EN RD presentation

The essential rules governing rural development policy for the period 2007 to 2013, as well as the policy measures available to Member States and regions, are based on Council Regulation (EC) N° 1698/2005 of 20 September 2005 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
Under this Regulation, rural development policy for 2007 to 2013 is structured along 3 thematic and one horizontal axes.

Chapter II of this regulation is devoted to technical assistance. Its Article 68 specifies that "each Member State shall establish a national rural network, which groups the organisations and administrations involved in rural development".

With the aim to ensure the networking of these national networks, organisations and administrations active in the field of rural development at Community level, the establishment of a network named "European Network for Rural Development" is foreseen in Article 67.

Objectives

The European Network for Rural Development (EN RD) contributes to the efficient implementation of the Rural development Programmes.

The aims of the Network shall be to:

•    collect, analyse and disseminate information on Community rural development measures;
•    collect, disseminate and consolidate at Community level good rural development practice;
•    provide information on developments in the Community’s rural areas and in third countries;
•    organise meetings and seminars at Community level for those actively involved in rural development;
•    set up and run expert networks with a view to facilitating an exchange of expertise and supporting implementation and evaluation of the rural development policy;
•    support the national networks and transnational cooperation initiatives.

The network's activities shall benefit those engaged with rural development such as:

•    concerned administrations and institutions;
•    national networks as well as other rural network structures;
•    stakeholder organisations at European level;
•    Local Action Groups;
•    various other bodies and rural actors concerned with rural development.

Structures

The following organisational structure has been set up by the Commission Decision 2008/168/EC of 20 February 2008.

The Coordination committee shall, in particular,
•    assist the Commission in the preparation and implementation of the EN RD's activities; ensure coordination between the EN RD, the national rural networks and organisations active in rural development at Community level;

•    advise the Commission on the annual work programme of the EN RD and contribute to the choice and coordination of thematic work carried out by the EN RD;

•    propose, as appropriate, to the Commission the creation of thematic working groups.

A Leader subcommittee shall advise the Commission on the annual work programme of the EN RD concerning the Leader axis and shall contribute to the choice and coordination of thematic work in this field. It shall also support the Commission's monitoring of the implementation of transnational cooperation projects.

Thematic working groups established by the Commission further to proposals made by the Coordination committee shall have a defined mandate. The thematic working groups shall report regularly to the Coordination committee. The thematic working groups shall submit the results of their activity in the form of a final report at a meeting of the Coordination committee at the latest two years after their creation.

An Evaluation Expert Committee shall follow the work of the European Evaluation Network for Rural Development related to the exchange of expertise and establishment of best practice on evaluation of the rural development policy.

The Contact Point

A Contact Point has been put in place in order to provide the European Commission (Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development) with technical assistance in the framework of the European Network for Rural Development.

Its main activities are the following:

•    Support to and secretariat of the Coordination committee, the Leader subcommittee, the thematic working groups, expert meetings;
•    Support for transnational cooperation (among which publication of guides, development of data bases, etc.);
•    Information exchange and coordination with national networks;
•    Promotion and representation (participation in events…);
•    Information line (respond to requests for information, receive visitors…);
•    Support for analysis/summary of programmes and monitoring indicators;
•    Collection and dissemination  of good practices;
•    Development of the European Network's Website;
•    Preparation of seminars and conferences;
•    Publication of a rural development periodical, an electronic newsletter, selections of best practices, thematic publications…


For further information:

Contact Point of the European Network for Rural Development
Rue du Marteau, 81
B - 1000 Bruxelles
Belgique

Tel: +32.(0)2 235 20 20
Fax: +32.(0)2 280 04 38
E-mail: info@enrd.eu
Website:  http://enrd.ec.europa.eu