LEADER-Type projects in Poland Urszula Budzich-Szukala The Cooperation Fund, and The Polish Rural Forum (FAOW)

The spontaneous LEADER-type initiatives Since mid-1990s several local partnerships established on the LEADER model, usually with EU consultancy The Environmental Partnership Foundation helped create nearly 20 local partnerships based on the LEADER model and focusing on sustainable development

The official approach Late 2002 – EU agrees that New Member States will be allowed to include LEADER-type measures in their SOPs (national programming) 2003 – govt. of Poland decides to allocate 19 MEUR for a LEADER+ Pilot Programme (scheme I – Capacity Building and Scheme II – Strategy Implementation) Autumn 2004 – first call for projects announced

Differences Legal form of LAG required, limited choice 100% co-finacing, but no advance payments No investment, only „soft” funding Co-funding from other sources – not allowed Qualitative criteria – need to be improved No link to sustainable development

Current situation Nearly 250 applications received by December 31, 2004 Over 170 applications approved for financing in mid-June 2005 Scheme II – to be announced by end 2005? National LEADER network to be created by December 2005

Civic society activities The Polish Rural Forum (FAOW) The PREPARE network (Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia)

FAOW + Cooperation Fund activities for LEADER Letter to Polish government and European Commission in autumn 2002 Training of trainers (10 experts in the LEADER approach) in Poland, Ireland and Germany (cofunded by CF and PREPARE) Training programme for animators of local partnerships Information and promotion Analysis of partnerships

First results Training of 48 animators in 2004 New group of 50 animators in 2005 Preliminary study of local partnerships (2004) Data base of local partnerships (now about 100 entries) Wide information and promotion campaign (VCD, over 70 meetings, training for local press) V4 + Slo trans-national initiative