Study visits strengthen knowledge and cooperation among National Networks
The Romanian National Network and the Managing Authority organised a series of study visits to five countries to learn from colleagues and strengthen connections. Read a summary of the key learnings.
The Romanian National Network and the Managing Authority organised a series of study visits to five countries to learn from colleagues and strengthen connections. Read a summary of the key learnings.
In 2025, the Romanian National Network (NN) and the Managing Authority (MA) organised a series of study visits to their counterparts across Europe. The initiative aimed to strengthen institutional capacity, deepen professional knowledge, and promote the exchange of best practices in the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
The study visits were part of a broader effort to enhance staff skills, encourage knowledge sharing, and learn from best practices in supporting agricultural and rural development across the EU.
Each study visit included a session at the host headquarters and a series of field visits to different regions. As part of their learning journey, our Romanian colleagues visited four countries:
- Spain: Madrid, Castilla la Mancha, Seville and Andalucia (March 2025)
- Italy: Rome and Tuscany (June 2025)
- Croatia: Zagreb, Vodice and Zadar (September 2025)
- Belgium: Flanders (September 2025)
Participants gained an in-depth understanding of how the CAP is implemented across different administrative and territorial contexts, observing various governance models, levels of decentralisation, and the sharing of responsibilities between national and regional authorities. Here is what they told us about this experience.
Key lessons learned
The visits offered valuable insights into how the CAP is implemented in different contexts and governance systems. The main takeaways include:
- The importance of cooperation and information exchange among Member States for effective CAP implementation
- The need to adapt rural policies to local needs through the active involvement of beneficiaries
- The central role of innovation, digitalisation and continuous professional training in improving sustainability and performance
- The value of a multisectoral approach, linking agriculture with tourism, culture, environment and public health
- The relevance of performance indicators and a results-oriented management approach, in line with new EU priorities
Good practices and outcomes
The NN and MA staff are building on the learning and inspiration from the study visits to improve their daily work , and the study visits are expected to lead to a significant improvement in the administrative and operational capacity of the organisations. Overall, these experiences will help shape a more integrated, pragmatic and results-focused implementation of Romania’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027.
The visits strengthened bilateral relations and European partnerships, fostering the creation of an active network of collaboration between authorities and experts.
Read why networking is crucial for the implementation of the CAP
Overall, the study visits demonstrated that learning through international cooperation is a key instrument for enhancing institutional efficiency and fostering innovative implementation of agricultural and rural development policies. They contributed to shaping a modern, integrated, and sustainable vision of rural development, well-adapted to both current and future challenges.
Some good practices identified during the study visits could be replicated in Romania, including:
- Successful models of organic farming and quality certification (Spain, Italy, Flanders);
- Effective digital advisory systems and territorial networks (Italy);
- Cooperative and associative production models promoting sustainability and innovation (Spain, Croatia, Belgium, Italy); and
- Innovative projects to enhance rural areas, including through agro-tourism, forest therapy and the preservation of traditional crafts (Italy, Spain).
Looking ahead
The Romanian NN and MA strongly recommend similar exchanges to other peers. International study visits are an effective way to enhance institutional efficiency, build lasting partnerships and foster innovation in rural development, helping to create a more modern, inclusive, and sustainable future for rural Europe.
We firmly believe that such study visits are essential for strengthening collaboration among the rural networks of EU Member States and for ensuring an efficient and innovative implementation of the CAP Strategic Plans at the European level.
The study visits were financed through the National Rural Development Programme, Chapter 15.6 – Technical Assistance, approved by EC Decision No. C(2015) 3508/26.05.2015.
