Sozioökonomische Situationsanalyse und Förderung der Entwicklung ländlicher Räume in den neuen Bundesländern

Since the German reunification rural areas of the new German Laender are significantly affected by economic and social consequences of the transformation process. Main characteristics of these areas are a low density of population and a lack of infrastructure as well as particularly unfavourable conditions for employment and income outside the agricultural sector partially combined with natural disadvantages for agricultural production and low farm income potentials. During the years 1990 and 1991 rural areas suffered from East-West-migration similar to other areas of high population density. It is provided to shift those priority axes to the advantage of support for rural infrastructure and diversification of agricultural production, which will be financed by the EAGGF-guidance section - during the next period of EC-structural policy (1994-1999). These changes indicate that future assistance for adjustment of agricultural structures and rural development perspectives seems to be more related to the specific conditions of rural areas compared to the last period of the EC-structural policy (1991-1993).