The Council of Ministers of Agriculture reached a political agreement in Luxembourg last week on the establishment of a specific Fund for the development of rural areas which ought to permit the extension of the activities of farmers, businesses and industries and the consequent creation of new jobs. The financial endowment of the Fund whose entry into force is planned for 2007 has still to be defined, subject to the completion of the negotiations on the financial prospects for the period 2007-2013: the Council’s proposal however suggests the figure of 88.75 billion Euros for the seven-year period. There are four main planks to the accord: improving the competitiveness of agricultural and forestry resources; support for the environment and countryside areas; promotion of the diversification of the rural economy and its quality of life; and the introduction of local “top to bottom” development strategies through the Leader initiative. Apart from the “classic tasks” of the rural development policy of the EU such as to guarantee the well-being of farmers, the quality of farm products and the protection of rural areas the Fund will also have as a more general objective that of contributing to economic growth and employment. For further information, http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/newsdigest/2005/125.htm#book2
