Rural development in the EU. Statistical and economic information

Summary:

Annual report presented by the European Commission providing statistical and economic information on the European Union's rural development policy.

Further information:

This 2013 report provides, at national and regional level, statistical and economic information covering the three objectives of the rural development policy for the period 2007-2013. An overview of the rural development budget over the period is included, together with information on the financial monitoring of rural development programmes in the Member States and in candidate countries.

Background:

Rural areas dominate the territory in most of the 27 Member States of the European Union and are home to a significant share of the population, even if their importance in terms of gross value added and employment is less significant. Agriculture and forestry play a key role in providing a wide range of public goods in rural areas, many of which are highly valued by society. Agricultural and forestry activities are in fact crucial for land use and the management of natural resources, while different landscapes shape the identity and character of rural areas. At the same time, average income is lower in rural areas than in cities; there are fewer jobs and services.

The current EU rural development policy seeks to overcome the challenges that rural areas are facing by improving the competitiveness of agriculture and forestry, protecting the environment and enhancing the quality of life in rural areas. In order to assess policy needs and impacts, detailed information on the situation of rural areas is needed. For this reason, the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development regularly prepares a comprehensive set of information on rural areas and the implementation of the EU’s rural development policy.

European Commission: DG Agriculture and Rural Development: Rural development statistics http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/statistics/rural-development/

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