WECF Briefings - 2006 - Rural Development
Information on Rural Development Policy in the enlarged EU.
26.02.2006
Rural Development policy in the enlarged EU
Rural areas and the CAPRural areas cover 90 % of the European Union territory and are home to approximately 50 % of its population.
Agriculture and forestry are the main land users and play a key role in the management of natural resources in rural areas and in determining the rural landscape.
The guiding principles for the contribution of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to the Lisbon Strategy were set by the European Council in Göteborg in 2001 and confirmed in the Lisbon Strategy Conclusions in Thessaloniki in June 2003: "Strong economic performance must go hand in hand with the sustainable use of natural resources". These principles have shaped recent CAP reforms.
Download the WECF Briefing - Rural Development policy in the enlarged EU
