Brussels, 22/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - The Rural Development Committee has approved a first wave of proposals from five Member States for an overall amount of € 244.5 million. New funding will help rural development (new challenges in agriculture and broadband for rural areas): Austria (€ 97.0 million), Finland (€ 67.0 million), Cyprus (€ 2.0 million), United Kingdom (Northern Ireland region, € 40.1 million) and Italy (Toscana and Sardegna regions, together € 38.3 million).
The CAP Health Check will provide an extra € 3.4 billion for Member States/regions to spend through their RDPs in the period 2010-2013 on any/all of the following priorities: climate change; water management; renewable energy; biodiversity; restructuring the dairy sector.
The EERP will provide an extra € 1.0 billion to be spent in the same period on broadband in rural areas and any/all of the above priorities. (L.C.)