DG Agri - "The Future of Rural Development"

(Source: www.elard.eu)

The rural development policy response

Rural development is today
a comprehensive policy
for the sustainable development
of all rural areas in the EU

The debate about the future of rural development is part of the broader debate about the future of the CAP, its link with the Europe 2020 strategy and with the budgetary framework of the next Financial Perspectives.

This means that we cannot look at rural development in isolation, but must also take into account changes in direct payments and market instruments, as well as the broader policy context.

In the face of the multiple challenges for agriculture and rural areas, rural development aims at enhancing agricultural competitiveness, improving the sustainable management of natural resources and promoting a balanced territorial development across the EU.

A fundamental question, especially given the broad scope of rural development policy, is how to ensure the best fit with the EU priorities, notably the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. A lot of attention in the debate on the future of the policy revolves around the policy's contribution to enhancing resource efficiency for the purpose of helping rural economies exit from the crisis while addressing climate change and other pressures on resources.

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