RDPE programme document 2014 to 2020
Formal programme document setting out, in detail, what the Rural Development Programme for England will achieve.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
This formal document sets out, in detail, what the Rural Development Programme (RDPE) for England will achieve between 2014 and 2020. We’ve also added our advisory note on how state aid rules will apply.
All of these are long, detailed, technical documents. If you want to know more about the schemes available under RDPE, read our rural grants and payments guidance.
Programme document
The 2014 to 2020 RDPE was originally adopted by the European Commission on 13 February 2015. The document follows the format laid down in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EC) No 808/2014.
The programme document includes:
- the overall strategy for the RDPE between 2014 and 2020
- an assessment of the main needs to be addressed by the RDPE
- a description of the RDPE measures being implemented
- financial information; a set of indicators that will be used to measure progress against targets
- a set of indicators that will be used to measure progress against targets
- a plan of how the RDPE will be evaluated
- information on how the RDPE will be publicised and who will carry out RDPE activities
- information on how the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF) and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) funded programmes complement each other
This version
This version covers the thirteenth and fourteenth modifications. The fourteenth is a small technical change to correct minor errors in the earlier modification. This was approved by the EC on 8 June 2022. The thirteenth modification included 4 key areas:
- financial adjustments based on revised cash forecasts - this sought to realign the allocations within the RDPE to our most recent cash forecasts
- ability to provide extensions to Organic Higher-Level Stewardship (HLS) agreements
- update of the payment rates for Countryside Stewardship (CS) scheme to reflect an appropriate rate for the activity carried out
- ability to converting existing funding agreements to domestic arrangements
Other changes include minor alterations to several output targets, and administrative issues such as updating the details of Defra group contacts.
Earlier modifications
The twelfth modification included financial adjustments to the programme to reflect the latest spend forecasts. It was adopted by the EC on 10 December 2020.
The eleventh modification was a technical amendment approved by the EC on 14 September 2020 covering a clerical adjustment to correct an anomaly in the payments rates tables that were amended in the tenth modification.
The tenth modification adjustments were adopted by the EC on 14 September 2020 and included:
- adjustments to the technical specifications for the Simplified Costs Options on Countryside Productivity (Small Grants) Scheme
- editorial changes to Environmental Stewardship and Forestry schemes to align the programme text with amendments made in the sixth and ninth modifications
The ninth modification adjustments were adopted by the EC on 22 October 2019 and included:
- a wholesale review of forecast spend to reflect the programme being delivered in 2019 compared to that initially agreed in 2014, including adjustments to financial and output targets for 2023
- a small technical change to align the value of the performance reserve to that stated in the financial plan
- an adjustment to Priority 4 area values in the performance framework to reflect the maximum area expected to be under agreement over the programme period
- editorial changes to provide further clarity about the existing provisions for the continuation of woodland agreements
The eighth modification adjustments were adopted by the EC on 22 July 2019 and included the:
- amendment of the agri-environment scheme requirement of supplying details of consents and planning requirements from application to claim stage
- alterations to the list of capital items for round 3 of the Countryside Productivity Small Grant Scheme
The seventh modification adjustments were adopted on the 8 March 2019 and included:
- increase in the funding available for broadband and technical assistance
The sixth modification adjustments were adopted on the 19 December 2018 and included the:
- implementation of annual HLS (agri-environment) agreement extensions
- updating the simplified costs options for Countryside Productivity Small Grants Scheme
- reducing the priority 2 and 5 performance framework milestones for 2018 from 30% to 20%
- update the contacts for authorities
The fifth modification adjustments were adopted on the 16 July 2018 and included the:
- clarification of the position on only selecting in-situ inspections on projects valued at over £25,000 under measure 4.4
- introduction of a 100% intervention rate under Measure 7.5 where little or no operating profit can be confirmed by a beneficiary, as well as update the value of small-scale investment to €6 million
- update item BN13 for wall top netting under Measure 4.4 and add it to Measure 8.1 for forestry agreements
- increase the running cost and administration (RCA) ceiling for LEADER from 18% to 25%, noting that Local Action Groups will work to maximise spend on projects and manage their RCA within 22%
- update the Authority contacts in Chapter 15
- amend the Programme to reflect the revised delivery arrangements transferring agri-environment responsibilities from Natural England to the RPA from October 2018
The fourth modification adjustments were adopted on the 20 February 2018 and included the:
- introduction of simplified cost options for a Countryside Productivity Small Grants Scheme
The third modification adjustments were adopted on the 21 September 2017 and included the:
- broadening of the support for the water environment
- introducing farm risk prevention and management advice linked to animal health and welfare
- inclusion of public bodies as eligible beneficiaries where supporting small-scale infrastructure and broadband
- broadening the provision of support for coast paths in England
- making small editorial changes to utilise an uplift in intervention available to less developed areas
- making small changes to align the Programme document with the underpinning state aid notifications
- making an adjustment to add potential RDPE delivery bodies
- making amendments to balance financial adjustments
The second modification adjustments were adopted on the 21 June 2017 and included the:
- implementation of the Farm Advisory Service, to broaden the scope of advice on the reduction of pollution from agriculture
- clarification of the State Aid rules for co-operation support
- linking food processing and forestry activities under the Growth Programme
- introduction of new options under Countryside Stewardship to support flood mitigation
- making amendments to balance financial adjustments
The first modification adjustments were adopted on the 27 June 2016 and included the:
- updating the Common Context Indicators and LEADER targets
- clarifying text and eligible applicants
- introduction of the emergency Farming Recovery Fund
Programme document annexes
The programme document has a number of annexes. Copies of the annexes can be requested by emailing RDPENetwork@defra.gov.uk. The annexes are:
- Ex-ante evaluation of the Rural Development Programme for England - June 2014
- Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Draft Rural Development Programme: Environmental Report: Non-Technical Summary - June 2014
- Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Draft Rural Development Programme in England: Environmental Report - June 2014
- ADAS Verification of grant payments for Countryside Productivity Small Grant Scheme - December 2017
- Capital items: Forestry Commission specifications
- Natural England: Capital items - Calculation of the potential costs incurred by New Environmental Land Management Schemes (NELMS) participants on capital Items - March 2014
- Countryside Stewardship capital items controls framework overview
- Validation of methodology used for determining standard capital costs used to calculate grant support rates for NELMS participants (John Clegg Consulting Ltd) - December 2014
- Verification of updated base data to be used in determining “costs of participation” in the Environmental Stewardship Scheme in England (Cumulus Consultants Ltd) - February 2012
- Options payments and measures - June 2018
- Validation of standard costs: Standard costs of operations in the England Rural Development Programme Farm Recovery Fund (John Clegg Consulting Ltd) - December 2015
- Use of simplified costs in Farming Recovery Fund economist review - December 2015
- Use of simplified costs in Farming Recovery Fund (Rural Payments Agency) - December 2015
- Cost models for NELMS forestry - spring 2015
- Validation of standard costs and methods to determine grant support rates for England (John Clegg Consulting Ltd) - February 2014
- NELMS standard costs (Forestry Commission)
- Indicative design for 1 to 3m wide leaky woody dam
- List of prescriptions
- The guide to cross compliance in England - 2015
- New Environmental Land Management Scheme (NELMS) calculation of income foregone by participants 2013 - February 2014
- Verification of the calculation of income foregone by participants in the New Environmental Land Management Scheme (NELMS) 2013 (Cumulus Consultants Ltd)
- Table illustrating baselines in relation to the options
- Verification of the assumptions, costs and methodology that underpin “costs of participation”: Flood inundation options in Countryside Stewardship - September 2016
- Comment on revisions to NELMS Report produced by Natural England in July 2014 on the ‘Calculation of income foregone on Organic Maintenance options’ - August 2014
- Verification of the calculation of income foregone by participants in the New Environmental Land Management Scheme (NELMS) – Revised Organic Maintenance options (Cumulus Consultants Ltd) - August 2014
- Verification of the double funding calculations for Countryside Stewardship Organic Conversion and Maintenance Options (Cumulus Consultants Ltd) - September 2015
The EAFRD programme continues to invest in projects after the transition period ended on 31 December 2020. All funding must finish by the end of 2023.
State aid rules
Our advisory note sets out the legal framework and rationale for applying state aid rules to payments made under 2014 to 2020 Rural Development Programme for England. It is used as a reference by those making decisions about applications for RDPE support.
Funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
Updates to this page
Last updated 30 September 2022 + show all updates
-
Added the fifteenth version of the programme document. Added a new version of the document about the impact of EU state aid rules on the programme. The page detail has been updated to explain the changes in the programme document.
-
Added version 9 which was adopted by the Commission on 22 July 2019.
-
Added the latest version of the programme document.
-
Added a list of the programme document annexes and an email address for where you can request copies of these documents.
-
Added the latest version of the RDPE programme document. Details of what has changed is in the Programme document part of the details section.
-
Simplified Cost Options (SCOs) are being introduced under Measure 4.1 to lower the administrative burden for beneficiaries and the programme administration, supported by an independent verification report.
-
This version includes a number of modifications adopted by the Commission on 25 September 2017. Version 4.1 of the 2014-20 RDPE includes the following modifications: * update the Common Context Indicators and LEADER targets * clarify text and eligible applicants * introduce the emergency Farming Recovery Fund * implement the Farm Advisory Service, to broaden the scope of advice on the reduction of pollution from agriculture * clarify the State Aid rules for co-operation support * link food processing and forestry activities under the Growth Programme * introduce new options under Countryside Stewardship to support flood mitigation * broaden the support for the water environment * introduce farm risk prevention and management advice linked to animal health and welfare * include public bodies as eligible beneficiaries where supporting small-scale infrastructure and broadband * broaden the provision of support for coast paths in England * make small editorial changes to utilise an uplift in intervention available to less developed areas * make small changes to align the Programme document with the underpinning state aid notifications * make an adjustment to add potential RDPE delivery bodies * make balancing financial adjustments.
-
Programme document updated following our first Programme modification (adopted 4 July 2016), includes adjustments that were requested by the Commission, proposals from Defra and setting up of the emergency Farming Recovery Fund.
-
Updated state aids document added.
-
Added document on Impact of EU State Aid rules.
-
First published.