Thumbnail 021. National programmes. Council of the European Union - Extranet version 4.1.0 - L site. Joint Coordination Committee and Evaluation Expert Committee Workshops. Rural Development policy 2007-2013. Why have a rural development policy?
The European Union has an active rural development policy because this helps us to achieve valuable goals for our countryside and for the people who live and work there. The EU's rural areas are a vital part of its physical make-up and its identity. According to a standard definition, more than 91 % of the territory of the EU is "rural", and this area is home to more than 56 % of the EU's population. Furthermore, the EU's fantastic range of striking and beautiful landscapes are among the things that give it its character – from mountains to steppe, from great forests to rolling fields.