Question écrite de
M. Zbigniew KUŹMIUK
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Commission européenne
Subject: Expenditure from the Common Agricultural Policy budget for non-agricultural purposes
It is evident from the wording of Article 39 TFEU that the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy are to support agriculture and the agricultural community. However, funds from the second pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy are used to finance some expenses not related to agriculture (e.g. construction of public roads, investments in sewage systems, establishment of non-agricultural business activities, etc.). These investments are obviously needed in rural areas, but their financing should be carried out within the framework of the cohesion policy in accordance with Article 174 of the Treaty, which requires special attention to be paid to rural areas. CAP funds, on the other hand, should be strictly aimed at agriculture and farmers.
Does the Commission, as part of its work on a vision for rural development, intend to draw a proper and Treaty-compatible distinction between funding for rural areas under the CAP and cohesion policy, taking into account the objectives of each policy as described in Articles 39 and 174 of the Treaty?
Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski on behalf of the European Commission (5 March 2021)
The majority of support from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) targets agricultural activities directly, including environmental and climate aspects. Evidently, a vibrant rural economy and good living conditions are a precondition for a strong farming sector.
The fund therefore also addresses sustainable development of rural areas in a wider sense, with a balanced territorial development of rural economies and communities including the creation and maintenance of employment as one of the general objectives of the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (1).
The approach was further reinforced in the proposal for the future CAP where to strengthen the socioeconomic fabric of rural areas is one of the three general objectives (2).
Certainly, the EAFRD cannot address all needs in rural areas. A strong complementarity and coordination with other funds — in particular with cohesion, social, regional and maritime funds — are therefore crucial.
The legal proposals which are currently being negotiated in the legislative procedure give Member States broad flexibility to maximise the joint impact of the CAP and the other policies on the development of rural areas and avoiding funding gaps.
The need to ensure consistency and complementarity with other EU funds is also emphasised in the Commission Communication ‘Recommendations to the Member States, as regards their strategic plan for the common agricultural policy’ (3).
The upcoming Long-term Vision for Rural Areas will stress the necessity of all EU funding instruments to address suitably the needs of rural areas. This message has been communicated in a letter sent to the Member States on 19 June 2020.
⋅1∙ Article 4(c) of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on support for rural development by the
European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005. ⋅2∙ Article 5(c) of the proposal for a Strategic Plan Regulation (COM(2018) 392 final). ⋅3∙ COM(2020) 846 final of 18 December 2020.