FP5 - Publications Rural development: the impact of EU research (1998-2004).

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Agriculture : Background Information



Rural development: the impact of EU research (1998-2004). Brussels: EC DG Research, 2004. 32 p. (EUR 21331)

This publication records the proceedings of a meeting held in Brussels in November 2003 to discuss results from work in the area of agricultural research and rural development funded under the fifth Framework Programme. The complete report is available as a PDF

The first objective of the workshop was to present and discuss preliminary results and conclusions from the first batch of ten Rural Development research projects funded under the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5). The second objective was to identify needs and possibilities for future research in rural development within the European Research Area, including the current Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), and possibly beyond. The third objective of the workshop was to provide a place to meet and exchange ideas with regard to Rural Development research in general.

This publication reports on the workshop, which was attended by coordinators from 22 FP5 research projects, one FP6 project, Commission officials from the Agriculture, Regional Policy and Research Directorates-General and some invited experts.

The rural development projects discussed were funded under the Fifth Framework Programme's Key Action 5. The participants were reminded of the context for rural development - how the midterm review, adopted by the European Council, strengthens the position of rural development as the second pillar of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy), as it moved to the top of the political agenda.

Hence, the overall objective for the European Commission, as far as rural development in all EU countries is concerned, is to stimulate and to support satisfactory progress towards a sustainable approach for improving the livelihoods and quality of life of rural populations.

The CAP has evolved considerably since its beginnings back in 1962. Initially, the aims were to provide a fair standard of living for the agricultural community and to ensure the supply of sufficient quantities of food at affordable prices; subsequently, the CAP has had to deal with quantitative imbalances. However, the current context is very different from that when the CAP was created, and the policy is now facing diverse new challenges:

• It is currently difficult for the EU to take advantage of expanding world markets. High prices and costs in European agriculture may actually lead to a loss of market share both within the European Union and worldwide. Furthermore, the historical trend towards a decrease in the proportion of Gross Domestic Product accounted for by agriculture is continuing, although the agricultural sector remains extremely important to the new Member States.
• Agricultural support is unevenly distributed across regions and producers, and it has not been sufficiently successful to prevent agricultural decline.
• The EU now includes an enormous diversity of farming methods and traditions, agricultural competitiveness and income levels and natural resources. One of the consequences of this is that the management of the CAP has become very complex.
• The EU has to meet its international commitments to the agricultural sector, and define the limits of what it finds acceptable for international negotiations.
• The need for reform of the CAP has been recognised by various groups of important stakeholders.

The contents of this brochure are as follows

Contents

• Introduction
• Issues for the common agricultural policy
• CAP reform
• Clarifying the legislation
• Rural policy
• Future priorities
• New measures for new members
• Workshop on Rural Development Research
• The Fifth Framework Programme
• Rural development research
• Combined effort
• Research themes
• The food sector
• Tourism
• Spatial issue and methodology
• A glimpse of the future?
• Chalk and cheese
• Model behaviour
• Foresight
• Call for stategies
• Understanding functions
• From observation to prediction
• FP project presentations
• A holistic approach
• The way to do it
• What keeps us apart?
• Aspirations
• Studying origins
• Stronger ties
• Sustainable development in high places
• Aiming high
• Change by sprawl
• Spreading the news
• Going organic
• Growing needs
• Holidays may be the answer
• Globe trotting
• Networks are the key
• Rural seasoning
• Profiting from a 'handicap'
• Adding value
• Regions in chains
• Chain reaction
• Where do we go from here?
• Making research relevant
• The end result
• Words into action
• Website references

Contacts

Contact

• Information desk / Directorate-General For Research BELGIUM
• Office for Official Publications of the European Communities LUXEMBOURG