Specific provisions of rural development assistance
Article 20
1. Rural development assistance shall be subject to a multi-annual programme, which is a multiannual action plan in accordance with Articles 23 and 24 of Regulation (EU) 2021/947, to be drawn up at central level, prepared by the relevant authorities designated by the IPA III beneficiary and submitted to the Commission after consulting the appropriate stakeholders. 2. Rural development programmes shall be implemented by the IPA III beneficiaries in indirect management in accordance with Article 62(1), point (c) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 and shall enable financing of selected types of actions as funded under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. 3. For rural development programmes, the structures referred to in Article 8(1), point (d) shall consist of the IPA Rural Development (IPARD) Agency and the IPARD Managing Authority, which shall operate in close cooperation. 4. In determining the share of public expenditure as a percentage of total eligible cost of investment, account shall not be taken of national aid to facilitate access to loans granted without any Union contribution provided under Regulation (EU) 2021/1529. 5. Investment projects under rural development programmes shall remain eligible for Union financing provided they do not undergo a substantial modification within five years from the final payment. 6. For rural development programmes, the sectoral monitoring committee referred to in Article 10 shall be the sectoral IPARD monitoring committee.