The institutional discussions on the CAP after 2013 have been launched since 12 October 2011 but rural development seems to have been neglected in the debate. In this Policy Brief edited by Notre Europe, Francesco Mantino analyses the European Commission proposal for the CAP’s second pillar. According to him this reform is a compromise between innovation and conservatism that will modify the policy’s definition and financing. Among the main changes he stresses the enhancement of the strategic planning in the objectives of rural development (Europe 2020 Strategy), the implementation of a new institutional framework promoting a stronger coordination of national and regional levels (the so called “Common Strategic Framework” or “Partnership Contract” at national level) and the strengthening of environmental objectives. However he underlines that the introduction of an objective of farm income stabilization in the CAP’s second pillar will increase the complexity of rural development planning, adding short terms objectives to a policy driven by long term ones until now.