June 21, 2016

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has held the Monitoring Committee meeting for the Rural Development Program for the period 2007-2013, as provided for in European regulations governing the European Structural and Investment Funds. This committee is being held with the assistance of the European Commission, as this program is co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
The 2007-2013 RDP, approved by the European Commission on February 15, 2008, and concluded on December 31, 2015, closed with an implementation total of €1,828.4 million, representing 99.97% of the planned budget. Castile and León thus leads the Spanish RDP with the highest implementation rate, three points higher than the national average (96.8%). It is also one of the highest in the European Union. It is also worth noting that the Community has not lost European funding for failure to comply with the n+2 rule throughout its entire implementation.
This Rural Development Program has focused on three major objectives: increasing the competitiveness of the agricultural and agri-food sector, to which €881 million has been allocated; improving the environment and rural surroundings, with €753 million; and diversifying activities and improving living conditions in rural areas, with €187 million. New European challenges such as climate change, renewable energy, and water management, among others, have also been considered.
With the investments made, 67,500 beneficiaries have accessed the specific lines contemplated therein, and some of them have even accessed several. Of note are the aid received by 3,200 young people to establish themselves in the sector, 19% of whom are women; by 10,200 agricultural producers to modernize their farms; and by 4,300 farmers who have entered early retirement programs, freeing up 222,000 hectares for active workers in the agricultural sector. In addition, 9,500 farmers have received advice to improve their training; 40,000 farmers have received compensation for developing their activities in disadvantaged areas; and 13,000 for
develop agro-environmental management; 885 industries have benefited from investment aid, and 16,700 foresters have received support for carrying out forestry activities.
It is also worth noting that irrigation infrastructure has been modernized on 61,500 hectares; vehicle communication routes have been improved in rural areas on 1,600 kilometers; forestry projects have been carried out on 104,000 hectares; and 44 Local Development Strategies have been implemented using the Leader methodology in 97% of Castile and León, enabling the development of 3,200 projects.
In short, the 2007-2013 RDP has enabled investments worth €2.9 billion over the past eight years, of which €1.828 billion has been publicly funded.
The Monitoring Committee is chaired by the managing authority of these Programs, which is the Secretary General of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, representatives of the different bodies that manage the measures of the Rural Development Programs of Castilla y León (Regional Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Regional Ministry of Development and Environment and Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment), representatives of the Environmental authority, Equal Opportunities, Employment, representatives of the European Commission, as well as professional agricultural organizations, agri-food cooperatives, business associations, trade union organizations, the Regional Federation of Municipalities and Provinces,
of environmental organizations, Rural Networks of Local Action Groups and women's associations.

PDR 2014-2020
The Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Milagros Marcos, also outlined the main lines of the 2014-2020 Rural Development Program, approved by the European Commission on August 25, 2015. The program has a budget of €1.8228 billion, maintaining the same public investment as the previous program.
This Program sets clear priorities, such as improving the competitiveness of the agricultural sector, to which it allocates €785 million; sustainable and environmental agriculture and support for agricultural production in areas with production limitations, to which it allocates €423 million; the competitiveness of the agri-food and forestry industry, with €179 million; forestry actions and fire prevention, with €197 million; Local Development Strategies, with €130 million; advice and training, with €19 million; and the value chain.
food with 33 million euros.

Agreements with the GAL

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has also announced the imminent implementation of the Leader methodology, following the selection of the Local Action Groups for this new period on April 15. The Official Gazette of Castile and León (Bocyl) publishes today the aid scheme that the groups will apply for their applications.
While waiting for the Local Action Groups to present their selection criteria, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock hopes to sign agreements with each of them in the coming weeks so that they can publicize the calls for aid for projects in rural areas. After signing the agreements, they will receive an advance payment of €6.5 million for their operating expenses.