Rural development policy in Europe Union (EU) from the past to the

Borec et al., (2009) issued the study about sustainable rural development and EU agricultural perspective. The authors supposed that the aims of the policy have been simplified and clarified around three clearly defined economic,

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environmental and territorial objectives. They included such as improving the competitiveness of agriculture and forestry; the environment and the countryside; and the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging diversification of economic activity. (Borec et al., 2009).

Rural development in the EU has closely linked to the evolution of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for over 50 years. It can supply learning lessons for the decision-making of rural development policy in Vietnam.

Figure 2. Evolution of rural development policy in the EU (Borec et al., 2009, p: 41, 42 - Figure 2 by Own adaptation)

The rural development programme period 2007-2013 obtained successes and challenges and it was a platform for new rural development programme period 2014-2020 in the EU. The period 2007-2013 of rural development programme in the EU implemented through one fund, one management and control system and one type of programming. Therefore, it can distribute comparisons for the management and organizational institutes for the National target programme building new rural areas in Vietnam.

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Historical evolution of rural development policy in Europe Union are integrated with the CAP, Cork Declaration (1996, 2016), and Leader initiative.

The Cork declaration (1996) “Towards an integrated rural development policy” and the Cork 2.0 declaration (2016) “Toward an innovative, integrated and inclusive rural and agricultural policy” - which be guided by the following ten policy orientations. (See Table 5)

There is an inheritability conjunction from Declaration in 1996 to version in 2016. The inheritance is coherent, integrated implementation of rural development policy to getting well-being and wealth for rural resident and getting attention in effective green growth for rural areas of EU countries.

Table 5. Cork Declaration 1996 and Cork 2.0 Declaration 2016

Leaflet The Cork declaration (1996) A Living Countryside

Cork 2.0 Declaration (2016) A Better Life in Rural Areas Towards an integrated rural

development policy

Policy Orientations Point 1 Rural Preference Promoting Rural Prosperity Point 2 Integrated Approach Strengthening Rural Value Chains Point 3 Diversification Investing in Rural Viability and Vitality Point 4 Sustainability Preserving the Rural Environment Point 5 Subsidiarity Managing Natural Resources Point 6 Simplification Encouraging Climate Action Point 7 Programming Boosting Knowledge and Innovation

Point 8 Finance Enhancing Rural Governance

Point 9 Management Advancing Policy Delivery and Simplification

Point 10 Evaluation and Research Improving Performance and Accountability

(Source: European Union. LEADER magazine, 1997, p: 1, 2; Leaflet, 2016, p:

2, 3, 4, 5)

As the AEIDL organization (namely in English as the European Association for Information on Local Development), Leader Community initiative is an important approach to promoting awareness of the specific features of the European rural model. LEADER is the European rural development laboratory. It has enabled new paths to undertake rural development. It has a

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response to revitalising rural areas by favouring a “bottom-up” approach to development, using a multi-sectoral approach and seeking to exploit the specific assets of each territory; LEADER underlines the importance of local strategies for sustainable development.

(Source: https://www.aeidl.eu/en/projects/territorial development/leader.html) Therefore, Leader facilitated innovative solutions by opening up new development paths for rural areas go through difficulty and making a significant contribution to creating new employment and income opportunities for rural population.

The CAP, Cork Declaration (1996, 2016), and Leader initiative are the important factors in terms of both of the methodologies and the involved actions for rural development policy in the EU and they support straight for integrated and coherent goals of rural development programmes in the EU. All have marked the watershed moments in the evolution of rural development policy in the EU. (Table 6)

Because they reflects all aspects of rural development study (bottom-up approach, multi-sectoral approach, seeking the specific assets of each territory, local strategies for sustainable development). The fact that it can contribute comprehensive background for rural studies, especially for research about National target programme in building new rural areas in Vietnam.

Table 6. The Leader approach to rural development: what is it?

(LEADER: Liaison Entre Actions de Développement de l’Economie Rurale programme - Links between actions of rural development)

Definition Rural development policy promotes sustainable development in Europe’s rural areas addressing economic, social and environmental concerns.

… Leader is an innovative approach within EU rural development policy.

Meaning Leader stands for ‘Links between actions of rural development’.

Tools of shaping rural future

Leader approach is a tool that works well, in quite different situations and types of areas, thus adapting rural policy-making to the extreme diversity of rural areas’ needs.

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By encouraging local participation in the drawing up and implementation of sustainable development strategies, the Leader approach may prove to be a precious resource for future rural policy.

Methods An area-based and bottom-up approach, involving local communities and adding value to local resources, gradually came to be seen as a new way of creating jobs and businesses in rural areas. Leader began in an experimental way bringing together, at local level, various projects and ideas, stakeholders and resources. It proved to be an ideal instrument for testing how to expand opportunities for rural areas.

Evolution In policy terms, Leader had introduced as a ‘Community initiative’

financed under the EU Structural Funds.

From 2007 onwards, the Leader will be included in national and regional general rural development programmes supported by the EU, alongside a range of other rural development axes.

(Source: European Commission, 2006, p: 5, 6)