The LEADER-Story from the view of a German LAG Association of the German LEADER Local Actions Groups Arbeitsgemeinschaft der LEADER-Aktionsgruppen in Deutschland (BAG LAG) e.V. The LEADER-Story from the view of a German LAG Dr. Hartmut Berndt Chairman of the Association of the German LEADER Local Actions Groups

Content From 13 to 321 LEADER in Germany since 1991 and in the current period An exemplary LEADER-Project The Bioenergy-Villages From Pilot Initiative to Mainstream Development of the LEADER-framework Atmosphere of Fear and Mistrust The excessive control system as an example EAFRD-Reset The Saxon proposal for a new beginning Perspective of LEADER after 2020 A new role for LEADER?

From 13 to 321 LEADER in Germany since 1991 Number of LAGs in Germany Funding 2014 - 2020: 12 % of EAFRD ≈ 1.133 Billion € (EU-Funding)

LEADER 2014–2020: Number of LAGs in the Federal States EAFRD and LEADER 2014 – 2020 in Germany 21 14 13 Regional Development Programmes (RDPs) … this means 13 very different regulations e.g. LAG-Budget varies from 1.5 to 30 Mio. € / LAG in some States LEADER covers the complete rural area 41 23 14 28 30 15 24 20 LEADER 2014–2020: Number of LAGs in the Federal States 4 18 68

LEADER in Germany The Concept Bioenergy-Villages - an exemplary LEADER-Project The Concept Waste Heat ≈ ca. 40% Electricity Village-Heat-Grid Heat Biomass Generator Engine Heat-Facility Plant Gas Wood Heat 5

The LEADER-Project “Bioenergy-Villages” The part of LEADER: initiating the project management and networking financing: subsidies for the feasibility studies: LEADER+ subsidies for investment: LEADER 2007-2013 Positive effects: decreasing of fossil fuel Consumption generating local Income rising the value of the houses in the village strengthening self-confidence of the village people Necessary requirement: high level of participation

From Pilot Initiative to Mainstream Regulations changed with every new funding period Common Strategic Framework (Introduction of CLLD) „Mainstreaming“ LEADER Pilot initiative Personal estimation

Results of a LAG-Survey in Germany (October 2016, n = 175) With the new funding period, the range of LEADER-measures has been … 1 = severely restricted … … 5 = greatly expanded

Results of a LAG-Survey in Germany … but: Challenges for LAGs and LAG-Managements have … 1 = fallen sharply … …5 = increased considerably

Results of a LAG-Survey in Germany Challenges for the beneficiaries have … 1 = fallen sharply … …5 = increased considerably

Atmosphere of Fear and Mistrust Respon- sibility Atmosphere of Fear and Mistrust The regulations get more and more complicated and produce a dramatic rise of bureaucratic expenditure EU-Level Commission It is nearly impossible to keep an overview and comply with all regulations National Level Paying Agency All levels fear of the control system and following sanctions Responsibility is eventually passed down from the upper levels to the beneficiary National Level Authorisation Authority Private beneficiaries withdraw from their application, because of the tremendous expenditure, the responsibility and risk, they have to bear! Beneficiary

EAFRD-Reset Paper of the Saxon State Ministry of the Environment and Agriculture

EAFRD-Reset Paper of the Saxon State Ministry of the Environment and Agriculture „The second pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy has run into a bureaucratic dead-end.“ The system has become so complicated that it is impossible to just improve selected points: we need a reset The new system should base on confidence to the national bodies and not on mistrust Regulations must be easier and more clearly: e.g. single-audit principle

The target is worth to fight for it! EAFRD-Reset Paper of the Saxon State Ministry of the Environment and Agriculture It is a real challenge to come to a new system and there will be hard discussions before Now is the right time to take action: Planning of the next funding period has just started Everybody in Europe must have realized that “business as usual” is no option We must concentrate all our power and we must go together, when we want to be successful The target is worth to fight for it!

Perspective of LEADER after 2020 A new role for LEADER? The Saxon proposal of new regulations for the EAFRD bases on a more regional approach LEADER has a long experience in this regional approach and could play an important role in a new system The people in our villages need the support of LEADER to release their high potential of voluntary commitment and make it usable for the communities The European Rural Areas need LEADER new ideas Bottom-up-Approach and Participation cooperation Europe needs LEADER to develop sustainable rural areas to communicate the European idea

Our villages and the people living there are worth to campaign for them! Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der LEADER-Aktionsgruppen e.V., BAG LAG c/o LEADER-Regionalmanagement Göttinger Land Dr. Hartmut Berndt Reinhäuser Landstraße 4 - D-37083 Göttingen  0049 551 52 52 422 - hartmut.berndt@baglag.de