The experience of identifying territorial units and managing the development of rural areas in the European Union and the directions of its use in domestic practice

Abstract

The article is devoted to the generalization of approaches to the identification of territorial units and management of the rural areas development in the EU and the justification of the need for its use in domestic practice. It was established that several different approaches to the identification of rural territories and territorial units were tested during the nearly twenty-year preparatory period (typology based on a 1 km2 grid; typologies at the LAU 2 level, in particular the degree of urbanization, etc.; at the NUTS 3 levels, in particular urban-rural typology, etc.). which were improved and presented in the Methodological manual on territorial typologies. Today, this technique is basic in establishing the common statistical classification of territorial units (NUTS). It is summarized that cohesion policy is aimed at reducing regional disparities and promoting economic and social cohesion, as well as territorial convergence between EU member states, which has been carried out since the founding of the EU in 1957. In 1992, thefourth cohesion policy fund was created - the Cohesion Fund (FZ) - to finance projects to improve the state of the environment and transport infrastructure in member states where the GNP per capita is less than 90% of the EU average. It was revealed that the formation of the Just Transition Fund in 2021, which corresponds to the EU “green” transition paradigm, was an addition to the institutional architecture. It is argued that the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) are the main financial instrument for supporting cohesion policy and include the following components: ERDF (European Regional Development Fund), ESF (European Social Fund), Cohesion Fund (FZ), European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The ERDF has been identified as the largest component of the ESIF, which focuses on promoting economic and social cohesion by investing in infrastructure, innovation and entrepreneurship. This Fund was found to support projects related to transport, energy, digital infrastructure, research and innovation, and the transition to a low-carbon economy. It is emphasized that this fund contributes to employment, social integration and development of skills of the population. The peculiarities of the cohesion fund, which provides financial assistance to member countries whose GNI per capita is below a certain threshold level, have been considered. It has been established that this fund supports large-scale infrastructure projects in the fields of transport, energy and the environment. At the same time, the EAFRD and EMFF funds support rural development and fisheries respectively, contributing to the overall objectives of cohesion policy. It has been proven that since 2013, the development of multi-year programs for the development of rural areas of the EU countries has been focused on six priorities of sustainable development: promoting the transfer of knowledge and innovations; increasing competitiveness; promoting the organization of the food production chain and risk management; restoration, preservation and development of ecosystems; increasing the efficiency of resource use and transition to a low-carbon economy; promotion of social integration, reduction of poverty and economic development in rural areas. The European Green Course, which aims to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, is analyzed. As for agriculture and food, the Green Deal envisages measures to increase sustainability in land management, food production and consumption, in particular through measures that will be included in the strategic plans of the common agricultural policy. Activities and practical actions in domestic practice regarding the creation of conditions for the implementation of the European experience regarding the identification of territorial units and the readiness to participate in attracting financial allocations within the framework of current programs based on the implementation of regulatory and legal support and the ability to master the allocated financial funds in full have been determined. Key words: rural territories, territorial units, cohesion fund, green course, sustainable development priorities, structural funds.