Brussels, 28/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - From 12 to 14 November in Salzburg (Austria), the European Commission is organising a conference on the future of rural development that will be chaired by Felipe of Spain , Prince of Asturias, with the participation of Commissioners Franz Fischler and Michel Barnier and the President of the Agriculture Council Giovanni Alemanno. The aim is to discuss the experience gained during the present budget programming period (2000-2006) and to set the priorities for rural development policy after 2006.
According to Mr Fischler, the Salzburg conference will plant the seeds of tomorrow's Community rural development policy in an enlarged EU. 'On the eve of the biggest enlargement the European Union has ever witnessed, our rural policy is facing new challenges.' 'It will need to evolve further in order to accompany effectively the on-going CAP-reform process,' stated the Commissioner. Among the most important issues that will be discussed are: - the identification of new difficulties that will face people in rural areas: - the choice of measures to be taken to end increasing depopulation in certain rural areas; - the decisions to be taken to ensure economic, social and environmental viability of rural areas. (The website: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/events/salzburg/index_fr.htm ).