L 55/20 Official Journal of the European Union 25.2.2006 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 20 February 2006 on Community strategic guidelines for rural development (programming period 2007 to 2013) (2006/144[EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 of 20 September 2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) (1), and in particular Article 9(2), first sentence, thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (3), Whereas: (1)  Article 9(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 provides that strategic guidelines for rural development for the programming period from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013 should be adopted at Community level to set the priorities for rural development. (2)  These strategic guidelines should reflect the multifunc- tional role farming plays in the richness and diversity of landscapes, food products and cultural and natural heritage throughout the Community. () O L 277, 21.10.2005, p. 1. (%) Not yet published in the Official Journal. (3)  These strategic guidelines should identify the areas important for the realisation of Community priorities, in particular in relation to the Goteborg sustainability goals and to the renewed Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs established by the European Councils of Goteborg (15 and 16 June 2001) and Thessaloniki (20 and 21 June 2003) respectively. (4)  On the basis of these strategic guidelines, each Member State should prepare its national strategy plan as the reference framework for the preparation of rural devel- opment programmes, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Sole Article The Community strategic guidelines for rural development (programming period 2007 to 2013), as set out in the Annex, are hereby adopted. Dorne at Brussels, 20 February 2006. For the Council The President J. PROLL