European Commission - Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development Rural Development...

European Commission - Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development

Rural Development policy 2007 - 2013

and its regional linkages

John Lougheed

Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development

Brussels

12 July 2006


Plan of rural development session

Presentation:

- EU rural development policy 2007-13 (objectives, measures)

- Implementation system (Managing Authority, Paying Agency)

- Coordination with the Structural Funds (demarcation lines, institutions)

- Needs of Polish rural areas/agriculture

Discussion:

- How to best meet the needs of Polish rural areas?

- How to ensure coordination and policy synergy?


vocational training/information; mountain areas and other areas with handicaps; Natura 2000 areas; agri-environment; setting up of young farmers; restoring forestry production potential and introducing prevention actions; rural tourism; LEADER; first afforestation; early retirement; management, relief and advisory services; investments to improve production; processing and marketing structures (and infrastructures), basic services, adaptation to new EU-standards; participation in food quality schemes; conservation and upgrading of the rural heritage (natural and cultural); promotion for quality products; semi-subsistence farms; setting up of producer groups; animal welfare; technical assistance; first establishment of agro-forestry systems; Natura 2000 areas; forest-environment; on farm diversification to non-agricultural activities; support for micro-enterprises; village renewal; training and capacity building

EU Rural Development Policy 2007-2013 measures


EU Rural Development Policy 2007-2013

Three core objectives:

Improving the competitiveness of the farm and

forestry sector through support for restructuring,

modernisation/innovation and quality production

Enhancing the environment and the countryside

through support for land management

Improving the quality of life in rural areas and

promoting diversification of economic activity

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EU Rural Development Policy 2007-2013: Foundations

Rural Development

2007-2013

« LEADER Axis »

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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Axis 1: Increasing Competitiveness

1. Measures aiming at improving human potential:

vocational training/information; setting up of young farmers; early retirement;

management, relief and advisory services, ...

2. Measures aiming at restructuring physical potential:

investments to improve production, processing and marketing structures (and

infrastructures), ...

3. Measures aiming at improving the quality of agricultural production and products:

adaptation to new EU-standards; participation in food quality schemes;

promotion for quality products

4. Transitional measures for the new Member States (until 2013):

semi-subsistence farms; setting up of producer groups

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Axis 2: Environment/Land management

1. Measures targeting the sustainable use of agricultural land:

mountain areas and other areas with handicaps; Natura 2000

areas; agri-environment; animal welfare; ...

2. Measures targeting the sustainable use of forestry land:

first afforestation; first establishment of agro-forestry systems;

Natura 2000 areas; forest-environment; restoring forestry

production potential and introducing prevention actions; ...

NB.:

Agri-environment measures are compulsory for each

programme

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Rural Development Policy 2007-2013

Axis 3: Diversification of the rural economy

and quality of life in rural areas

1. Measures aiming at the diversification of the rural economy:

on farm diversification to non-agricultural activities; support for

micro-enterprises; rural tourism

2. Measures aiming at the improvement of the quality of life:

Basic services; village renewal; conservation and upgrading of

the rural heritage (natural and cultural)

3. Training and capacity building

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“LEADER” Axis

Implementation of local development strategies

through a LEADER approach to contribute to the

achievement of the objectives of one or several of the

three thematic axes

Inter-territorial and trans-national cooperation

Capacity building and working of local action groups

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Community Guidelines to ensure maximum value added of the EU funds

Guideline 6: The synergy between structural, employment and rural development policies needs to be encouraged.



Coordination with the Structural Funds/EFF

Two stage approach: principles of demarcation lines in the National Strategic Plan (NSP) and the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF); details in the programmes (Art. 60 of Reg. 1698/2005)

Principles of the demarcation lines can cover: project scope, scale, location, type of beneficiary, etc.

Key areas of possible overlap: infrastructure, microenteprises, training, tourism, local development etc.

Coordination mechanisms to cover programming, implementation, evaluation, audit and control


FEADER implementation system

Key principles: clarity and separation of functions

Managing Authority

Paying Agency

Coordination Body

Certifying Body

Monitoring Committee

(mix of Structural Funds and the Common Agricultural Policy systems)


Functions of Managing Authority

Managing Authority is responsible for:

- selection of projects in line with the criteria set in the programmes

- conducting the Monitoring Committee and coordinating evaluations

- collecting monitoring information

- preparing annual reports

Managing Authority can delegate these tasks to other organisations but retains overall responsibility for their proper implementation


Paying Agency is responsible for:

Payment of Community contribution to beneficiaries and declaration of expenditure for the EU,

Controls (internal and on-the-spot)

Accounting of expenditure, recovery of sums unduly paid, and conformity declarations,

With the exception of payment of the Community contribution these tasks can be delegated but the Paying Agency retains the overall responsibility.


The needs of Polish agriculture and rural areas

Large rural population of 14.7 million

Low productivity of agriculture (4.5% of GDP but 17.5% of jobs)

Fragmented agricultural structures in need of modernisation

Important food industry, partly in need of investment

High biodiversity and extensive farming

Poor soils and soil erosion

Problems with rural labour market: high rural unemployment (1.14 mil.) and hidden (1-1.6 mil.) and many new entrants (1.3 mil.)

Poor infrastructure (4.5% households with sewage; 8% with internet)

Poor education levels: 43% of rural people only with primary eduction

Interest in local initiatives (LEADER)


Key questions for Poland

Polish rural needs go beyond FEADER programme and solutions to Polish rural problems lie beyond agriculture.

1) how to ensure that rural needs are met from EU programmes 2007-13:

a) balance between agri-food sector, environment and broader rural development (in the FEADER);

b) ensuring a fair share for rural areas in actual funding given strong competition for funds (in the Structural Funds)?

2) How to define clear demarcation lines? (region specific?)

3) How to ensure proper coordination and synergies between the Structural Funds and FEADER? (role of regional authorities?, development centres?, linkages?)

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