1. Community-Led Local Development: Potentialities in the next ESF programmes

2. Purpose of the presentation
Recall what are the main characteristic of Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) as proposed by the Commission in its legislative proposal
Give some practical ideas on how to deal with CLLD in ESF programmes and in a multi-funds context
Explain the potential added value of Community-Led Local Development in the ESF context
Fiches circulated before the meeting are work in progress. They were produced by DG EMPL on the basis of a common guidance currently prepared by the 4 CSF DGs

3. Where does CLLD come from?
- Roots mainly in LEADER (EAFRD) and Axis 4 of the EFF
But some principles are close to the principles which underpinned the Community initiatives "Urban" and "Equal"
- At the moment, local action groups (EAFRD/EFF) potentially benefit from different Funds, but not in a coordinated way
- The idea: A common approach set out in the Common Provisions Regulation (Articles 28-31)
Applicability of the method extended to ERDF and ESF

4. Definition CLLD
Focused on specific sub-regional territories, which can be urban, rural, coastal or a mix of several
Community-led: implemented by the local community through public-private partnerships - cannot be implemented by the municipality alone
Carried out through integrated and multi-sectoral area based local development strategies
Takes into consideration local needs and potential, including local innovation, networking, cooperation

5. Local development strategies (LDS)
- the definition of the area and population covered by the strategy
- an analysis of the development needs and potential of the area
- a description of the strategy and its objectives
- a description of the process of community involvement in the development of the strategy
- an action plan demonstrating how objectives are translated into actions
- a description of the management and monitoring arrangements of the strategy
- the financial plan of the strategy, including the planned allocation of each of the CSF Funds

6. Local action groups – Art. 30
Legally constituted structure or lead partner in administrative and financial matters
Composition: no interest group should represent more than 49% of voting rights (core principle of CLLD)
Project selection – at least 50% of the votes from non-public sector partners
Local action groups should at least:
Carry out capacity building actions for local actors
Draw up project selection criteria, assess and select operations for financing under the local development strategy
Monitor the implementation of the local development strategy and the operations supported, evaluation activities

7. Area-based
- Territorial approach for a well-defined sub-regional area.
- Area shall form a coherent unit in geographical, economic and social terms, and have the resources needed to implement such a strategy.
- Not necessarily in conjunction with national administrative boundaries in the case of a functional area whose delimitation corresponds to the thematic priorities of the strategy.
- As a general rule, the population of each area should, as a general rule, be not less than and not more than inhabitants. Possibility of exception in duly justified cases.

8. CLLD Guiding principles – Art. 28 §2
Consistency and coordination of the support to CLLD between the CSF Funds through:
Capacity building
Selection and approval of the local development strategies
Funding of the implementation of the LDS
Support from several funds possible but this is an option for MS
Support from the ESF to CLLD, as for the ERDF is optional (with an incentive on the co-financing rate for dedicated priority axis)

9. Multi-funds CLLD: an option for MS
The Partnership Contract
Sets out the arrangements to ensure an integrated approach to the use of the CSF Funds for the territorial development in particular with reference to community led local development
MS decide which fund, which types of areas should be covered by CLLD and what will be the selection criteria
Programme at national or regional level
Sets out its contribution to the integrated territorial approach defined in the PC: types of areas covered, priorities to be supported, indicative allocation for CLLD
To facilitate the programming – one IP on CLLD in the draft ESF regulation under the TO “social inclusion”

10. Example of a "multi-fund" local development strategy
Local action group
ERDF
ESF
EAFRD
EMFF
Local governments
Local entrepreneurs
Local NGOs, civil society
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
Project 3
Project 4
Running costs, animation, networking
Possibly though "lead Fund"
Project 1
Project 2
Example of a "multi-fund" local development strategy

11. Programming multi-funded LDS
Partnership Contract
ESF national/
regional programme(s)
ERDF national/
regional programme(s)
EAFRD national/
regional programme(s)
EMFF national
programme(s)
Indicative allocation for CLLD
Joint Selection committee
Multi-funded LDS

12. Tools to simplify the implementation of "multi- funded" local development strategies
- Lead Fund option for multi-funded LDS
A “Lead Fund” can be designated at the level of each LDS to cover the running costs, animation and networking activities
- Use of a "joint" intermediate body as "a one stop shop"
- LAGs as intermediate bodies

13. Selection of the LDS
Local development strategies are selected for EU funding under the responsibility of the relevant managing authorities
Selection procedure in the mono and multi-funds context
- multi-funded strategies: common selection procedure
- mono-funded strategies: coordination between the Funds
Timing and type of selection procedure
- first round of selection to be finalised by the end of 2015
(subject of discussions in the legislative process)

14. Interventions eligible under CLLD
The CSF Funds can cover:
the costs of preparatory support
implementation of operations under the local development strategy (including physical investment)
preparation and implementation of cooperation activities of the local action group
running costs and animation of the local development strategy up to the limit of 25 % of the total public expenditure incurred within the local development strategy
The activities supported by the ESF shall be related to the scope of the fund detailed under the 4 TO listed in article 3.1

15. Monitoring and evaluation
Monitoring of CLLD
- No separate monitoring system – LAGs report on the financial output and results indicators similar to the ones used for the other priorities
- Responsibility of the Managing Authority to undertake further monitoring and evaluation activities, in particular when preparing the implementation reports due in 2017 and 2019
Evaluation of CLLD
Evaluation of the contribution of the CLLD to the objective of the programme axis is compulsory and should be included in the programme evaluation plan.

16. ESF interventions: a few examples
- Employment
Access to employment for job-seekers
Sustainable integration of young people
Equality between men and women
- Education
Reducing early-school leaving
- Social inclusion
Active inclusion
Integration of marginalised communities such as the Roma
Non-discrimination
Social economy and social enterprises

17. Interest of CLLD for the ESF
Ensuring a stronger articulation between “top-down and bottom-up approach” on Employment, education and social inclusion objectives
Strengthening the territorial dimension of the ESF
Practical tool for an integrated approach between the funds
One possibility to address the specific needs of geographical areas most affected by poverty or of target groups at highest risks of discrimination or exclusion
Fostering social innovation
Improving the institutional capacity of stakeholders (in particular social partners and NGOs) at local level
Increasing transnational activities (cooperation activities) on the ground

18. Next steps
- Comments on the fiches circulated are welcome and could be sent to:
- Expert meeting to be organised in January/February 2013 to present the first draft of the CLLD guidance

19. What are the potentialities for CLLD in the ESF programmes 2014-2020?
Discussion
What are the potentialities for CLLD in the ESF programmes ?