The rural development funds – a total of around €70 billion for the 25 Member States for the years 2007-2013 – will be made available under new rules adopted in 2005, which aim to better coordinate the EU's rural policy with its growth and jobs goals. These rules specify that Member States must use at least a certain amount of these funds to achieve four main objectives:
- A minimum of 10% must be spent on improving competitiveness of farming and forestry;
- 10% at least must be invested in improving the quality of life and on diversifying the rural economy;
- at least 5% must go towards funding bottom-up local development strategies, and;
- and lastly, a minimum of 25% must be spent on the environment and countryside.
This last requirement includes the obligation for Member States to implement the Natura 2000 programme, aimed at protecting their most important wildlife areas and species - an area in which Poland has so far failed to comply with European directives (see EurActiv 25 August 2006). The Commission even initiated an infringement procedure in April 2006, which means that, unless Poland cleans up its act, the funds being made available for this programme could be blocked.
Other large recipients of the rural development budget are Germany and Italy, which will receive around €8 billion each, and Spain, which will get €7 billion.
