The Friends of the Countryside objectives are :
→ Give the opportunity to express oneself on the defence of rural property and its functions; 
→ Create a network of decision makers, entrepreneurs and landowners able to promote, to develop and to defend the represented interests;
→ Sustain and finance the ELO activities

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“Everyone has the right to own, use, dispose of and bequeath his or her lawfully acquired possessions. No one may be deprived of his or her possessions, except in the public interest and in the cases and under the conditions provided for by law, subject to fair compensation being paid on good time for their loss. The use of property may be regulated by law in so far as is necessary for the general interest”.

(Article 17 - Charter of Fundamental Rights. January 2001)

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"The challenge is to radically rethink the way that we do Europe. To reshape Europe. To devise a completely new form of governance for the world of tomorrow…" (Romano PRODI, President of the European Commission. February 2000) "The FCS and ELO are, since many years, in the forefront in witnessing the commitment of the landowners and their right to be considered as a credible and efficient counterpart whose cooperation must be adequately rewarded." (Nob. Avvocato Don Giuseppe VISCONTI (Italy) - President of Friends of the Countryside, July 2006)

"The landowners and rural entrepreneurs have been absent from the political scene for a long time. It is this reason why the ELO was set up as a professional lobby and the Friends of the Countryside Association was created in 1998… The ELO’s goal is to make the European decision makers; especially the members of the Commission, the Directorates-General, the European Parliament and the lobbies, take into account the particularities and the interests of the landowners and rural entrepreneurs." (Thierry de l’ESCAILLE - Secretary General ELO. April 2002.)