The EU proposals for rural development after 2013: A good compromise between innovation and conservative choices?

The new proposals concerning the Regulation on Rural Development (RD) policy1 after 2013 is being discussed in EU institutions and Member States. In a previous paper, we put forward a series of proposals concerning the future of rural development policies after 2013. In particular, we outlined the importance of better integration of the Europe 2020 Strategy, a more coordinated and simplified programming system and finally a greater flexibility. This Policy Brief intends to further contribute to the present debate and clarify the main challenges ahead. It argues that the EU proposals move forwards in terms of relevant institutional innovations but move backwards by taking a more conservative stance. Four themes in the Commission’s 2014-2020 proposals that were changed with regards to the current programming period will be analysed: strategic programming, programming design, implementing rules and funding rural development. The three other types of changes (Leader approach, innovation and networking) will be partly taken into consideration.