Informationen zur Stellungnahme 

Innovation und Modernisierung der ländlichen Wirtschaft

BGCSDADEELENESETFIFRHRHUITLTLVMTNLPLPTROSKSLSV
Opinion Number: CDR 2799/2015
Rapporteur: Länts Randel
Commission: NAT
Status: Adopted
Date: 10/02/2016
 
Recognition of rural territories as development and innovation hubs which contribute to the Europe 2020 strategy in the framework of a balanced relationship with urban hubs in order to achieve the goal of territorial cohesion enshrined in the Treaty of Lisbon.
White paper from the EC on rurality
The European Parliament is drawing up an own-initiative report on "How can the CAP improve job creation in rural areas?" The EP Rapporteur, Eric Andrieu (FR/PES), was appointed on 3 September 2015.

The NAT commission organised a joint event with the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Rural, Mountainous and Remote Areas on Rural territories in the 2014-2020 policies of territorial cohesion and inclusive growth, with Mercedes Bresso, MEP, president of RUMRA, Franc Bogovic, vice chair of RUMRA, Member of the European Parliament, and Corina Creţu, European Commissioner for Regional Policy.

The European Parliament is drawing up an own-initiative report on "How can the CAP improve job creation in rural areas?". The EP rapporteur, Eric Andrieu (FR/PES), was appointed on 3 September 2015. The vote in AGRI Committee is foreseen on 13/7/2016.

The NAT commission organised a second joint event with the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Rural, Mountainous and Remote Areas on Rural territories on 19 April 2016 "For a rural agenda in the programming period post 2020". All information is available at the link below

The NAT commission organised a seminar on "Rural areas as the key to economic, social and territorial cohesion in Europe - Governance and infrastructure in relations between towns, surrounding areas, regions and macro-regions" on the 9 of May 2016 in Innsbruck"

On 30 May 2016, Mr Buchanan addressed the CoR Forum on the EU - Urban Agenda and closed the Workshop on functional urban areas and urban-rural linkages

Mr Länts attend to the Cork conference on rural development on 5 September. The Cork Declaration doesn't mark the launch of the drafting of a White Paper on Rural Policy as requested by the CoR but mentioned that the opinion of the Committee of the Regions on innovation and modernisation of the rural economy is a valuable reflection on the prospect for rural and agricultural development.

A Joint EESC-CoR Conference "Cork+20: leaving rural areas behind is no longer an option!" was organised on the 9 November in order to discuss with the Commission, the Parliament and the Council – under the rotating presidency of Slovakia – the current state of rural territories, twenty years after the first Cork declaration and to urge them to come up with concrete measures on how to implement the "rural proofing" of all EU policies, which will imply the review of the EU structural and regional strategies.

On 29 September 2016, the all-party agriculture committee in the European Parliament backed the proposals of S&D MEP Eric Andrieu on how the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) can improve job creation in rural areas. The report asked the European Union to take measures to stop the constant loss of farming jobs: between 2005 and 2014 almost one quarter (-23.6%) of agricultural labour input was lost in the EU. In order to respond to the current scenario of prolonged crisis and to the serious impact on employment, the CAP has to be granted with sufficient funding in order to continue fostering employment, promoting the sustainable development of agriculture and ensuring that rural areas retain their appeal. Only then can we guarantee the sustainability of the European model of farming, together with its environmental and social dimension.

The CoR opinion is mentioned in the new Cork declaration: "Considering the opinion of the Committee of the Regions concerning innovation and modernisation of the rural economy, the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Rural Development Programmes as well as the valuable reflections by other rural stakeholder groups on the prospect for rural and agricultural development";

The CoR got the support of Mr Siekierski (PL/EPP), Chair of the EP AGRI Committee, for a white paper on rurality after the joint EESC-NAT/CoR-NAT meeting held on 9 November 2016;

The CoR got the support of Mr Andrieu (FR/PES), Vice chair of the AGRI Committee, Mr De Castro (IT/PES), PES coordinator on the white paper on rurality during the joint EP-AGRI/CoR-NAT meeting held on 29 November 2016;

The CoR study on the evolution of the European budget dedicated to rural areas is on the agenda of the next civil dialog groups meeting on rural development.

THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS



- wishes to draw attention to the fact that austerity measures and the general funding cuts for agriculture and rural development threaten the future viability of rural areas and thus contradict the principle of territorial cohesion in the EU;

- requests to increase overall EU financial support for rural development in order to counterbalance the growing concentration of agricultural production, which is leading to major regional disparities, and put a cap on transfers from the second to the first pillar;

- to consider, within the Multiannual Financial Framework mid-term review, allocating more EU funds available for local development in the 2014-2020 programming period;

- supports the call made by the European Countryside Movement (ECM) and the enlarged European Parliament Intergroup on Rural, Mountainous and Remote Areas to the Commission to draw up a white paper to serve as the starting point for a post-2020 development policy for rural areas and to strive for more differentiated approaches and take rural interests into account in all EU policy areas, as is currently the case for cities;

- regrets the results of the interim report on the implementation of the operational programmes which highlights the fact that at present, only 11% of ERDF funds are set to be allocated to rural areas;

- asks to modernise the vocational training opportunities on offer in rural areas and to tailor this to worldwide competition conditions and the needs of local businesses and to further develope ESF funding to vocational training in rural areas;

- calls, with the help of new-generation access networks promoting the implementation of the Digital Agenda for Europe 2020, for more intensive efforts to develop high-speed internet in rural areas;

- expresses its firm support for the local development coordination platform to be set up by the European Commission.

Importance

High
Medium
Low
 

The Rural Summit 2017

On 22 and 23 March the Brabant Kempen House organized the first conference for rural areas in Europe,

The Rural Summit 2017.

The conference was a follow-up to the nomination of the Brabantse Kempen as one of the 21 smartest rural regions of the world in 2016. The conference drew a picture of the challenges that rural regions face in terms of economic growth, sustainability, aging and the new opportunities created by the (extended) use of digital applications.

More than 200 participants from 12 countries shared their ideas and experiences on the question if the difference between urban and rural is fading because of the possibilities created by internet and broadband. International speakers presented their examples of digitally connected regions which lead to stronger economic and more vital rural regions with a more robust connection to urban areas.

The conference was attended by delegates and directors from different European regions. To ensure more attention and policies for rural regions in Europe, the Commissioner of King Wim van de Donk encouraged everyone to commit themselves to enhancing connections between European rural regions.

Companies and organizations from the Brabant Kempen region participated in ‘best practices’ during thematic sessions. The Brabant Kempen House looks back on an inspiring, informative and connecting convention. The conference was made possible by, chairwoman and Mayor Anja Thijs-Rademakers of the municipality Eersel, in cooperation with the Kempen municipalities, the Province of Brabant, the Metropolitan Region Eindhoven, Brainport Development, industry and education partners and the Intelligent Community Forum.

The Brabant Kempen House is going to build the European network of smart rural regions further and seeks to work on concrete projects with partners that contribute to a sustainable vital Kempen in the Brainport region, but also those of other European rural areas.

 
22 Mar
 

EESC public hearing on villages and small towns

EESC public hearing on villages and small towns

 
14 Feb
 

How the future CAP can contribute to the objectives set out in the EU investment plan to relaunch growth and jobs in Europe

Rapporteur attend the confernece How the future CAP can contribute to the objectives set out in the EU investment plan to relaunch grown and jobs in Europe

 
08 Feb
 

Joint conference between our NAT commission and the AGRI Committee of the European Parliament

The rapporteur presented the CoR position on the Rural agenda during the joint conference between our NAT commission and the AGRI Committee of the European Parliament. The main objective of this meeting is to get the support of the AGRI Committee for the White paper on rurality which is the main priority of the NAT commission in the field of agriculture and rural development and also the main NAT topic for reinforced cooperation with the European Parliament

 
29 Nov
 

CoR representation at the European Conference on Rural Development

Exactly 20 years after the ground-breaking European Conference on Rural Development in Cork, which concluded with the signing of the Cork Declaration on Rural Development, the European Commission, under the responsibility of Commissioner Phil Hogan has organised a second European Conference on Rural Development in Cork on 5-6 September 2016.

The Conference was aimed at bringing together 300 or so stakeholders in order to discuss current and future challenges of farming and rural areas, as well as potential policy responses - with a view to drafting a new Cork Declaration.

 
05 Sep
 

CoR Commission activity

Adoption of the opinion by the NAT commission

 
23 Nov
 

CoR Plenary Session

Discussion with Commisioner Hogan on the future of rural development policy

 
12 Oct
 

CoR Commission activity

NAT/RUMRA conference on Rural territories in the 2014-2020 policiesof territorial cohesion and inclusive growth with Mercedes BRESSO, MEP, president of RUMRA, Franc BOGOVIC, vice chair of RUMRA, Member of the European Parliament, and Corina Cretu, European Commissioner for Regional Policy

 
21 Sep
 

CoR Commission activity

Discussion on the draft opinion during the NAT Commission meeting

 
20 Sep
 

Rapporteur's activities

The rapporteur meets with a representative of the European Commission's DG REGIO

 
13 Jul
 

CoR Commission activity

Discussion on the work document in NAT Commission

 
18 Jun
 

CoR Commission activity

NAT seminar on innovation and modernisation of rural economy with Jozo Radoš vice chair of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Rural, Mountainous and Remote Areas (RUMRA) and Joaquim Oliveira Martins, Head of the OECD Regional Development Policy Division

 
17 Jun
 

CoR Commission activity

The NAT commission appointed Mr Randel Länts rapporteur for the opinion on innovation and modernisation of rural economy

 
04 May
Teilen:
 
Back to top