1. 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

2. 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 A new role for LEADER?

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

4. LEADER 2014–2020: Number of LAGs in the Federal States
EAFRD and LEADER – 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

5. 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

6. 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
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

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

8. 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

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

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

11. 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

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

13. 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

14. 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!

15. 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

16. 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 D Göttingen 