Council Decision of 20 February 2006 on Community strategic guidelines for rural development (programming period 2007 to 2013) (2006/144/EC)

• Published date: 29 September 2006
• Date of Signature: 08 December 2006
• Official Gazette Publication: Diario Oficial de la Unión Europea, L 89, 29 de marzo de 2007

2006D0144 — EN — 19.01.2009 — 001.001

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This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents

►B COUNCIL DECISION of 20 February 2006 on Community strategic guidelines for rural development (programming period 2007 to 2013) (2006/144/EC) (OJ L 055, 25.2.2006, p.20)

Amended by:

		Official Journal
		No	page	date
►M1	COUNCIL DECISION of 19 January 2009	L 30	112	31.1.2009

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▼B

COUNCIL DECISION

of 20 February 2006

on Community strategic guidelines for rural development (programming period 2007 to 2013)

(2006/144/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 of 20 September 2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) ( 1 ), and in particular Article 9(2), first sentence, thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ( 2 ),

Whereas:

(1) Article 9(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 provides that strategic guidelines for rural development for the programming period from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013 should be adopted at Community level to set the priorities for rural development.

(2) These strategic guidelines should reflect the multifunctional role farming plays in the richness and diversity of landscapes, food products and cultural and natural heritage throughout the Community.

(3) These strategic guidelines should identify the areas important for the realisation of Community priorities, in particular in relation to the Göteborg sustainability goals and to the renewed Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs established by the European Councils of Göteborg (15 and 16 June 2001) and Thessaloniki (20 and 21 June 2003) respectively.

(4) On the basis of these strategic guidelines, each Member State should prepare its national strategy plan as the reference framework for the preparation of rural development programmes,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The Community strategic guidelines for rural development (programming period 2007 to 2013), as set out in the Annex, are hereby adopted.

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ANNEX

Community strategic guidelines for rural development (programming period 2007 to 2013)

1. INTRODUCTION

Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 defines the purpose and scope of assistance from the EAFRD. The Community strategic guidelines identify within this framework the areas important for the realisation of Community priorities, in particular in relation to the Göteborg sustainability goals and to the renewed Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs.

The Community strategic guidelines for rural development will help to:

— identify and agree the areas where the use of EU support for rural development creates the most value added at EU level,

— make the link with the main EU priorities (Lisbon, Göteborg) and translate them into rural development policy,

— ensure consistency with other EU policies, in particular in the fields of cohesion and environment,

— accompany the implementation of the new market-oriented common agricultural policy (CAP) and the necessary restructuring it will entail in the old and new Member States.

2. RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE COMMUNITY’S OVERALL AIMS

2.1. The CAP and rural development

Agriculture continues to be the largest user of rural land, as well as a key determinant of the quality of the countryside and the environment. The importance and relevance of the CAP and rural development have increased with the recent enlargement of the European Union.

Without the two pillars of the CAP, market and rural development policies, many rural areas of Europe would face increasing economic, social and environmental problems. The European model of agriculture reflects the multifunctional role farming plays in the richness and diversity of landscapes, food products and cultural and natural heritage ( 3 ).

The guiding principles for the CAP, market and rural development policies, were set out by the European Council of Göteborg (15 and 16 June 2001). According to its conclusions, strong economic performance must go hand in hand with the sustainable use of natural resources and levels of waste, maintaining biodiversity, preserving ecosystems and avoiding desertification. To meet these challenges, the CAP and its future development should, among its objectives, contribute to achieving sustainable development by increasing its emphasis on encouraging healthy, high-quality products, environmentally sustainable production methods, including organic production, renewable raw materials and the protection of biodiversity.

Those guiding principles were confirmed in the Lisbon strategy conclusions of the European Council of Thessaloniki (20 and 21 June 2003). The reformed CAP and rural development can make a key contribution to competitiveness and sustainable development in the coming years.

2.2. Towards sustainable agriculture: the 2003 and 2004 CAP reforms

The 2003 and 2004 CAP reforms represent a major step forward in improving the competitiveness and sustainable development of farming activity in the EU and setting the framework for future reforms. Successive reforms have contributed to the competitiveness of European agriculture by reducing price support guarantees and encouraging structural adjustment. The introduction of decoupled direct payments encourages farmers to respond to market signals generated by consumer demand rather than by quantity-related policy incentives. The inclusion of environmental, food safety and animal health and welfare standards in cross-compliance reinforces consumer confidence and increases the environmental sustainability of farming.

2.3. Rural development 2007 to 2013

The future rural development policy focuses on three key areas: the agrifood economy, the environment and the broader rural economy and population. The new generation of rural development strategies and programmes will be built around four axes, namely: axis 1, on improving the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector; axis 2, on improving the environment and the countryside; axis 3, on the quality of life in rural areas and diversification of the rural economy; and axis 4, on Leader.

Under axis 1, a range of measures will target human and physical capital in the agriculture, food and forestry sectors (promoting knowledge transfer and innovation) and quality production. Axis 2 provides measures to protect and enhance natural resources, as well as preserving highnature value farming and forestry systems and cultural landscapes in Europe’s rural areas. Axis 3 helps to develop local infrastructure and human capital in rural areas to improve the conditions for growth and job creation in all sectors and the diversification of economic activities. Axis 4, based on the Leader experience, introduces possibilities for innovative governance through locally based, bottom-up approaches to rural development.

2.4. Meeting the challenges

Rural areas are characterised by a very large diversity of situations, ranging from remote rural areas suffering from depopulation and decline to peri-urban areas under increasing pressure from urban centres.

According to the OECD definition, which is based on population density, rural regions ( 4 ) account for 92 % of EU territory. Furthermore, 19 % of the population live in predominantly rural regions and 37 % in significantly rural regions. These regions generate 45 % of Gross Value Added (GVA) in the EU and provide 53 % of the employment, but tend to lag behind non-rural areas as regards a number of socioeconomic indicators, including structural indicators. In rural areas, per capita income is around a third less ( 5 ), activity rates for women are lower, the service sector is less developed, higher education levels are generally lower, and a smaller percentage of households has access to broadband internet. Remoteness and peripherality are major problems in some rural regions. These disadvantages tend to be even more significant in predominantly rural regions, although the general picture at EU level can vary substantially between Member States. Lack of opportunities, contacts and training infrastructure are a particular problem for women and young people in remote rural areas.

Enlargement has changed the agricultural map. In the old Member States agriculture accounts for 2 % of GDP, in the new Member States for 3 % and in Romania and Bulgaria for more than 10 %. In the new Member States the employment share of agriculture is three times higher (12 %) than in the old Member States (4 %). In Bulgaria and Romania agricultural employment levels are considerably higher.

The combined agricultural and food sector forms an important part of the EU economy, accounting for 15 million jobs (8,3 % of total employment) and 4,4 % of GDP. The EU is the world’s largest producer of food and beverages, with combined production estimated at EUR 675 billion. However, the sector remains highly polarised and fragmented in terms of size, with significant opportunities and threats for firms. Forestry and related industries employ around 3,4 million people with a turnover of EUR 350 billion, but only 60 % of annual forest growth is currently exploited.

Agriculture and forestry represent 77 % of land use in the EU. The environmental performance of agriculture in the preservation and enhancement of natural resources in recent years has been mixed. As regards water quality, total nitrogen surplus has declined slightly since 1990 in most of the old Member States, although some countries and regions still experience significant nutrient leaching pressures. Problems of...