Press Release: Rural development: vote on latest modifications of rural development programmes to address new challenges

The Rural Development Committee has voted on a third wave of proposals from Member States/regions for using EU Recovery Plan, CAP Health Check funding and other transfers within the CAP to address issues including the economic and dairy crisis and climate change. This closes a very intensive cycle of negotiations between the Commission and Member States and gives the green light for the rapid injection of an additional amount of about €4.6 billion into the economy of rural areas and agriculture in 2009.