31.1.2009 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
L 30/112 |
COUNCIL DECISION
of 19 January 2009
amending Decision 2006/144/EC on the Community strategic guidelines for rural development (programming period 2007 to 2013)
(2009/61/EC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 37 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament (1),
Whereas:
(1) |
The Council adopted the Community strategic guidelines for rural development (programming period 2007 to 2013) by Decision 2006/144/EC (2) (hereinafter referred to as ‘Community strategic guidelines’). |
(2) |
Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 of 20 September 2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) (3) provides that, with a view to taking account of major changes in the Community priorities, the Community strategic guidelines may be subject to review. |
(3) |
In the assessment of the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy reform of 2003, climate change, renewable energies, water management, biodiversity and dairy restructuring were identified as crucial new challenges for European agriculture. The objectives related to these priorities should be strengthened in the rural development programmes approved in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005. |
(4) |
The Community strategic guidelines should identify those areas that are important for the implementation of the revised Community priorities related to climate change, renewable energies, water management, biodiversity and dairy restructuring. |
(5) |
The effectiveness of the operations related to the priorities related to climate change, renewable energies, water management and biodiversity should be increased by innovation. In this context, providing support for innovation can in particular contribute to the objectives by developing new technologies, products and processes. |
(6) |
On the basis of the review of the Community strategic guidelines, each Member State should revise its national strategy plan as the reference framework for the revision of rural development programmes. |
(7) |
Decision 2006/144/EC should therefore be amended accordingly, |
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Sole Article
Decision 2006/144/EC shall be amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.
Done at Brussels, 19 January 2009.
For the Council
The President
P. GANDALOVIČ
(1) Opinion of 19 November 2008 (not yet published in the Official Journal).
ANNEX
The Community strategic guidelines for rural development (programming period 2007 to 2013), set out in the Annex to Decision 2006/144/EC, are hereby amended as follows:
(1) |
In Part 2, the following point shall be added: ‘2.5 Meeting the new challenges As part of the review of the reforms introduced in 2003, the balance between expenditure for direct payments under the first pillar of the CAP and funding of rural development policy has also been assessed. With the overall CAP budget fixed until 2013, additional funding for rural development can only be realised through an increase in compulsory modulation. The additional funding is needed to reinforce the efforts with regard to the Community priorities in the field of climate change, renewable energy, water management, biodiversity (including related support for innovation) and dairy restructuring:
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(2) |
In Part 3, the following point shall be inserted: ‘3.4a. Addressing the new challenges Community strategic guideline Climate change, renewable energy, water management, biodiversity (including related support for innovation) and dairy restructuring are crucial challenges for Europe's rural areas, agriculture and forestry. As part of the EU global climate change strategy, agriculture and forestry will be called upon to make a greater contribution to curbing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon sequestration. Increasing production of renewable energy from agriculture and forestry biomass should also help to meet the new EU targets for total fuel and energy consumption by 2020. More sustainable water management practices in agriculture will be essential to ensure sufficient quantity and quality of water for the future, and to adapt to the projected climate change impacts on water resources. Furthermore, halting biodiversity decline remains a major challenge. Support for innovation related to the above-mentioned new challenges may facilitate the implementation of these priorities. In view of the expiry of the dairy quota regime, the need for restructuring in agriculture will increase. In this context, rural development measures will be an important accompaniment to the reforms in the dairy sector. The additional resources which will be made available as of 2010 by an increase in compulsory modulation should be devoted to reinforcing the Community action in the fields of climate change, renewable energy, water management, biodiversity and dairy restructuring. In order to meet these priorities, Member States are encouraged to focus support on key actions. Such key actions may include the following types of operations:
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(1) Presidency conclusions of the European Council of Brussels (8 and 9 March 2007).