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Source: https://www.nationalruralnetwork.ie/leader/

The European Community is responsible for drawing up the regulations that give rise to programming.
The Member State proposes to the European Community a National Strategic Plan for Rural Development.
While the individual Region its Rural Development Programme if approved, will be activated in the area of
competence. The Country or Region assumes the status of the Managing Authority.

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is one of the most important Community policies, committing
around 39% of the EU budget. It is provided for in the Treaty establishing the Communities. The three
long-term rural development objectives for the period 2014-2020 are:

● stimulating the competitiveness of the agricultural sector
● ensuring sustainable management of natural resources and climate action
● achieving balanced territorial development of rural economies and communities, including the creation
and maintenance of jobs.

The EAFRD budget for the period 2014-2020 amounts to approximately EUR 100 billion. The budget will
1
be spent through the implementation of rural development programmes which will continue until the end
of 2023.

The figure is distributed according to the following six priorities:

● promoting knowledge transfer and innovation in the agricultural, forestry sector and rural areas;

● enhancing the profitability and competitiveness of all types of agriculture, promoting innovative
agricultural technologies and sustainable forest management;

● promoting the organisation of the food chain, animal welfare and risk management in the agricultural
sector;

● encourage resource efficiency and the shift towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy in the
agri-food and forestry sector;

● preserving, restoring and enhancing ecosystems related to agriculture and forestry;

● promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas.

1 https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/key-policies/common-agricultural-policy/rural-development_en