Viimsi Spa, Estonia15th September, 2011

LEADER approach today and after 2013 – new

challenges

Petri RinneELARD

How to implement a real bottom up approach based on LEADER method

Ing. Radim Srsen, Ph.D.Vice-president of ELARD

http://www.elard.eu

Zwolle, the Netherlands21st March, 2013

Background: ELARD from 1999 to 2012

International non-profit organization founded in 1999 by 5 European national informal LEADER networks:

1. French LEADER Network - LEADER France 2.  Greek LEADER Network - Eλληνικό Δίκτυο LEADER 3.  Irish LEADER Network - Comhar LEADER na hEireann 4.  Italian LEADER Network - AssoLEADER 5.  Spanish LEADER Network – REDR

Today, ELARD is representing more than 800 LAGs (from some 2200 in total) through national and regional voluntary networks in: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,

Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, North Ireland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, North Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden + Croatia & MacedoniaSweden + Croatia & Macedonia

In contact with Rural Networks in Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, GermanyGermany

ELARD aims (see more at www.elard.eu)

One of the most important aims of ELARD is to:

"campaign to spread the philosophy, principles and reach of the LEADER method grounded in the eight specific features in order to achieve sustainable rural development across Europe".

The association aims also to:

"represent the interests and needs of its members in front of other international, European, and national institutions to liaise with other stakeholders and institutions working towards an integrated rural development and to influence EU policies in favour of rural development".

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8 specific and key features of LEADER / Community-led

local development Area-based approach Bottom-up approach Local public-private partnerships: Local Action

Groups Innovative approach Integrated and multi-sectoral approach Networking Cooperation De-centralised administration

REMEMBER!

LEADER is not yet another EU funding programme, it’s a bottom-up development

methodology. In order to use the method right and effectively all of its 8 special features

must be valid simultaneously!

General need for mobilising the rural resources for reaching the EU2020 goals

EU 2020 needs us!

Source: OECD

- 2/3 of the EU’s GDP growth takes place outside of the metropole areas- In more than one out of three OECD countries, the region with the highest rate of employment creation during 1995-2005 was a rural region

Community-lead local development (CLLD) as solution?

Think globally… …act

locally

Why LEADER / CLLD ? To involve everyone!

1. LEADER is able to mobilise, empower and involve the whole rural economy: from a traditional farm to a high-tech processing company. In rural context, where human and other resources are scarce, this is particularly important. LEADER is a non-political, transparent and open for everyone tool to re-shape the rural future.

Why LEADER / CLLD ?To be cost-effective!

2. LEADER is a cost-effective way of renewing, diversifying and developing the rural economy. In LAG territory in South-West part of Finland, with the population of 45 000, they have been supporting the generation of 200 new jobs during the current programming period, most of which are in the services sector where we have been lagging behind. The 150 business and community development projects launched are funded 60% by the EU, state and local municipalities public funds and 40% by the private stakeholders’ own funds. In addition there is an extensive amount of local enthusiasm and voluntary work powering LEADER free of charge.

Why LEADER / CLLD ?To change the mind-set!

3. LEADER is able to change the traditional top-down local development mindset to bottom-up. People on the ground start doing those things themselves that they were earlier blaming public civil servants and politicians not to do. LEADER also brings in the long-term strategic thinking through the Local Development Strategies that collect the individual projects under an umbrella and bigger territorial vision.

Criticism: European Court of Auditors

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- LEADER has no proved value-added it is just an ineffective, extra administration layer (need to create better indicators, preferably on each LAG level!) creation of EN RD LEADER Sub-Committee Focus Group 4 on Better Local Development Strategies

- LAG decision making has conflicts of interest and doesn’t follow the rule of public-private partnership

- LAGs’ operation is not open and transparent enough problem of small circles giving majority of grants to LAGs’ own member organisations

- LAGs don’t focus on achieving the objectives of their local strategies

- LAGs give grants to projects without regard to cost efficiency risk of deadweight (project implementation even without the grant)

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LEADER started

- 1991 in Ireland

- 1997 in Finland

- 2004 in Czech Rep.

The LEADER impacts in Ireland, Finland and the Czech Rep. in 2007

(A LEADER Dissemination Guide Book)

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Internationalisation

Innovative approach

Position of women and youth

Protect the environment

New jobs and enterprises

Capacity building in rural areas

Increase public participation

Change national policies

Slow down rural exodus

IRE

CZK

FIN

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Common Strategic Framework (CSF) – covering the EAFRD, ERDF, ESF, Cohesion Fund and EMFF, and reflecting EU2020 through common

thematic objectives to be addressed by key actions for each of the funds

Partnership Contract – national document outlining the intended use of the funds in the pursuit of EU2020 objectives

Rural development policy: EAFRD

Other CSF funds(ERDF, ESF, CF, EMFF)

Rural Development Programme(s)

Europe 2020 strategy

Promoting social inclusion,

poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas

Enhancingcompetitivenessof all types of

agriculture and farm viability

Promotingfood chain

organisation and risk

management in agriculture

Restoring, preserving and

enhancing ecosystems

dependent on agriculture and

forestry

Promoting resource efficiency and

supporting the shift towards a low carbon and climate resilient

economy in agriculture, food

and forestry sectors

Fosteringknowledge

transfer and Innovation in agriculture,forestry and rural areas

Pri

ori

tie

s

Innovation, Environment and Climate Change as cross-cutting objectives

If you want to go fast , go alone ,

If you want to go far , go together …

(African proverb)

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Local action group

ERDF

ESF EAFRD

EMFF

Local governments Local entrepreneurs Local NGOs, civil society

LOCAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Project 3EAFRD

Project 3EMFF

Running costs, animation, networking

possibly through „lead

Fund“

Project 1ERDF

Project 2ESF

From the governance point of view: door openers needed!

Place-basedinterests

Project organisations

Businesses

Non-profit organisations

CREATIVE PERSONS

Localmunicipalities

Professionalassociations

Universities

Otherinterests

From the “glocal” point of view: door openers needed!

MANY THANKS FOR YOUR

ATTENTION!

Radim SRSENELARD Vice-presidentradimbz@seznam.cz

http://www.elard.eu