Understanding rural development policies: a proposal for a typology of the seven main policy repertoires in Europe and locally, based on French case studies

From 1988 to 2000, EU investments were part of structural policy to promote economic and social cohesion in European rural areas and, since 2000, it has been part of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), with a view to making this policy more rural and thus taking responsibility for these areas’ environmental, economic, social and societal challenges. The European Union therefore has a twofold objective: foster socio-economic development in rural areas that are lagging behind the European average but also support local authorities in strengthening their power to act as well as local actors and powers’ ability to take part in the development process within a territorial governance system organised both in Europe and locally. Additionally, our choice to focus our analysis on France is motivated by the role of social movements placing rural issues on the agenda and by the diversity of measures implemented in France since the 1950s to territorialise rural development policy. These measures have considerably influenced European policies (Berriet-Solliec 2013).

Professional organisations’ representatives are the Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations (COPA) at European level, and the Fédération national des syndicats des exploitants agricoles [National Federation of Agricultural Holders’ Union, FNSEA] and the Centre national des jeunes agriculteurs [National Centre for Young Farmers, CNJA] in France. The agricultural co-operatives’ representatives are the General Confederation of Agricultural Co-operatives (COGECA) at European level and the Confédération française de la co-operation agricole [French Confederation of Agricultural Co-operation, CFCA] in France.