COUNCIL REGULATION No 1698/2005 of 20 September 2005
5) lays down rules on partnership, programming, evaluation, financial management, monitoring and control on
the basis of responsibilities shared between the Member States and the Commission.

Missions
The EAFRD shall contribute to the promotion of sustainable rural development throughout the Community in a complementary manner to the market and income support policies of the common agricultural policy, to cohesion policy and to the common fisheries policy.

Objectives
1. Support for rural development shall contribute to achieving the following objectives:

(a) improving the competitiveness of agriculture and forestry by supporting restructuring, development and innovation;

(b) improving the environment and the countryside by supporting land management;

(c) improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging diversification of economic activity.

2. The objectives set out in paragraph 1 shall be implemented by means of the four axes defined in Title IV.

DOWNLOAD: COUNCIL REGULATION No 1698/2005 of 20 September 2005

This Regulation:

1) lays down the general rules governing Community support for rural development, financed by the EAFRD, established by Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005;

2) defines the Objectives to which rural development policy is to contribute;

3) defines the strategic context for rural development policy, including the method for fixing the Community strategic guidelines for rural development policy (hereinafter the Community strategic guidelines) and the
national strategy plans;

4) defines the priorities and measures for rural development;