ASSESSMENT OF SECOND PILLAR PROGRAMS AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL

The second pillar of the CAP is expected to play a key role for rural development – especially for less favoured areas. Conservation of biodiversity and the cultural landscape and the competitiveness of farmers are important objectives addressed by different measures. The importance of the second pillar has been heavily emphasised for all the different objectives. The aim of the present paper is to analyse the programs of the second pillar for the federal state of Hesse, Germany. To give an overview of the programs the design of the measures is illustrated in detail. The programs are assessed from a theoretical point of view. Furthermore, the programs are classified into three axes in regard to the main objectives. The findings are threefold. Firstly, the Hessian rural development plan is very diverse in terms of program design, objectives and co-financing. Secondly, the assessment of second pillar programs lacks a detailed analysis considering effects and costs and comparing alternative measures. Thirdly, in Hesse the largest emphasis by financial means is applied to environmental and land management issues, namely the agri-environmental program.