Rural Development Programme for England 2007-13

The next Rural Development Programme for England is scheduled to run from 2007 to 2013. The programme is financed by the European Union, through the European Regional Fund for Rural Development and the UK Government. It is planned to use Voluntary Modulation to partly finance the programme in England so the size and shape of the new programme could not be finally decided until the negotiations surrounding this had been concluded.  This means that the start to the programme has been delayed until later in the year.

We hope to use these pages to bring members up to date with the background to the programme, the current state of play and to highlight issues of importance.

LATEST NEWS

1st APRIL 2008 NEW WEB PAGE LAUNCHED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO CLA MEMBERS WITH POTENTIAL PROJECTS. click here

MARCH 31st 2008 CLA Guidance Note GN 03-08 issued to replace GN14-07 which should be destroyed

DECEMBER 6TH 2007 -THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR ENGLAND 2007-13  IS FINALLY AGREED BY EU

The Rural Development Programme for England has today been agreed by the European Commission, this paves the way for full implementation in January 2008, once the legal decision approving the programme has been published.

Members should be aware that in order to obtain programme approval changes have been made to the Energy Crops Scheme and the Environmental Stewardship Schemes.  These are detailed on the Defra website here

Please note that holders of Environmental Stewardship agreements dated before 1st January 2007 are not affected by these changes.  Natural England will be contacting those agreement holders affected by the changes.

Further information will be available on the Natural England Website http://www.naturalengland.org.uk

Invitations to apply for LEADER funding have been issued in all Regions.  For more information about the LEADER approach see section J of the Defra Q&A  here To find out what is happening in your region, contact the Regional Development Agency or follow the link to Regional Implementation Plans

Ring Fenced Funding for the Livestock Sector.  CLA contimues to be involved in discussion with Defra and the Regional Development Agencies regarding the use of this money.  To view the ministerial statement click here

JUNE 2007- The Draft Rural Development Programme has been submitted to the European Commission. more

3rd MAY 2007 - CLA GUIDANCE NOTE ISSUED more

30th APRIL 2007 - CLA Responds to Formal Consultation more

13TH APRIL 2007 - DEFRA INTEND TO SUBMIT THE DRAFT RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME DOCUMENT TO THE EU COMMISSION IN EARLY MAY.  THE COMMISSION CAN TAKE UP TO SIX MONTHS TO APPROVE THE DOCUMENT.

13TH APRIL 2OO7 FORMAL CONSULTATION OPENED ON THE DRAFT RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR ENGLAND 2007-13 IN THE CONTEXT OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT PREPARED ON THE PROGRAMMES LIKELY OVERALL IMPACT 

29th MARCH 2007 -  WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM DAVID MILIBAND ANNOUNCING THE DETAILS OF THE VOLUNTARY MODULATION AND CO-FINANCING RATES

20th MARCH 2007 - WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM DAVID MILIBAND ON VOLUNTARY MODULATION AND THE NEW RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR ENGLAND 2007-13

19th MARCH 2007- MODIFIED COMMISSION PROPOSAL ON VOLUNTARY MODULATION APPROVED BY EU FARM COUNCIL

21ST DECEMBER 2006 - DEFRA SUBMIT DRAFT UK NATIONAL STRATEGY PLAN FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EU RURAL DEVELOPMENT REGULATION 2007-13

WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM DAVID MILIBAND ON THE CONTINGENCY ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DELAY TO THE START OF THE NEXT RDPE - 12TH DECEMBER 2006

ON 1ST NOVEMBER 2006 DAVID MILIBAND ANNOUNCED THE NEW RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR ENGLAND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO START ON TIME

CLA is closely monitoring the development of this programme, and calling for clarity.

The Rural Development Programme for Wales in being developed separately and any queries should be directed to Julian Salmon the CLA Regional Director for Wales

Quick Links

Background

External Links

CLA Response to the RDPE Consultation

CLA position on Voluntary Modulation

Regional Implementation Plans

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Background

The Rural Development Regulation (Council Regulation 1698/2005) sets out the legal framework within which the RDPE must operate. The regulation is based around three themes, these are known as axes

• Axis 1 Improving the Competitiveness of the Agriculture and Forestry Sectors
• Axis 2 Improving the environment and countryside – this will be used primarily
• Axis 3 Rural Quality of life and diversification of the rural economy.

Contained within these themes are 34 “measures”, these measures set out the activities which will be eligible to receive funding.

There is also a fourth axis called the “Leader Approach” this is a method of delivery, and will operate across axes 1,2 and 3

Each of the member states has to develop a programme based around these three themes and using as many of the “measures” as they wish.

In England funding for Axis 2 will be delivered by Natural England and the Forestry Commission. The funding under Axes 1 and 3 will be delivered differently in each Region, in accordance with a Regional Implementation Plan

Click on the link below to find out more about Regional Implementation Plans

External Links

Defra Q&A