Jakša Petrić is Counsellor at the Permanent Representation of Croatia and he is responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development, the Special Committee on Agriculture and the Coordination of the Agriculture and Rural Development Team. The Croatian EU Presidency has been working to reach an agreement on legislative proposals from the package of regulations for the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) after 2020. Special attention has also been given to the needs of vulnerable rural communities, and to the further modernisation of agriculture and rural areas, including through the concept of so-called ‘smart villages’, in order to increase the competitiveness of European farms and rural holdings, have a positive effect on the quality of life of the population and attract young farmers.