摘要：The large regional diversity, economic backwardness, unfavourable demographic trends as well as the dependence of agricultural production, represent the main characteristics of rural areas in Serbia. Halting further socio-economic decline of the village is possible only through the restoration of economic capacity, which is to a greater extent achievable through the development of non-agricultural activities. Diversification of income and activities of rural households would raise the quality of life for the rural population, especially in terms of income positions, while infrastructural improvement and development of the service sector, to some extent, would be a consequence of this process and a clearly formulated national rural policy. That policy in Serbia should be in line with the “European” model, where the focus is shifting from sectoral to regional approach and significant support for the achievement of the set goals represent the pre-accession EU funds. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 46006: Održiva poljoprivreda i ruralni razvoj u funkciji ostvarivanja strateških ciljeva Republika Srbije u okviru dunavskog regiona]
关键词：rural area; rural development; Serbia; the European Union; the IPARD funds
