As the second pillar of the common agricultural policy (CAP), the EU’s rural development policy is designed to support rural areas of the Union and meet the wide range of economic, environmental and societal challenges of the 21st century. A higher degree of flexibility (in comparison with the first pillar) enables regional, national and local authorities to formulate their individual multiannual rural development programmes based on a European ‘menu of measures’. This instrument is also relevant for the forest sector. Rural development policy is implemented through rural development programmes designed by Member States (or Member State regions). These multiannual programmes apply a personalised strategy that meets the specific needs of Member States (or regions) and relates to at least four of the six abovementioned priorities. The programmes are based on a combination of measures selected from a ‘menu’ of European measures detailed in the Rural Development Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013) and co-financed by the EAFRD