On Thursday 11 March, MEPs called for the adoption of measures or initiatives to ensure the maintenance of rural areas, which face major challenges (desertification, rural exodus, digital divide, low income).
The European Commission is due to adopt a Communication on this subject in the near future (see EUROPE 12651/12).
Norbert Lins (EPP, Germany), Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture, put an oral question to the European Commission on the long-term vision for the future of rural areas from now to 2040. These areas have a role in society, Mr Lins recalled. He said he was confident that the EU’s rural areas would be the first to achieve climate neutrality.
Mr Lins asked the European Commission several questions: how to ensure coherence between the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the other policies involved in the development of the long-term vision for rural areas, how the CAP currently under negotiation (strategic plans) will be harmonised with the future vision for rural areas?
Another request: whether the Commission, in its work on a vision for rural development, intends to make a proper distinction, in line with the Treaties, between CAP and cohesion policy funding for rural areas.
Janusz Wojciechowski, EU Commissioner for Agriculture, confirmed that he is preparing a communication on the long-term vision for the future of rural areas. He referred to Article 174 of the Treaty (special attention is given to rural areas), but admitted that “the rural world is underestimated today”.
The aim of this strategy will be to achieve an ambitious idea of the rural world, he said.
The Commission will propose “a range of actions” to strengthen interactions between policies and coherence between funding tools. “All policies must support rural areas”, said Mr Wojciechowski.
He also referred to the future strategic plans of the CAP and the recovery plans of the EU countries which include funds for rural areas.
Pessimistic view in the Chamber. “The role of rural areas is often forgotten”, lamented Herbert Dorfmann (EPP, Italy). It is good that the Commission is reflecting on the long-term vision for rural areas, he added.
Alin Mituța (Renew Europe, Romania) regretted that rural villages are “emptying”. He called for an integrated strategy for rural areas. The CAP must help real farmers and protect biodiversity, he stressed.
Farm aid should benefit all farms, not just the largest, argued Thomas Waitz (Greens/EFA, Germany). In particular, he defended capping aid at 100,000 euros.
Isabel Carvalhais (S&D, Portugal) asked to improve the partnership principle in the CAP (role of the regions),
Zbigniew Kuźmiuk (ECR, Poland) deplored the insufficient income received by farmers.
Clara Aguilera (S&D, Spain) said that the Conference on the Future of Europe should address this issue. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)