RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 2007- 2013 (RDP) AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF PREVIOUS RURAL PROGRAMMES CO-FINANCED FROM THE EU BUDGET

RDP 2007-2013 is a successive programme designed to support the development of Polish agriculture and rural regions from Polish and EU public funds. EU funds will reach the level of EUR 13.2 billion and Polish public funds - the level of approximately EUR 4.0 billion. The level of private funds, to be contributed from own resources of entities covered by RDP, is put at over 7.8 billion euro. Thus, the total amount of means engaged in the implementation of RDP will exceed EUR 25 billion. RDP does not meet the requirement of concentration of means on measures intended to increase the competitiveness and productivity of the rural regions' economy. RDP supports rather evenly the development of rural regions, environmental protection and farmers' incomes. Public funds are allocated in the following way - the development of food economy - EUR 5.0 billion (29.0% of all means), the development of other sectors - EUR 2.8 billion (16.5%), environmental protection - EUR 3.1 billion (18.0%), incomes and social purposes - EUR 4.6 billion (26.9%), other purposes - EUR 1.6 billion. RDP's weak point is the large amount of assistance means allocated to incomes and social purposes. This weakness calls for the introduction of corrections during the Programme's implementation.