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16Литература
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Информация об авторе
Михальченко Лия Игоревна - аспирантка кафедры регионального управления УО " Белорусский государственный экономический университет". Информация для контактов: тел.(моб.) 8(029)204-17-50. E-mail: mliya@tut.by.
Дата поступления статьи - 30 октября 2007 г.
УДК 631.1+338.43.01
DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS IN EUROPEAN UNION MEMBER STATES IN ASSUMPTIONS OF COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY
A. MICKIEWICZ, the professor B. MICKIEWICZ, the doctor The Agricultural University in Szczecin, Poland
Political-economic changes in all new member states of EU caused big disproportions in level of development ofrural areas. But integration also made the possibilities of economic and civilization promotion. That process created new possibilities of rural areas development because it became one part of the Common Agricultural Policy. The paper presents role of rural areas in the enlarged European union.
There have been pointed connections of rural areas development and the Common Agricultural Policy and their nowadays andfuture reforms. In the paper there has been shown that rural development must also fulfill requirement of the Lisbon Strategy. The authors conclude that now it is time to turn rural development into a central element of the Common Agricultural Policy and Lisbon Strategy.
Key words: rural development, the Common Agricultural Policy, the Lisbon Strategy, EU's reforms
Introduction. Homegrown country dimension of integration is not only the Common Agricultural Policy and direct subsidies, but first of all multilateral policies aimed at the mobilization of the social economy of whole rural areas. The motivating activities which are known by different names in the EU: regional policy, structural policy, cohesion, has gained, in the last few years, outright priority. Not only in the political declarations sphere but also by considerable financial reinforcement because means were doubled, the so called structural funds, which was found elementary instruments financing of policy of balanced development of rural areas. For the new member states from central Europe who joined in 2004, programs were worked out and enacted, which aimed at preparing the agriculture of these countries for full integration and for the assumption of this sector by complete instrumentation of the CAP.
Political-economic changes in all new member states of EU caused big disproportions in level of development of rural areas. But integration also made the possibilities of economic and civilization promotion. That process created new possibilities of rural areas development because it became one part of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The guiding principles for the contribution of the CAP to the Lisbon strategy were set by the European Council in Goteborg in 2001 and confirmed in the Lisbon strategy conclusions in Thessaloniki in June 2003. Strong economic performance that goes hand-in-hand with the sustainable use of natural resources are those principles which have shaped recent CAP reforms.
Strong economic performance must go hand-in-hand with the sustainable use of natural resources and levels of waste, maintaining biodiversity, preserving ecosystems and avoiding desertification. To meet these challenges, the European Council agrees that the common agricultural policy and its future development should, among its objectives, contribute to achieving sustainable development by increasing emphasis on encouraging healthy, high-quality products, environmentally sustainable production methods, including organic production, renewable raw materials and the protection of biodiversity.
Without the CAP, many rural areas of Europe would face major economic, social and environmental problems. Rural development measures, in particular, can play a significant role in fostering and maintaining prosperity in rural areas. The CAP will continue to make a concrete contribution to more growth and jobs in the future.
The aim of the paper is to point that fast rural areas development is possible only in frames of Common Agricultural Policy and it should be its integral part. The research was made in 2007. Author obtained data from the European Commission for Agriculture and Rural Development in Brussels and previous own studies.
Rural Areas and Common Agricultural Policy. The agricultural and rural constituency is important. Rural areas cover 90 % of the EU's territory and are home to approximately 50 % of its population. Agriculture and forestry are the main land users and play a key role in the management of natural resources in rural areas and in determining the rural landscape. Agriculture makes a valuable contribution to the socioeconomic development of rural areas and full realisation of their growth potential. Agriculture's wider contribution to the EU's prosperity is considerable. The agri-food sector (including beverages) accounts for 14,7 % of total EU manufacturing output, with EUR 792 billion worth of production. It is the third largest employer in Europe and the second biggest exporter of foodstuffs globally, with agricultural exports worth EUR 61,088 billion in 2002.
Europe's citizens are deeply attached to the diversity of landscape created by the wide variety of agricultural structures and farming types in the EU. Safeguarding this means investing in the future, creating new employment possibilities and encouraging rural diversification. People must be offered opportunities to create wealth as well as long-term rewarding job prospects. That is why the Lisbon strategy is as important and relevant to rural areas as it is to urban Europe.
The CAP has been in a process of ongoing reform since the early 1990s. Reforms have focused mainly on increasing the competitiveness of agriculture by reducing support prices and compensating farmers by the introduction of direct aid payments. A decisive step came in the 2003/04 CAP reform with the decoupling of direct aid from production and a realignment of the CAP with consumer concerns. This reform was a key step towards a more market-oriented and sustainable CAP.
The contribution of the CAP reform of 2003/04. Decoupling of direct aid from production will improve the overall market orientation of agriculture
and will encourage farmers to make the most of market opportunities. In addition, it will contribute to environmental sustainability by removing production incentives, which potentially lead to environmental damage, and by linking subsidies to the fulfillment of environmental services.
Under the new system, innovative agricultural products should flourish as farmers have much greater freedom to adapt to new market opportunities. For consumers, the 2003/04 CAP reform represents a major step forward in integrating food safety, food quality and animal health and welfare concerns into the CAP. The reinforcement of support for quality production and improved standards will help farmers to respond better to consumer demand.
The reforms reinforce rural development through the transfer of resources - amounting to around EUR 1 billion per year (from 2007) - from CAP direct aid to rural development measures. These measures can target competitiveness, land management and the rural economy. The new CAP focuses farmers on their businesses and places emphasis on market orientation rather than market support. It removes many of the negative incentives within the old CAP. A more entrepreneurial approach will require a change of culture and working habits in many organizations and will require support and encouragement (both political and financial).This will remain a major challenge in the coming years. For these reasons, the instruments of rural development will grow in importance.
Development of rural and rural areas - priorities of Union Agricultural Policy. Rural development is the key tool for the restructuring of the agriculture sector and to encourage diversification and innovation in rural areas. Enlargement has changed the agricultural map, and getting the restructuring process right is essential for macroeconomic growth. Rural development policy can help steer this process towards a higher value added, more flexible economy - in line with the Lisbon strategy.
In all Member States, rural development can help promote competitiveness in the agricultural and food processing sectors. Innovation and ICT must play their role. As in other sectors, valuable R & D must be moved out of the lab and on to the farm.
Local initiatives such as Leader, which has contributed to the creation of new jobs, to the improvement of incomes and to the promotion of equal opportunities in rural areas and support for diversification (on farm and off farm), can play an essential role in connecting people to European ideas and encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship. The environment and associated tourism are a major source of income and employment potential in rural areas.
Name of tool
Description
Investment in the information society and development of ICT
ICT take-up by farms and smaller food processing firms is relatively low. Penetration of ICT remains low in many rural areas. Investment can help by:
- encouraging take-up/diffusion of ICT (e.g. by extension of broadband coverage) to help promote new ways of selling and dealing with risk;
- assisting village ICT initiatives by providing combinations of computer equipment, networking and training;
- facilitating on-farm tourism through ICT use (e.g. by improving booking systems, promotion and links with recreational activities)._
Facilitating innovation in the supply chain
Innovation is increasingly important for the competitiveness of Europe's farming and agri-food sectors. The full range of product and process development opportunities can be offered to smaller processors and farm businesses through:
- targeted investment in equipment, management processes and training;
- innovation initiatives focusing on individual farms or on the agri-food chain
(particularly for quality products), thereby achieving a multiplier effect._
Cooperation in R & D (research and development)
Cooperation between research facilities, the food industry and farmers facilitates take-up of new technologies and processes. Rural development can promote a more strategic approach to innovation through networking and exchange of experience.
Public and private sectors working together
The Leader initiative has and will continue to play an important role in encouraging innovative approaches to rural development and bringing the private and public sectors together, providing local services.
Increasing competitiveness
Recent CAP reforms have done much to promote open and competitive markets. Rural development measures can help to:
- improve information about product availability and quality;
- encourage farmers, particularly in the new Member States, to adopt management systems that are more responsive to market trends;
- foster entrepreneurship, which is the key to developing dynamic farm businesses,
- exchanges of best practice, advice on development of business strategy and management systems, and planning, networking and coaching;
- improve product quality (there is considerable potential for the growth of high-quality agricultural and processed products); investment and training in up-to-date production and stock management can significantly improve opportunities for small firms in rural areas;
- develop quality schemes and labeling and niche products (e.g. through the development of geographical indications) and provide scope for increased cooperation between producers, processors and retailers._
Name of tool Description
Employment creation and rural diversification On-farm and off-farm diversification can contribute to growth and employment in rural areas. Tourism, crafts and the provision of rural amenities are growth sectors in many regions. Rural development measures can help by: - assisting agricultural restructuring, particularly in the new Member States; - encouraging semi-subsistence farmers to move into the market and increase earned income (again important in new Member States); - supporting development of micro-businesses (e.g. via purchase of equipment, training and coaching) and building on traditional skills; - helping to provide childcare facilities; lack of childcare facilities in rural areas can hinder the entry of women into the labour market; - aiding cooperation initiatives; in many rural areas, rural women have developed cooperation initiatives to provide advice and promote high-quality farm and regional products.
Source: European Commission for Agriculture and Rural Development, Brussels 2007.
Rural development policy does not operate in a vacuum. Many measures are relatively small-scale. But rural development actions can ensure that small-scale local infrastructure is put in place to connect rural communities with major investments under regional and cohesion policies. The significant EU Structural Funds invested in telecommunications, transport, energy and water infrastructure can be capitalized on via local strategies for diversification and development of agricultural and food sector potential. Rural development can help supply the multiplier effect.
The Lisbon strategy focuses, among other things, on improving education and training, research and development and the promotion of innovation and sustainability. These are exactly the results the rural development toolbox can deliver. The table 1 below shows areas where rural development tools can be used to help meet the Lisbon strategy's aims.
General conclusions. Recent surveys show that European citizens appreciate the benefits of changes in the ways the CAP supports farmers and rural areas. Some 66 % of EU citizens consider the adjustment of the CAP from a system based on production linked subsidies to one which funds the protection and development of the overall rural economy (as well as providing direct support to farmers) as a good thing.
Although EU public opinion clearly perceives the CAP as continuing to provide value for money, improvements can still be made. The Commission has proposed an amount of EUR 88,75 billion for the new single rural devel-
opment fund over the period 2007-2013. These amounts are necessary to achieve the declared objectives of rural development policy, to permit innovation and diversification outside traditional agri-businesses, and to be able to respond to society's expectations for a competitive agricultural, forestry and food sector which is environmentally sustainable and underpins the socioeconomic fabric of EU rural areas.
Rural development policy involves the cofinancing by the EU and Member States of a variety of measures. Member States decide on the most appropriate measures for their rural areas from a menu of measures proposed at EU level. The policy epitomizes the 'partnership' element of the Lisbon strategy, and is essential due to the wide diversity of the EU's rural areas. In the agricultural sector, and in rural areas, the EU is pursuing balanced economic growth and technological improvement, and the creation of new jobs, but without jeopardizing the future standard of living of any region and, above all, in a way that is environmentally sustainable. A market-oriented CAP and a growth-oriented and innovative rural development policy are central elements of this.
The CAP reforms represent a major contribution to the Lisbon strategy. There is a need for an innovative farming sector that can look to the future with confidence. It must be provided that the rural environment that Europe wants and we must maintain the diversity of farming structures. The European Union policy must continue to improve market orientation, competitiveness and sustainability. Now for EU it is time to turn rural development into a central element both of the Common Agricultural Policy and Lisbon Strategy as well. This means investment in the future, creating new employment possibilities and rural diversification.
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Дата поступления статьи - 5 ноября 2007 г.
