On Thursday 4 July, the European Commission published a new study on the contribution of European funds to the development of rural areas, as well as a report assessing the impact of the LEADER Initiative in rural areas.
These two studies highlight the significant impact of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on the needs of rural areas and on the actions set out in the long-term vision for rural areas.
The study (https://aeur.eu/f/cyd ) also assesses the role of other EU funds targeting rural areas (2014-2020): the European Regional Development Fund/Cohesion Fund, the European Social Fund, the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), as well as national funds.
Putting in place a comprehensive rural strategy helps EU countries to effectively direct CAP funds to rural areas and meet the needs of rural communities, according to the authors of the study.
The study shows that between 2014 and 2022, the CAP has allocated €8.6 billion to support non-agricultural activities in rural areas. It recognises that the needs of rural areas are increasingly complex and recommends that support from the CAP and other EU funds should be better targeted to rural areas in the future.
The evaluation (https://aeur.eu/f/cye ) demonstrates the added value of the LEADER approach, which has contributed to the creation of almost 60,000 jobs and more than 2,700 Local Action Groups (LAGs) covering a rural population of 170 million people. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)