1. Rural development and
tourism in the EU

2. Eu Competence
The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union divides
competences into three categories: exclusive competences,
shared competences and competences to carry out actions
to coordinate, support or supplement the actions of the
Member States.
ARTICLE 4.2
Shared competence between the Union and the Member States
applies in specific areas, inter alia:
(d) agriculture and fisheries

3. Eu Competence (2)
In agriculture, as well as in the other spheres where
competences are shared with the Member States, the
European institutions apply the subsidiarity principle:
ARTICLE 5.3 of the European Union Treaty: “Under the principle of
subsidiarity, in areas which do not fall within its exclusive
competence, the Union shall act only if and in so far as the
objectives of the proposed action cannot be sufficiently achieved
by the Member States [...] but can rather [...] be better achieved
at Union level.
Also the principle of proportionality is applied:
ARTICLE 5.4 of the EU Treaty: Under the principle of proportionality,
the content and form of Union action shall not exceed what is
necessary to achieve the objectives of the Treaties.

4. Decision-making process

The Treaty of Rome laid down the procedure for drawing up
and implementing agricultural policies: a Commission
proposal, an opinion delivered by the European Parliament
and, if necessary, the European Economic and Social
Committee, and a Council decision taken by a qualified
majority;

This procedure, involving the consultation of the European
Parliament, remained unchanged until 2010;

Now the TFEU recognises codecision as the “ordinary
legislative procedure” for the Common Agricultural Policy,
thus consolidating the European Parliament’s role as true
co-legislator in the agricultural sphere.

5. Common Agricultural Policy

During and after WWII, the founding members of the EU met
severe food shortages  the Treaty of Rome (1957)
established the Common Market and defined the general
objectives of a CAP;

CAP was introduced in 1962 and since then has been a
central element in the European institutional system;

Three major principles had been established to guide the
CAP: market unity, community preference and financial
solidarity;

Today, Article 39 TFEU sets out the specific objectives of the
CAP.

6. Brief history

MANSHOLT PLAN (1968) - long-term plan, also known as the
“1980 Agricultural Programme”, that laid the foundations
for a new social and structural policy for European
agriculture;

MACSHARRY REFORMS (1992) – were created to limit rising
production, while at the same time adjusting to the trend
toward a more free agricultural market;

AGENDA 2000 (1999) – divided the CAP into two pillars:
production support and rural development.

7. Rural development
The Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural
Development is responsible for the European Union policy
area of agriculture and rural development.
aim of improving aspects of the economic, environmental and
social situation of the EU's rural areas
Policies work through seven-year Rural Development Programmes
(RDPs).

8. 3 programming periods
2000-2006 programming period;
2007-2013 programming period;
2014-2020 programming period.

9. 2000-2006 programming
period
The most important piece of legislation for rural development
in this period was the Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999.
Its scopes and objectives are revealed in Article 1-2:
ARTICLE 1 - Support for sustainable rural development;
ARTICLE 2 - Introduction of new technologies and
improvement of product quality;
Sustainable forest development;
Improvement of working and living conditions.

10. 2000-2006 programming
period (2)
Between the rural development measures adopted, we could
take into consideration:
ARTICLE 4 Reduce production costs;
Increase quality;
Promote diversification of farm activities;
ARTICLE 8 Facilitate the establishment of young farmers
(under 40 years of age), who possess skill and
competence;
ARTICLE 10 Support for early retirement from farming by
providing an income for elderly farmers.

11. 2007-2013 programming
period

The aims and objectives of this period were set by Regulation
(EC) No 1698/2005;

Considerable simplification has been introduced in the
programming period 2007-2013 as compared to the
previous one (one fund – EAFRD - one management and
control system and one type of programming);

5 broad thematic groups: importance of rural areas; socio-
economic situation of rural areas; sectoral economic
indicators; environment; diversification and quality of life;
LEADER.

12. 2007-2013 programming
period (2)
The aims of the policy have been simplified and clarified
around three clearly defined territorial, environmental and
economic axes, namely:

the improvement of the competitiveness of agriculture and
forestry;

the improvement of the the environment and the
countryside;

the quality of life and the management of economic activity
in rural areas.
These aims are bound together by the cross-cutting Leader
approach.

13. 2007-2013 programming
period (2)
The aims of the policy have been simplified and clarified
around three clearly defined territorial, environmental and
economic axes, namely:

the improvement of the competitiveness of agriculture and
forestry;

the improvement of the the environment and the
countryside;

the quality of life and the management of economic activity
in rural areas.
These aims are bound together by the cross-cutting Leader
approach.

14. 2007-2013 programming
period (3)

Axis 1, Article 20, Measures: (a) promoting knowledge and
improving human potential; (b) restructuring and developing
physical potential and promoting innovation; (c) improving the
quality of agricultural production and products;

Axis 2, Article 36, Measures: (a) targeting the sustainable use of
agricultural land; (b) targeting the sustainable use of forestry
land;

Axis 3, Article 52, Measures: (a) diversify the rural economy; (b)
to improve the quality of life in the rural areas; (c) a training and
information measure for economic actors operating in the fields.

15. 2014-2020 programming
period: new opportunities

The new RDP has been improved from the previous one, via a
number of regulations. It is, thus, built on the progress made
under previous RDPs; the most important innovation is the
approach: concrete and directed to the land, people and business
involved with it;

Regulation (EU) 1305/2013 is the most important piece of
legislation focused on the rural development for these seven
years;

Built on the past and looking at the future, the new policy moves
from the previous one towards a more market-oriented path for
agriculture, rural areas and business not necessarily related to
agriculture, while providing concrete opportunities and facing
real challenges.

16. Moving forward: a new
approach
PRODUCT
PRODUCER
LAND-BASED APPROACH

17. Opportunities
deeper support to rural development across EU;
respect for the environmental requirements;
economic and technological support for producers.

18. Challenges: external factors
ECONOMIC
ENVIRONMENTAL
TERRITORIAL

19. Long-term strategic
objectives
fostering the competitiveness of agriculture;
ensuring the sustainable management of natural resources,
and climate action;
achieving a balanced territorial development of rural
economies and communities including the creation and
maintenance of employment.

20. Priorities

Member States will have to build their RDPs based upon at
least four of the six common EU priorities.

In turn, each rural development priority identifies more
detailed areas of intervention ("focus areas"). Within their
RDPs, Member States / regions set quantified targets
against these focus areas, on the basis of an analysis of the
needs of the territory covered by the RDP. They then set out
which measures they will use to achieve these targets and
how much funding they will allocate to each measure.

21. 1- Fostering knowledge transfer and innovation in agriculture,
forestry and rural areas.
ARTICLE 14.1
Knowledge transfer and information actions
Support under this measure shall cover vocational training and
skills acquisition actions, demonstration activities and
information actions. Vocational training and skills acquisition
actions may include training courses, workshops and coaching.

22. 2- Enhancing the viability / competitiveness of all types of
agriculture, and promoting innovative farm technologies
and sustainable forest management.
ARTICLE 17.5
Investments in physical assets
Support may be granted to young farmers setting up for the
first time in an agricultural holding as head of the holding in
respect of investments to comply with Union standards
applying to agricultural production, including occupational
safety. Such support may be provided for a maximum of 24
months from the date of setting up.

23. 3- Promoting food chain organisation, animal welfare and risk
management in agriculture.
ARTICLE 36.1
Risk management
Support under this measure shall cover:
(a) financial contributions to premiums for crop, animal and
plant insurance against economic losses to farmers caused
by adverse climatic events, animal or plant diseases, pest
infestation, or an environmental incident.

24. 4- Restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems related to
agriculture and forestry.
ARTICLE 28.1
Agri-environment-climate
Member States shall make support under this measure
available throughout their territories, in accordance with
their national, regional or local specific needs and priorities.
This measure shall aim to preserve and promote the
necessary changes to agricultural practices that make a
positive contribution to the environment and climate. Its
inclusion in rural development programmes shall be
compulsory at national and/or regional level.

25. 5- Promoting resource efficiency and supporting the shift toward a
low-carbon and climate-resilient economy in the agriculture, food
and forestry sectors.
ARTICLE 26, Investments in forestry technologies and in processing, in
mobilising and in the marketing of forest products
1. Support under point (e) of Article 21(1) shall be granted to private
forest- holders, municipalities and their associations and to SMEs for
investments enhancing forestry potential or relating to processing,
mobilising and marketing adding value to forest products.
2. Investments related to the improvement of the economic value of
forests shall be justified in relation to expected improvements to
forests on one or more holdings and may include investments for
soil-friendly and resource -friendly harvesting machinery and

26. 6- Promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction and
economic development in rural areas.
ARTICLE 20.1, Basic services and village renewal in rural areas
(a) the drawing up and updating of plans for the development of
municipalities and villages in rural areas and their basic services
and of protection and management plans;(d) investments in the
setting up, improvement or expansion of local basic services for
the rural population, including leisure and culture, and the
related infrastructure;(f) studies and investments associated with
the maintenance, restoration and upgrading of the cultural and
natural heritage of villages, rural landscapes and high nature
value sites, including related socio-economic aspects, as well as
environmental awareness actions;

27. Tourism in the Regulation
The Regulation No 1305/2013 has confirmed the importance
of tourism as an instrument for a sustainable development
in rural areas:

Art. 17: “For the development of rural areas, the creation […]
of new economic activity in the form of new farms, the
diversification into non-agricultural activities including […]
tourist activities are essential”;

Art. 18 stresses the importance of “projects that bring
together agriculture and, rural tourism through the
promotion of sustainable and responsible tourism in rural
areas, [...] and cultural heritage should be encouraged”.

28. Tourism in rural areas
At the end of 2007-2013 programming
period, the European Commission
published statistical and economic
information about rural
development in the Union.

29. Rural development indicators
They are presented according to the following broad thematic
groups:

Importance of rural areas;

Socio-economic situation of rural areas;

Sectoral economic indicators;

Enviroment;

Diversification and quality of life;

Leader.
Tourism is mentioned in the section regarding the Diversification
and quality of life in rural areas (paragraph 3.5).

30. Distribution of rural tourism

For the Member States as a whole, the share of available
bed places is higher in predominantly rural regions (32.2%)
than in urban regions (25.3%);

Although the 2007-2013 programming period aimed to the
diversification of the rural economy through non-
agricultural activities (Regulation No 1698/2005, art. 52),
the number of rural bed places among the MSs shows a non-
homogeneus distribution of the phenomenon.

32. Distribution of bed places
among the MSs
BE BG CZ DK DE EE IE EL ES FR IT CY LV LT LU HU MT NL AT PL PT RO SI SK FI SE
UK
%
30
Even if the two percentages are quite similar in the majority of
countries, there are cases where rural bed places represent a higher
share than national ones (e.g. Austria, Greece and France).
Predominantly rural National
25
20
15
10
5

34. The LEADER approach

The LEADER approach (an acronym in French meaning Links
between actions for the development of the rural economy)
is an European Union initiative to support rural
development projects;

It was initiated at the local level in order to revitalise rural
areas and create jobs;

It is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural
Development (EAFRD).

35. Brief history

The LEADER approach has been an important component of
EU Rural Development Policy for over 20 years;

On 15 March 1991, the Commission, acting pursuant to
Article 11 of Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88, decided to
establish this initiative serving as a model for rural
development.
ARTICLE 11
Community initiatives
“[…] the Commission may, on its own initiative […] decide to
propose to the Member States that they submit applications for
assistance in respect of measures of significant interest to the
Community”

36. Brief history (2)

FIRST PHASES (1991-1993; 1994-1999) - focus of the
programme on disadvantaged rural regions;

LEADER+ (2000-2006) - application of the method expanded
to cover all types of rural areas;

2007-2013 programming period – the approach as an
integral part of the EU's rural development policy;

2014-2020 programming period - the approach is extended
to apply to urban and coastal areas under the title of
Community-Led Local Development (CLLD).

37. 7 key features
The LEADER
approach
Cooperation
Innovation
Integrated and multisectoral
actions
Networking
Area-based local
development strategies
Bottom-up elaboration and implementation
of strategies
Local public-private partnerships:
local action groups

38. Local communities
empowerment
LEADER was introduced in response to the failure of
traditional, top-down policies to address problems faced by
many rural areas in Europe.
BOTTOM-UP APPROACH
People as development actors
rather than beneficiaries
This has been obtained through the formation of area based
Local Action Group (LAG) partnerships between the public,
private and civil sectors.
Direct contribution to the future
development of their own areas

39. The programme in the
Regulation
Proven its effectiveness, LEADER should be continued in the
future and its application should remain compulsory for rural
development programmes at national and/or regional level.
ARTICLE 42 – Local Action Groups
ARTICLE 43 – Start-up kit
ARTICLE 44 – Co-operation activities
Inter-territorial co-operation
Co-operation between Member States
Co-operation with third countries

40. LEADER and tourism
Tourism has been identified as a powerful instrument in
diversifying economies of rural areas.
Mmape – Museo Mulino
dell'Ape (Trentino, Italy) is a
museum on alpine bee keeping
realised thanks to the funding of
the LEADER approach and the
efforts of the Val di Sole's Local
Action Group.
Today, it is runned by an association of all under 30 people
and gives job opportunities to the youngsters of the area.

41. Thanks for your attention
Matteo, Giulia, Francesco, Nicola

42. Bibliography
 Official Journal of the European Union, Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of European Union,
26.10.2012;
 Official Journal of the European Communities, Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999;
 Official Journal of the European Union, Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 of 20 September 2005;
 Official Journal of the European Union, Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the
Council of 17 December 2013;
 Official Journal of the European Communities, Council Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 of 19 December 1988;
 Rural Development in the EU, Statistical and Economic Information, Report 2013, the European Commission;
 Fact Sheets on the European Union, The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Treaty, Albert Massot,
01/2016;
 www.wikipedia.org;
 ec.europa.eu;
 enrd.ec.europa.eu.