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Spending on rural development

The European Union contributes to rural development in the Netherlands.

Current situation


Spending on rural development in 2001 came to EUR 125.4 million, with almost half of this (EUR 55.9 million) coming from the European Union (EU). The budget for rural development is to a large extent used to finance sustainable agriculture, nature and landscape conservation, and water management. A small portion goes on recreation facilities and improvements to the socio-economic structure of rural areas.

Funds for rural development are used both to purchase land for nature and landscape conservation and to finance management grants. Land purchases fall into the category of both "sustainable agriculture" and "nature and landscape" (see the figure). The total for these in 2001 was EUR 43.6 million, with EUR 21.9 million being contributed by the EU. Payments for nature and landscape management are to a large extent categorised as "nature and landscape". An estimated EUR 30 million has been spent on this category, some EUR 10 million of it coming from the EU.

Policy objectives


One of the objectives set out in the "Food Production and Rural Areas" memorandum (Voedsel en Groen) published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality in 2000 is to help rural areas make the transition from primary production to being areas with multiple use of space. This links up with the EU requirement for member states to institute a Rural Development Programme (RDP), which the EU then partly finances. The objectives of the Dutch RDP are to develop sustainable agriculture, improve the quality of nature and the landscape, convert to sustainable water management, promote recreation and tourism, improve the quality of life, and encourage diversification of economic activity.

Technical note


The information on spending in 2001 comes from correspondence between the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and Parliament.

References


  • LNV (2000). Voedsel en Groen - het Nederlandse agro-food-complex in perspectief. Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuurbeheer en Visserij. Den Haag.
  • LNV (2001). Plattelandsontwikkelingsprogramma Nederland 2000-2006 (POP). Ter invulling van de verordening (EG) Nr 1257/1999 van de Raad van 17 mei 1999 zoals goedgekeurd door de Europese Commissie op 9 oktober 2001. Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuurbeheer en Visserij. Den Haag.
  • LNV (2002). Brief van de Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuurbeheer en Visserij aan de Tweede Kamer, 27-3-2002. Plattelandsontwikkelingsprogramma Nederland. Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuurbeheer en Visserij. Den Haag.
This page was last changed on 25 May 2004  (version 01).