Lndliche Entwicklung und soziale Daseinsvorsorge Rural Development and

Ländliche Entwicklung und soziale Daseinsvorsorge Rural Development and Provision of Social Services by the State Antje Frehse, Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture of the Federal Republic of Germany Platzhalter Bild Quelle: BMEL/Walkscreen

Rural areas in Germany as a whole § 82. 79 million inhabitants (2017) § 357, 385 km² area § 232 inhabitants per km² thereof rural areas § 46. 7 million inhabitants (2016) § 326, 911 km² area For comparison: Czech Republic as a whole § 10. 6 million inhabitants § 78, 870 km² area Page 2

• Large diversity of rural regions o shrinking <---> growing o structurally weak<---> prosperous o close to metropolises <---> on the periphery • No generally binding definition • Typology developed by the Thünen Institute of Rural Studies (BMEL interdepartmental research), developed typology (Rurality Index) • Targeted monitoring of rural areas ("Atlas of Rural Areas") as a differentiated data base Page 3

Rural atlas project § online since 11/2016 § Data base: Data provided by official statistics and, in particular, the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) § Illustration of around 60 indicators from 9 fields § End of May 2018: Rural Atlas 2. 0 with enhanced function and up-to-date data de www. landatlas. Page 4

Demographic development of rural areas § § § "Demographic change" Rise in life expectancy, ageing Negative natural net population change Migration within Germany Permanent departure of young, well-trained women Influx from abroad Page 5

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Change in economic patterns § Decreasing share of agriculture and forestry in jobs and value-added § Increasing importance of medium-sized businesses, crafts, services, tourism § Production of renewable energies and raw materials for bio-based economy § Changing demands of employees Page 7

Increase in regional disparities § Major regional imbalances in terms of income, occupation and economic strength § Prosperous regions and places with an adequate number of jobs, good access to essential services, access to urban centres, inward migration, stable population figures § Downward spiral consisting of outmigration, ageing of population, lack of jobs, building vacancy, tight municipal finances, peripheral location Page 8 Source: BMEL/Walkscreen

What are the main challenges? § Equivalent living conditions § Demographic and societal change § Economic structural change § Vacancy rates, structural/functional village renewal § Securing services of general interest § Infrastructure and mobility § Digitalisation § Encouraging voluntary service Page 9

How are rural regions supported? How can rural inhabitants take matters into their own hands?

European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EARFD) Implementation in Germany: 13 development plans of the Laender (federal states) 2014 – 2020 programming period: EAFRD funds 9. 4 billion € + national funds (Federal Government, federal states, municipalities) 4. 7 billion € in addition 2. 7 billion € for pure Laender programmes = all in all 16. 9 billion € for rural development support (around 2. 4 billion € per year) Page 11

Federal Government/ Länder Joint task for the “Improvement of Agricultural Structures and Coastal Protection” (GAK) Ø Key national support instrument for agricultural structures and infrastructure measures Ø The Federal Government reimburses 60 % of expenditure (coastal protection: 70%) to the Länder (federal states) Ø Federal funds in 2017: 765 million € ; total GAK volume: ca. 1 billion € 2016: Enlargement by measures to promote the rural infrastructure (inter alia nonagricultural microenterprises providing basic services, village building fabric, tourism, cultural and natural heritage) Planned for the 19 th legislative term: Special framework plan for rural development and amendment of the Basic Law Page 12

Federal Rural Development Programme (BULE) Testing and promotion of innovative approaches to rural development BULE helps to preserve rural regions as attractive places to live in and supports structurally weak regions Promotion of those projects that; - that have an exemplary nature - pick up on new issues or ideas - make a contribution to equivalent living conditions. Budget 2018: 55 million Euros 2019: 70 million Euros Page 13

Key factor in the promotion of rural development: People living in rural areas • Rural development is only successful if all state levels, the industry, associations, societies, groups and citizens of all age groups pull in the same direction. • LEADER action groups on the ground • Pilot project on local development • Competition "Our village has a future" • 2017 Future workshops "Regional networks - United we are strong" • with active and dedicated stakeholders from citizenry, enterprises, • municipalities, associations and politics. • 2018: "Action alliance for rural life" with municipal umbrella associations Source: BMEL/photothek/Nicole Markus Page 14

Kommission „Gleichwertige Lebensverhältnisse“

Equivalence of living conditions Coalition agreement for the 19 th legislative term: "Our goal is to achieve equivalent living conditions in effective and efficient municipalities in urban and rural areas, both in the East and West. " Page 16

§ There is a broad social consensus that living conditions within Germany must not vary widely. § Vision enshrined in the Basic Law (financial constitution, law-making competence of the Federal Government) § Foundation for social cohesion § New support scheme throughout Germany against the growing inequalities between urban centres and rural regions § Federal Government Commission for "Equivalent living conditions" with the federal states and municipal umbrella associations, start: 26 September 2018 Page 17

Most important milestones § Cabinet decision of 10/7/2019 adopting Federal Government measures § Deutschlandatlas: www. heimat. bund. de § As of September 2019: more concertation of federal, regional and local governments § German Foundation for Engagement and Volunteering Page 18

The 12 Federal Government measures include: 1. Targeted support for less-favoured regions 2. Creating and moving jobs to structurally weak regions (“decentralization”) 3. Providing broadband mobile communication throughout Germany 4. Improving mobility and transport infrastructure throughout the country 5. Strengthening villages and rural areas 6. Boosting urban development assistance and government-subsidized housing Page 19

The 12 Federal Government measures include: 7. Fair solutions for old debts of local governments 8. Encouraging active involvement and voluntary service 9. Quality and participation in daycare for children 10. Accessibility throughout the country 11. Encouraging supportive interaction in municipalities 12. Establish equivalent living conditions as a guiding principle of national policies Page 20

Thank you for your attention! Antje Frehse Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture October 2019