Rural Development Policy post 2013 – Opinion Poll among Rural Actors, Austrian National Rural Network – Summary of Statements and Positions
The Austrian National Rural Network service unit “Netzwerk Land” has invited 1.400 stakeholders in rural development to answer three questions about the future orientation of the rural development policy. Additionally, these questions were posed on the front page of the network’s webpage. The RD monitoring committee held further discussions and debates on this subject which is included in this summary. In total, 34 statements were made, 20 from the agriculture sector, five each from the sectors environment/nature and regional management/Leader as well as four others. Most positions, with few exceptions, are based on the assumption of continuing the current two pillar system of the CAP, emphasising the “C” of the CAP and its community building impact. Rural Development in future should play a more important role in accompanying the first pillar, though clear structures and demarcations between the two pillars are needed. One single organisation declines the two pillar structure. A broad majority is in favour that the Leader method and the regional policy elements should remain part of the rural development policy, though without using RD to replace the regional policy. A sufficient CAP budget without renationalisation is required. The “public goods for public money” principle is generally accepted. Guidelines on food labelling and the use of genetic engineering or concerning the harmonisation of the member state’s tax systems were proposed to accompany the policy