• The “European CAP Network” is the continuation of the European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) under the framework of the new PEPAC 23-27
• It will bring together under a single European network the new "National CAP Networks", known until now as national rural development networks.
• In this way, new policies in agricultural development are added to rural development policies.

The new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan 2023-2027 is scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2023. For the first time, a single plan (the CAP Strategic Plan) will integrate the rural development measures of the seventeen autonomous communities, as well as the supra-regional measures that in previous periods were found in the 17 Rural Development Programmes (RDPs) plus the National Rural Development Programme (PNDR).

Due to this, the so-called European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) is transformed into the “European CAP Network” ( EU CAP Network ) to bring together under one umbrella all national rural development networks, which will become “National CAP Networks” .

The "European CAP Network" was launched at an event in Brussels on October 6, which also included the 2022 Rural Inspiration Awards ceremony.

Duties

The main objective of the "European CAP Network" is to centralize information on both agriculture (agricultural policies) and rural policy within the European Union (EU). It provides special support to:

1. CAP Strategic Plans: The "European CAP Network" is the umbrella organization for the European rural development networks or "National CAP Networks." As such, the Network will ensure compliance with the plans within each Member State. To this end, it will organize events such as thematic group meetings, capacity-building workshops aimed at improving the technical implementation of the strategic plans, and seminars or meetings between European networks.
2. Innovation: The "European CAP Network" becomes a focal point for innovation, including the AEI-AGRI (European Innovation Partnership) . To this end, it will facilitate communication and cooperation between Operational Groups and innovative projects in agriculture, forestry, and rural areas.
3. Evaluation: The “European CAP Network” also includes the “European Evaluation Helpdesk” (Helpdesk) , which is responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of CAP evaluations by assisting managing authorities, national CAP networks, paying agencies, evaluators and the European Commission in the implementation of CAP interventions by Member States.

Rural development and PEPAC 23-27

With the CAP reform, this policy becomes a policy linked to the achievement of concrete results, that is, linked to achieving objectives based on three pillars:

1. ECONOMIC BLOCK - Income of farmers and ranchers
2. ENVIRONMENTAL BLOCK - Environment and climate
3. RURAL AND SOCIAL BLOCK - Rural development: seeks to strengthen the socioeconomic fabric of rural areas through:
   • • Support generational change
     • Living rural areas
     • Food quality and health protection

The cross-cutting objective is to modernize the agricultural sector through knowledge, innovation and digitalization in rural areas .