axis 1: Improving Competitiveness
1. Measures aimed at promoting knowledge and improving human potential
2. Measures aimed at restructuring physical potential and promoting innovation:
3. Measures aimed at improving the quality of agricultural production and products:
4. Transitional measures for the new Member States:
support for semi-subsistence farms undergoing restructuring,
setting up of producer groups,
provision of advisory services (only for Bulgaria and Romania for the period of 3 years)
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15. Strategic issues axis 2 Balance between AE, Natura and LFA
AE: role organic farming (link axis 1), importance certain farming types and landscapes for rural diversification (link axis 3)
Water management
Afforestation needs
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16. National Strategy
Based on an assessment of the general environmental situation in relation to its rural areas the MS will set out how it will deal with and set quantified objectives for:
its agricultural and forestry Natura 2000 areas and other HNV areas (High Nature Value)
Water quantity and quality and its plans under the WFD in relation to agriculture and forestry (Water Framework Directive)
The contribution its agriculture and forestry can make to climate change mitigation and the Kyoto protocol targets it has set
Any specific national priorities
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17. Rural Development Programme
In its RDP the MS will set out:
How many resources it plans to spend on axis 2 (minimum 25% of the Community contribution to the programme)
Which measures it wishes to implement and how they fit to the strategy
An indicative breakdown of funding per measure
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18. The toolbox for axis 2 agricultural land forestry land
Two blocks of measures targeting sustainable use of:
agricultural land
LFA; Natura 2000 and WFD; AE; animal welfare; non-productive investments
forestry land
Afforestation; agro-forestry; Natura 2000; forest-environment; restoring forestry potential/prevention; non-productive investments
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19. Strategic issues axis 3 and 4
Balance between rural infrastructure/ renovation/basic services and diversification/local economic development
Choice of delivery system for axis 3 (top down or bottom up)
Balance between local capacity building and implementing local development strategies
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20. Rural Development Programme
The Member State has to indicate:
The resources it plans to spend on axis 3 (minimum of 10%) and on axis 4 (phasing in for the new Member States) of the Community contribution
Which measures it wishes to implement and how they fit with the strategy (EU + national priorities)
An indicative breakdown of funding per measure
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21. The toolbox for axis 3 Three blocks of measures targeting:
the diversification of the rural economy
Non-agricultural activities of farmers; small business creation and development, tourism, small scale infrastructure
the quality of life in rural areas Basic services for the rural population, rural heritage and renewal
training, skills acquisition and animation Area studies, information, training animators, leaders, promotional events, partnerships
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22. The toolbox for axis 4 (Leader)
7 distinctive features + support for LAGs
Area based local strategies
Public-private partnerships (local action groups)
Bottom up approach
Multi-sectoral and integrated
Innovative
Cooperation
Networking
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23. Overview CMEF STRATEGY REPORTING Community Strategic Guidelines
National Strategy Plan
Rural Development Programme
Commission summary report
National summary report
Annual progress report
Quantified objectives/targets
Baseline indicators
In/output indicators
Result indicators
Impact indicators
CMEF
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24. Breakdown by Member State of Community support for rural development 2007-2013
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