The conference 'For a rural agenda in the programming period post 2020' organized by the Committee of the Regions and Rurality-Environment-Development - R.E.D. Association in cooperation with the European Countryside Movement, took place on the 19th of April, aiming to address the full potential of rural areas that must be realised through integrated development policies.
This event gave the opportunity to the 16 international organizations partner of the European Countryside Movement to voice their call for a White Paper on Rurality as an essential means to start a real, broad-based debate on rurality, with a view for a rural agenda for inclusion in the post-2020 programming period.
First vice-chair of the NAT commission,
Cllr Anthony Buchanan opened the debate on the rural agenda, taking the opportunity to reiterate some of the key aspects of the opinion on Simplification of the Common Agricultural Policy, of which he was the rapporteur.
Cllr Buchanan underlined the need for EU funds to have a more balanced focus – at the moment, more than 3/4 of the money goes to support agricultural development, while other aspects of sustainable rural development are lagging behind.
The EA member stressed the need for a profound reassessment of the rural policy, in view of the upcoming programming period post 2020. He believes that the complicated two pillar system of the CAP should be reconsidered and CAP must be able to empower local and regional authorities away from solely agricultural focus to boosting innovation, developing SMEs and micro-enterprises, improving vocational training and rural tourism, to name a few.
Given that rural areas account for 91% of EU territory, accommodate about 60% of its population and provide 56% of its jobs, it becomes obvious that these areas require increased support and a genuine territorial cohesion.
