Environmental indicators are new instruments in the European Union to assess the impact of agriculture on the environment in rural areas. Using these indicators in the EU member states, changes in rural areas can be analysed and compared. Thus, strong and weak points in rural areas in terms of...

The most reliable way to support sustainable development is given by creation and implementation of a political strategy. The European Union (EU) has many successful experiences in this field. However, the periodical monitoring reports indicate several important challenges to be met by the EU...