Agriculture & Rural developmentDéveloppement rural et AgricultureLandwirtschaft und ländliche Entwicklung

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Agriculture & Rural development

Agriculture and rural development: quality & sustainability 

Rural areas account for 91% of the territory of the European Union and are home to more than 56% of the population. European agriculture, its significance, social status, political weight and technological level, have undergone considerable change over the past decades. The strengthening of a fair and sustainable EU rural development policy lays therefore at the heart of AER's action.

Recent and ongoing initiatives

        

  • AER position on the CAP post-2013
The AER position on the future CAP was adopted in June at the Bureau. It will be further specified during the next meetings of the working group, in order to prepare a comprehensive position to be adopted during the General Assembly in Istanbul (10-12 November 2010).

        

  • AER contribution to the EC consultation on the CAP post-2013
What's new in Europe?

 

The Common Agricultural Policy is due to be reformed by 2013:
  • 12 April 2010: European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Cioloş launched a public debate on the CAP.
  • 19-20 July 2010: More than 5000 contributions from the general public, stakeholders organisations and think tanks were brought together in a single synthesis report and presented at the conference.
  • By the end of 2010: The European Commission will publish a communication on the future CAP and launch a public consultation.
  • By mid 2011, the EC will publish a legislative proposal which will be discussed according to the co-decision procedure.
  • By 1 Jan. 2014, new CAP rules will be finally adopted 

Quality agriculture: Legislative proposals and guidelines were announced as part of a "Quality Package" for end 2010

        

girl with orange flowers

Lyashko for "Snapshot Europe!" ©AER

Working group

The working group on rural development is currently under interim chairmanship of the Province of Gelderland (NL), until the new elections to be held in October.

The next meeting of the working group will take place in the AER office in Brussels on Monday 14 September, from 9 to 13:30

graph showing interactions between ecosystem services and human well-beingIn addition to improving the quality of agricultural products (in terms of taste, sugar content and so on), genetic diversity represents a natural insurance against pests and diseases. It also provides a genetic pool that facilitates adaptation to changing environmental conditions, including those brought by climate change.

Source: Millenium Ecosystems Assesments

AER publications
  • AER position on the CAP post-2013

    AER official position on the future CAP, based on several declarations adopted since 2002 and on the reflection work carried out by the AER Working group on agriculture and rural development.
  • AER survey on Rural Development

    In Spring 2009 AER launched a Europe-wide survey on rural development policies in order to prepare its position on the future CAP. The summary of the survey's results was published in September 2009.
  • Final conclusions of the conference on rural development in Oppland (N)

    Conclusions of the conference on rural development that was held in Oppland (N) on 29/02/2009
  • AER Newsletter on agriculture and rural development

    All newsletters since 2006 are available to AER members. Log in and click on "info" to access the newsletter page.
Other relevant publications & useful links
  • Analysis of the EU organic sector

    The area under organic agriculture has increased significantly in the last years. Multiple anecdotal evidence and aggregate figures indicate that the growth of demand for organic products in the EU outpaces the growth of supply by the organic agri-food sector. EC Analysis of the sector.
  • EEA 10 messages for 2010: agricultural ecosystems

    The European Environment Agency published a series of 10 messages for 2010 on biodiversity. Each message provides a short assessment focusing on a specific ecosystem or issue related to biodiversity in Europe. The 7th message concerns agricultural ecosystems.
  • IEEP report "The Provision of Public Goods Through Agriculture in the European Union"

    The potential for the provision of public goods in the field of the environment is particularly prevalent in this sector. It is widely argued that securing the provision of public goods provides a valid reason for public intervention in a market economy... (SUMMARY IN EN & FR)
  • Green paper on quality agriculture

    In October 2008, the EC published a Green Paper asking open questions on the different issues related to quality. A summary of responses was prepared and presented in the Czech Presidency conference on quality policy held in Prague on 12-13 March 2009.
 
 
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