EVALUATION OF SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE EUROPEAN UNION MEMBER STATES

Rural development is among focal points of the European Union Common Agricultural Policy. The implementation of rural development is identified by various statistical indicators. The main aim of the study was to estimate level of sustainable rural development in the European Union Member States thus identifying the most advanced and backward states by applying multi-criteria evaluation methods. A model for complex evaluation of sustainable rural development processes in the European Union Member States is proposed in the article, containing: 1) creation of indicator system; 2) application of multi-criteria evaluation method; and 3) evaluation of progress of Member States. The analysis of sustainable rural development in the European Union Member States was performed on the basis of indicator system covering different dimensions of sustainable development and multi-criteria evaluation method MULTIMOORA. These states were thus classified into respective groups according to results of the investigation. The proposed model of evaluation can be successfully applied in strategic management of rural development.