Predominantly rural areas make up half of Europe and represent around 20 % of the population. However, most of the rural areas are also among the least favoured regions in the EU, with a GDP per head significantly below the European average.
In order to help rural regions grow and raise employment and living standards, the European Union’s rural development policy has set three overarching objectives: improving the competitiveness of agriculture, achieving sustainable management of natural resources and climate action, and a balanced territorial development of rural areas. EU cohesion policy shares these objectives. The European regional development fund (ERDF) and the European social fund (ESF) therefore work to complement the European agricultural fund for rural development (EAFRD).
The following are the main areas in which the ERDF is active:
No segregation between cities/countryside within the cohesion policy
The structural funds operate simultaneously in rural and urban areas, so it is therefore difficult to determine exactly what proportion of the expenditure goes to rural development. Nevertheless, here is a table showing the distribution of funds available for the Cohesion Policy 2007-2013, according to the type of area.
Conferences:
Useful links:
Statistics:
Indicative distribution of structural funds by type of area (in millions of Euros) in 2007-2013:
| Areas | ERDF | ESF | Total Structural funds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rural areas | 47,127 | 6,545 | 53,672 |
| Sparsely or very sparsely populated areas | 7,860 | 3 | 7,863 |
| Highlands | 6,037 | 344 | 6,381 |
| Islands | 3,916 | 281 | 4,197 |
| Outermost regions | 1,031 | 1,188 | 5,399 |
| Territorial co-operation areas (between several regions/countries) | 9,441 | 162 | 9,604 |
| Urban areas | 99,261 | 9,706 | 108,967 |
| Not applicable | 90,509 | 57,844 | 148,353 |
| Total | 268,361 | 76,073 | 76,073 |
| % strictly rural areas | 17.6% | 17.6% | 15.6 % |
| % rural areas (widest possible definition) | 22.7% | 22.7% | 19.7 % |
