"Canard" generally refers to the surface used on aircraft whose force arrangements are based on the canard being the primary pitch control. The "foreplanes" on aircraft such as the Rafale, Eurofighter, Piaggio "Avanti", etc., are not canard aircraft in that sense, but rather they are 'multi-lifting-surface" designs. (As mentioned above, they assist in pitch, but are not the primary pitch control.) They can increase cruise efficiency, because the extra lifting surfaces help with the plane's equilibrium, reducing the balancing forces required (such as the above-mentioned constant down load on the elevator, in a "standard" plane) and allow the main lifting surfaces to be reduced in size, reducing drag.

The "Avanti" wing, for example, was able to be reduced 20% in size, by the use of the small foreplanes in the front. The horizontal stabilizer on that plane, (an inverted airfoil) which is still the primary pitch control, flies in an almost "no load" condition in cruise, reducing drag.

In a genuine canard aircraft, the force arrangement built into the aircraft is such that the canard is intentionally set to stall first. (i.e., the Long EZ) Theoretically, the main wing NEVER stalls, resulting in a safer aircraft.