The CLLD/Leader and the Leader Cooperation Participatory Local Development Strategies: + LEADER for Madrid, 29 October 2015 Christian Vincentini DG Agriculture and Rural Development Directorate H – General aspects of rural development and research

8.9 2,416

3 Number of Local Action Groups per MS Total public support for LEADER - € 9.4 billion total public expenditure - Around 2050 LAGs supported million of the EU population in LAGs LEADER Indicative figures: - Implemented in 28 MS - Implemented in 109 RDPs

The Leader/CLLD Mandatory for the EAFRD, optional for the other ESI Funds - Possibility of Multi-funding - In case of multi-funded strategies, there must be a coordinated and consistent support from the ESI Funds concerned Selection committee Lead fund to support running and animation costs

The Leader/CLLD Area, LAG, Strategy - Innovation - Strategy: first round of selection  within 2 years from the approval of the Partnership Agreement additional selections no later than 31 December Area: inhabitants, except duly justified cases in the PA

The Leader/CLLD LAG: responsible for the design and implementation of the strategy draws the procedure for the selection of the operations publishes the calls for proposal and defines the selection criteria selects the operations and fixes the amount of support monitors the implementation of the strategy

MS planning to support multi-funded strategies (sometimes only in a few regions)

ESI Funds other than EAFRD involved in CLLD (multi-funded or single-funded LAGs)

Member States with CLLD possible also in urban areas

Leader Cooperation - Spontaneous cooperation initiatives since the beginning of Leader, whereas initially not supported by EAFRD - Take advantage of similarities and complementarities - Mutual learning is the main expected result of cooperation Cooperation as a mean to tackle common challenges

Leader Cooperation - Pros: new connections to other rural areas new ideas new skills strengthen identity create new business opportunities improve competitiveness

Leader Cooperation - Cons: different expectations -different working methods -communication limitations -conflicting administrative procedures and rules

Leader Cooperation Foreseen in Art. 44 Reg. 1305/ Preparatory support now compulsory - Mandatory at RDP level; recommended, but not compulsory, at LAG level - Role of the selection criteria

Leader Cooperation Approval of the projects no later than 4 months after the submission of the project application - MSs shall make public the national or regional administrative procedures concerning the selection of transnational co-operation projects and a list of eligible costs at the latest two years after the date of approval of their rural development programmes - Member States shall communicate to the Commission the approved transnational co-operation projects

Leader Cooperation Possible partnership with: -- other LAGs rural territory that is implementing a LDS within or outside the Union non rural territory that is implementing a LDS - Local public/private partners in a High level of coordination needed - External coordination - Internal coordination

Leader Cooperation Role of the Networks ENRD (art. 52 RDR): support the national networks and transnational co- operation initiatives and cooperate with the networking and technical support bodies for local development set up by the other ESI Funds as regards their local development activities and transnational co-operation

NRN (art. 54 RDR): provision of training and networking for LAGs and, in particular, technical assistance for inter-territorial and transnational co-operation, facilitation of co- operation among local action groups and the search of partners for the measure referred to in Article 35 Events, seminars, databases, technical support, consultancy, mentoring, search of partners, … Leader Cooperation Role of the Networks

Sources: - DG AGRI; SFC notifications, (March 2015) Cooperation project partners from outside EU: Ukraine, Norway, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belice, El Salvador, Costa Rica average TNC project amount: €165,000 TNC projects by MS ( )

Leader Transnational Cooperation - Duration: 6-36 months; average 20 months - Budget: few hundreds €–1,9 M€; average € - Main themes: Tourism, Culture, Community development, Education - Source of the themes: mainly the strategy - Main beneficiaries: Local businesses, LAGs, NGOs and other associations

Leader Transnational Cooperation - Networking - Can start as cooperation and can evolve into business - Financial and legislative issues with partners outside the EU - Timing of approval in different MS or third countries  delays  pre-approval

Leader Transnational Cooperation -Key issues of the previous programming period: - Lengthy administrative procedures - Restrictions due to national/regional rules - Type and quality of technical support - Absence of compulsory preparatory support - Types of eligible costs - Language and cultural issues