National strategy plan

Guidance template

European Commission Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development

National strategy plan

New RDR 2

NSP based on Council Regulation (EC) No. 1698/2005 on support for rural development by the EAFRD and the Community strategic guidelines for rural development 2007-2013

Presented document = guidance template = not binding!, provides help to the MS

NSP guidance template

Establishing the national strategy plan (NSP)

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NSP structure in 6 chapters:

1. Baseline analysis of the economic, social and environmental situation and setting of the baseline indicators

2. Overall strategy, translation of Community priorities and settings of national priorities

3. Strategy per axis, including quantified targets and objectives and indicators to be used

4. RDPs and their indicative allocation, including Convergence amounts

5. Internal and external consistency of the NSP, complementarity with other Community funding instruments

6. Amount and set up for the national rural network

N.B. These 6 chapters constitute the main body of the text, its length should not exceed 20 pages. More details in annexes. Regional analysis in annexes.


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Chapter 1: Baseline analysis of the economic, social and environmental situation and setting of

the baseline indicators

Baseline analyse should contain at least: Economic situation: competitiveness of the agrifood sector, strengths/weaknesses of

investment in human and physical capital; forestry sector Environmental situation: relation to biodiversity, water management, climate change +

indication of needs in these areas Socio-economic situation in rural areas: identify strengths/weaknesses + needs

Baseline indicators: refer to the initial situation the lead baseline indicators are compulsory, with view to report on strategy and to

aggregate results at EU level


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Chapter 2: Overall strategy, translation of Community priorities and settings of national

priorities In connection with chapter 2:

– Balance between competitiveness/environment/diversification and quality of life + weighting of EU and national priorities + how resources will be allocated between three main intervention areas

– Connection of the RD strategy to the Lisbon objectives; for Community and national priorities the plan should identify the key areas where intervention brings the maximum value added; MS should indicate the type of actions they envisage implementing.


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Chapter 3: Strategy per axis, including quantified targets and objectives and indicators to be used

Axis 1 – balance between restructuring/modernisation and knowledge transfer/innovation, identification of priority sectors for investment

Axis 2 – balance between AE, Natura and LFA for biodiversity; water quality and quality management – agri and forestry; climate mitigation measures

Axis 3 – balance between diversification/economic development and basic services/rural infrastructure/renovation

Axis 4 – balance between local capacity building and implementation of local development strategies

Quantified objectives and targets, broken down by gender and age where relevant.

“Smart” objectives; targets sufficiently focused and realistic - available funding + implementation capacity

More indicators can be included after the programme approval.


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Chapter 4: RDPs and their indicative allocation, including Convergence amounts

For MS opting for a single national programme reference is made to this programme, distinguishing, where relevant, the EAFRD amount reserved for the Convergence Objective.


RD Programmes EAFRD allocation including amounts under Art 12(2) of R. 1290/2005

Convergence regions (including phasing-out regions)

Other regions (including phasing-in the Regional Competitiveness Objective)

Programme Region A

Programme Region B

……………….

Programme Region N

TOTAL (mio EUR)

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Chapter 5: Internal and external consistency of the NSP, complementarity with other

Community funding instruments

Internal consistency of the plan, the relevant links with other EU level strategies and action plans and the complementarity with other Community funding instruments

Links between axes and integrated approaches should be explained + also the relevant links per axis to other EU strategies and action plans

Demarcation principle set in the NSP for actions similar to RD Complementarity with other Community funding instruments for the same

territory set out; coordination actions within the MS

=> in annex fiches analysing the objectives and contents (more about the complementarity in fiche 7)


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Chapter 6: Amount and set up for the national rural network

The NSP has to indicate if the NRN will be established within a single RD programme under the programme technical assistance component or as a separate NRN programme.

In addition to the amount reserved for the NRN, the envisaged main functions and composition should be described.

There is however, just one single NRN on the national level!

Relation to the fiche 8.


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Proposed step-by-step procedure:1) Informal contacts with the MS – explanation of the NSP

template and examination of the ongoing NSP preparation by MS; first orientations deadline: asap, before end 2005

2) Discussion of first version of the NSP with the Commission deadline: 12/2005-02/2006

3) Formal submission of the NSP deadline: max. 3 months after adoption of the Community strategic guidelines

N.B. min. 2 months – max. 4 months between NSP submission and submission of programmes


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9 fiches analysing the objectives – across axes and with other EU strategies, priorities and funding mechanisms

Fiche 1-6 achieving the objectives through rural development measures

More extended analysis of complementarity and demarcation with other funds – fiche 7

National rural network – fiche 8 Strategic monitoring by the MS – fiche 9


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Fiche 1: EU Environmental prioritiesRD: to protect and enhance the EU’s natural resources and landscapes in rural areas,

the resources devoted to axis 2 should contribute to three EU level priority areas:- biodiversity/preservation/development of high nature value farming and forestry

systems- water- climate change

6th Community Environment Action Programme – Environmental Thematic Strategies:

a) Community Biodiversity Strategy – Natura 2000 Network

b) Water Framework Directive

c) Thematic Strategy on Soil Protection

d) Community Climate Change Programme

e) Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution

f) Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides


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Fiche 2: EU Forestry Strategy


Objectives – the sustainable forest management and the multifunctional role of forests

Forestry measures in RD can support the implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy and the upcoming EU Forest Action Plan by aiming at:

– competitiveness of the EU forestry sector and economic viability of sustainable forest management, support the role of forestry in RD areas

– protection and sustainable management of forests + social, recreational and cultural role

– extending and improving forest resources in the EU– forest biological diversity, forests included in Natura 2000– contributing to climate change mitigation

Examples of possible measures:– Axis I.: Improving the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector– Axis II.: Improvement of the environment and the countryside

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Fiche 3: Innovation in rural development strategies


Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Sustainable Development and Lisbon Action Programme

Innovation

= introduction of a new process, a new product, a new form of organisation of a new market in the provision of goods and services; also providing new responses to the specific problems of rural areas

Types of interventions present in the NSP’s priorities:- transfer of knowledge- adaptation of innovations- adoption of innovative technologies- restructuring of production and organisation - new forms of integration of farmers in the food chain and the agri-food sector- innovative policy approaches

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Fiche 4: Information and communication technologies for agriculture and RD

Information and communication technologies (ICT)= applied to agriculture and rural areas in food safety, tracking livestock movements, agri-

industry business models and rural broadband and services…= applied to processes, improving farm management, new organisation, distance work, new

market…. ICT enable innovation, often combine traditional forms of know-how with IT

Assessment of ICT should be based on the following criteria:- no obligation, but suggested key action in axis 1+ 3 – rural areas usually lagging behind in the use of ICTs.- targets for the up-take of ICT:

- smaller businesses, ICT clusters, virtual platforms; - emphasis in agrifood, the service and tourist sector- training, information and diffusion of knowledge on ICT- access to internet and broadband communication- ICT networking


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Fiche 5: Organic farming


European Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming:

Key words: typical and high-quality products; sustainability of the farming and agri-foodstuffs sector; protecting biodiversity; conserving non-renewable resources used in agriculture; rural development policy; food safety

Examples of possible measures under RD:

Axis I: Improving the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector

- vocational training

- advisory systems

- farm modernisation

- adding value to primary agricultural and forestry products

- financial support for farmers for their participation in food quality schemes

- financial support for promotion

Axis II: Improvement the environment and the countyside

- Agri-environment

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Fiche 6: Bio-energy


Bio-energy = energy derived from biomass, including biofuels

Biomass : from wood, crops, forestry residues, agri residue, organic waste

Biofuels - bioethanol, biodiesel, biogas

Key words: renewable energy, biodegradability, recyclability,

Examples of possible measures under RD:

Axis I: - modernisation of farms

- improvement of economic value of forests

- adding value to agricultural and forestry products

- co-operation for development of new products processes and technologies in the agriculture and forestry sector

Axis II: - first afforestation

Axis III: - diversification into non-agricultural activities and support for business creation and development

- basic services for the economy and rural population

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Fiche 7: Complementarity and demarcation between rural development and other Community structural policies at NSP level/programme level


Complementarity/ demarcation arrangements:

the result of the national choices for the best combination between instruments should be reflected in both strategic documents – National Strategy Plan (for rural development) and National Strategic Reference Framework (for regional policy)

The demarcation line should be elaborated at NSP level and at programme level.

Main common fields with other financial instruments:- ESF : vocational training and capacity building- ERDF: forest protection, non-productive investments in Natura 2000 sites (axis 2),

diversification/quality of life (axis 3)- CF: prevention measures natural disasters (axis 1), forestry protection (axis 2)- EFF: implementation of local development strategies in costal areas by CAG- LIFE+ : Drawing up of Natura 2000 management plans (axis 3)

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Fiche 8: National Rural Network (NRN)


National rural network – groups the organisations and administrations involved in rural development.

Rural actors members of the NRN: Beneficiaries of the programme or third parties concerned by the objectives of

measures

- axis 1+2 : food and forestry sector, farmers associations, producers associations…

- axis 3: landscape/environmental protection, cultural heritage, rural tourism organisations, chambers of trade and industry in rural areas…..

- axis 4: LAG Administrations : regional and national administration, national associations of rural

communes….

Duties: facilitate at MS level an exchange of expertise and support implementation and evaluation of the rural development policy + to secure information flow

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Fiche 9: Two-yearly strategic monitoring by the MS

Report summarising:

- Achievements and results of the RD programmes relative to the indicators

- Results of the ongoing evaluation activities for each programme

Proposed structure of the report:

1. Summarising and updating the basic economic/social/environmental situation

2. Summarising the progress made over the last two years covered by the report of the strategy chosen and the thematic and territorial priorities under each axis

3. Financial progress

4. Effectiveness analysis (qualitative) putting in relation the achievements with the means mobilised to reach them

5. Reporting the main evaluation results – from evaluation activities for each programme

6. Summarising the functioning of the consistency and coordination arrangements with other EU policies, priorities and financial instruments and the state of National Rural Network


Documents

National strategy plan