Regional Workshop on EU Rural Development Programme 2007-13 and its application to land consolidation

Prague, Czech Republic, 25/06/2007 - 27/06/2007

A regional workshop on land consolidation in the context of the EU's Rural Development Programme 2007-13 was held in June 2007 in Prague. It was sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Czech Republic, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The 2007 Regional Workshop built on the foundation laid by earlier regional workshops on land consolidation. The 2007 workshop was part of FAO's programme to assist countries to develop responses to their problems of land fragmentation and adverse rural conditions. It was held in response to requests for information on the EU Rural Development Programme (RDP) and, in particular, its requirements and funding options for land consolidation. The RDP is relevant to all European countries whether they are members of the EU, candidate or potential candidate countries, or European neighbours.

The workshop provided an opportunity for senior land administrators to learn about the RDP and its implications for land consolidation. It helped to reinforce and consolidate the knowledge gained by participants in 2005 and 2006, and to strengthen the peer network of professionals who are responsible for implementing land consolidation across the region.

Participants came from Albania, Armenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine and UNMIK Kosovo. A representative from the EU Commission - DG Agriculture and Rural Development participated as a resource person for the EU's RDP. Technical sessions were led by specialists from FAO and the Danish and Dutch land consolidation agencies.

The workshop's objectives were to:

Inform on the EU's Rural Development Programme 2007-13 and, in particular, its requirements and funding options for land consolidation;
Inform on recent lessons learned when implementing land consolidation in the region and exchange positive and negative experiences;
Strengthen the peer network of land administration professionals in Central and Eastern Europe who are responsible for implementing land consolidation projects.

Each country prepared a written case study and made a presentation at the workshop on recent activities and priorities for the future. The experiences of more advanced countries were helpful to the countries that are just starting land consolidation initiatives.