1 The Italian “National Rural Network” Workshop on Successful Work of Managing Authorities Budapest – 15th April 2008 Riccardo Passero

2 In this presentation: 2007 – 2013 programming period The role of Italian National Rural Network (financed within 4 % Technical Assistance; art 66 EC Reg. 1698/2005)

3 Italian Programming system Need for strategy and governance Regions RDP programming  within national strategy (NSP) In some Regions: Provinces are entitled to set some programming choices (delegation of competences)  within Regional strategy (RDP) Subsidiarity in the implementation How RDP measures have to be implemented ?  Starting from the administrative level closer to the farmer (21 Regions; in some cases Provinces) The use of T.A (human resources and training) supports such approach

4 Italian Programming system 1 national strategy (Ministry) NSP  21 RDPs managed by Regions Further decentralization in some Regions, i.e: Tuscany Emilia Romagna Lombardy Campania  Involvement of local authorities (Provinces; Mountain Communities)  RDP programming possibility to add “second class” priorities to Regional “first class priorities” set in RDPs  Implementation of some RDP measures (depending from delegated competences at Regional level) Concerning RDPs management, Italy experienced 100% financial efficiency on resources allocated on whole programming period (4.624 Billions of Euro).

5 21Rural Development Programmes 1National Programme RURAL NETWORK 1National Programme RURAL NETWORK 16RDP « Competitiveness»: 4,110Billions of € 5PSR « Convergence »: 4,141Billions of € 5PSR « Convergence »: 4,141Billions of € 1National Rural Network: 0,041 Billions of € 1National Rural Network: 0,041 Billions of €_______________ Total EAFRD quota 8,292Billions of € National Resources 8,395Billions of € (*) _______________ 16,687Billions of € Total resources 16,687Billions of € (*)of which 1,487 Billions of € (8,9% of the total) come from REGIONAL RESOURCES The 2007 – 2013 scenario CompetitivenessConvergence Phasing out Phasing in NATIONAL balance among axis (21 RDPs) Axis 1: 39,0%Axis 2: 43,2%Axis 3: 14,7%Leader 6,7% Technical Assistance: 3,1% (of which National Network 0,5%)

6 Resources allocation per axis in Italian RDPs

7 NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK Art 67 EC Reg. 1698/2005 establishes the European Rural Network Art 68 EC Reg. 1698/2005 establishes National Rural Networks Art 66 (3 par) : MS with regionalized programming system  NRN as a single Programme ITALIAN NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK good timing Decision of Approval C(2007) n. 3824, 14th August 2007  BEFORE ALL ITALIAN RDPs  ability to start activities in 2008  FIRST “NRN Programme” approval in EU  BUDGET 83 millions of EURO (50% EAFRD)

8 NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK Programme (Decision of Approval C(2007) n. 3824, 14th August 2007) Action Plan (implementing document for 2007 – 2013) approved by Monitoring Committee on March 2008 Annual Plans (list of activities for the year; related organization, implementation and costs)

9 NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK NRN Key element of national policy defined in NATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN (NSP) MAIN CHALLENGES Widening the participation in Rural development Policies (RDPs address and NRN activities) Overcoming national differences ( human resources’ skills, RDP management, procedures, monitoring & evaluation) International dimension (exchange of experiences, good practises, innovations) NRN ADDED VALUE TO ENHANCE NSP and RDP : PERFORMACES, IMPACTS, FINANCIAL EFFICIENCY (N+2) rule, INTEGRATION AMONG POLICIES Better Knowledge and Visibility of Rural Development Policies’ role and impacts

10 NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK WHICH MEMBERS ? OPEN and INCLUSIVE approach According to art. 68 (1) National Partners: –ALL administrations engaged in RD (national, regional, GAL, etc.) –ALL organizations engaged in RD (professional, environmental, technical, cultural, chambers of industry-commerce, cooperatives, other networks; NGO’s) European Rural Network and every relevant international partners (international organizations, Think Thanks, NGO’s, other NRN) LIST of 15 Networks having a role to play in rural areas (i.e Consumers, Universities, Euro Info Centres, National contact points of VI- VII° EU Research Programme, European Business and Innovations Centres (BIC), Interact, EUROPE DIRECT centres, etc…. )

11 HOW TO MAKE NRN? INCLUDING “Key actors” as NRN MEMBERS and organizing the competences they can give  participation to NRN activities through THEMATIC TASK FORCES THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS set by Italian NRN:  LEADER Approach,  MONITORING and EVALUATION  FARM COMPETITIVENESS  ENVIRONMENT and CROSS COMPLIANCE (soil, water resources, climatic changes, agro-energies, biodiversity)  FORESTS  LANDSCAPE CHANGE,  INTEGRATED PROGRAMMING (among measures, food chains)  INTEGRATION among RD and OTHER POLICIES  YOUNG FARMERS and equal opportunities INTEGRATING NRN with other NETWORKS (national / international; official and not)  IN ORDER TO EXPAND NRN activity results

12 NRN members: formal institution  Art. 41 (4) EC Reg. 1974/2006 : 31/12/2008 deadline for establishing the Network National procedure: through NATIONAL STANDING FORUM (action 1.2.1)  formal Ministry Act (related publicity) Possibility to widen this list at Regional Level (Regions can formally identify further members, relevant at regional level, by 31/12/2008) Open approach: other / further members can be part of NRN “Ministry” ad “National Unit for Animation and Coordination” classify such members in thematic tasks forces in order to provide best efficiency in action implementation

13 Italian NRN organization

14 Italian NRN organization

15 Italian NRN organization

16 Italian NRN organization The Regional Sites  Independence and demarcation from proper RDP Technical Assistance (concerning activities and human resources)  BUT strong coordination with RDP Managing Authorities  Regional Sites have to implement at least art 68 mandatory actions and national strategic actions (targeting NSP objectives)  Free choice in implementing actions at requests (R)  Bilateral agreements Ministry – Regions on Regional sites organization in terms of human resources and structures involved (3 options: full; partial; minimal implementation of Regional Sites)

17 Human resources involved in NRN activities Ministry and Regional officials: involved in specific activities (TTF) Human resources coming from Ministry’s Technical Assistance Institutes For specific know-how  further national and international human resources Outsourcing of some actions or activities (calls) : when special support is needed

18 NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK Art. 68 EC Reg. 1698/ Art 41 EC Reg. 1974/2006 Mandatory elements of the Network (a) structures needed to run the network (max. 25% art 41 EC Reg. 1974/2006); (b) action plan containing at least : identification and analysis of good transferable practices and the provision of information about them, network management, the organisation of exchanges of experience and know-how, the preparation of training programmes for local action groups in the process of formation, technical assistance for inter-territorial and transnational cooperation. ITALIAN NRN ACTION PLAN MANDATORY ACTIONS + further ACTIONS necessary for fully reaching the 3 global objectives and National Strategic Plan targets Some actions are at Regional Request (R)

19 NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK GLOBAL OBJECTIVES 1)IMPROVEMENT OF GOVERNANCE 2)STRENGTHENING OF THE MANAGERIAL AND PLANNING CAPACITIES 3)DIFFUSION OF GOOD PRACTISES AND KNOWLEDGE

20 NRN ACTIONS 1) IMPROVEMENT OF GOVERNANCE Horizontal support to Administrations engaged in the Rural Development Programme implementation Support to the establishment of the “National monitoring and evaluation system” A national standing forum on partnership Inter-regional workshops for development (R)

21 NRN ACTIONS 2) STRENGTHENING OF THE MANAGERIAL AND PLANNING CAPACITIES Preparation of training programmes for Local Action Groups in the process of formation Organisation of exchanges of experience and know- how Workshops on pilot ideas and integrated projects (R) Technical assistance to inter-territorial and trans- national cooperation Technical assistance to cooperation among institutions (R)

22 NRN ACTIONS 3) DIFFUSION OF GOOD PRACTISES AND KNOWLEDGE Identification and analysis of transferable good practices/innovations and relevant information Transfer of good practices and innovations and relevant placement into different contexts (R) Supporting the promotion of services in favour of farmers (some actions R) Information on contents and results achieved by CAP and Rural Development Policies

23 NRN ACTIONS NETWORK MANAGEMENT (12,6%) Implementation, management and operation of Network’s structures Network’s Communication Plan and publicity of interventions Monitoring and evaluation of the Network

24 NRN FINANCIAL PLAN

25 NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK EU RURAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY  MAKING EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE MORE COMPETITIVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT More DIVERSIFICATION & better QUALITY of LIFE Interaction among National Rural Networks  tool for Enhancing Rural Development Policy performances and impacts

26 NATIONAL RURAL NETWORK WHAT THE ITALIAN RURAL MODEL CAN OFFER ? 21 administrative models from which it is possible to get several administrative and managing solutions; RDPs implementation in a wide range of “agricultural and environmental systems”  possibility to transfer experiences in other contexts Agriculture based on “quality products”, “diversification”, “organic and integrated agriculture”, “strong cooperative association of farmers” CONCERNING THE NETWORK (use of Technical Assistance) “More NRN action plans in the Member States will be similar and compatible, bigger will be the effects and results of the networking activity; this will allow to create synergies for tackling common problems and improving public policies effectiveness”

27 Thank you for attention