A Viable Countryside – Ministries’

Responsibilities and Regional Development

Special Rural Policy Programme 2007–2010

Sivuja 40

ISSN 1238-6464, ISBN 978-952-491-266-2, 978-952-491-267-9 (pdf)

Hinta 8,40 e + alv 8 % + toimituskulut

Julkaisu pdf-tiedostona (1,7 mt)

This publication is an international version of the programme document “Viable Countryside – Ministries’ Responsibilities and Regional Development – Special Rural Policy Programme 2007–2010”. The structure and content of the  publication follows the programme document approved by the Finnish Government in February 2007, but certain sections have been revised to consider the foreign readers.

In Finland the responsibility for regional development rests with the municipalities and State. Provisions on regional development are laid down in the Regional Development Act (602/2002), according to which the special programmes are the Rural Policy Programme, Island Development Programme and Regional Centre Programme as well as the Centre of Expertise Programmes. The special programmes are fixed-term instruments adopted by the Government for the targeting and coordination of regional development and creation of new methods and cooperation practices.

The Special Rural Policy Programme focuses on the broad rural policy issues and development of the rural policy framework. Broad rural policy refers to the assessment of the impacts of measures taken in different administrative sectors on the rural areas. 

The special programme sets down the Government strategies for rural policy and decisions on development measures for 2007–2010. The programme has been reconciled with the other special programmes related to the national regional policy and with the regional programmes. The national regional and rural policy is supplemented by the EU’s regional and structural policy as well as rural and fisheries policy.

The aim of the rural policy is to ensure a viable and functioning countryside. In the special programme the rural policy is categorised into four priorities: 1) restructuring of economy and work, 2) raising the level of competence, 3) improving basic services and living opportunities and 4) reinforcing the operational structures in the rural areas. The strategic outlines put

forward in the programme are concise and goal-oriented. The programme contains 66 decisions, i.e. development measures categorised according to the axes.

The Special Rural Policy Programme is prepared by the Rural Policy Committee, which also assists the Government in its implementation. The Rural Policy Committee is a cooperation group appointed by the Government which brings together the national-level actors involved in rural policy.