Jela Tvrdonova, 2014

What is Leader approach? How did Leader evolved? How is Leader implemented? Local action groups and local development

strategies Cooperation in Leader Guidelines for Leader What is the future of territorial development? What is CLLD? Is there any future for Leader?

governance toolendogenous development toolinnovation toolterritorial toolintegration tool

A mode of governance characterized by the combined application of the 7 LEADER features for the elaboration and implementation of local development strategies

Area –based local development strategies Bottom-up approach with decision power

for LAGs Local public – private partnership Multi-sectorial design and

implementation of strategies Implementation of innovative approaches Networking of local partnerships Implementation of cooperation projects

Community Initiatives: Leader I (1991-93) – experiment: result of criticism to the

individual project approach in the Structural Policy Leader II (1994-99) - laboratory: limited to disadvantaged rural

areas, innovation, pilot actions, introduction of transnational cooperation

Leader+ (2000-06) - maturity phase: eligibility of the whole rural territory; reinforced role of networks and transnational cooperation

(Leader+ type measure for new Member States 2004-2006)„Mainstreamed Leader“ 2007-13: Leader axis – not any longer specific programmes;

methodological approach to mainstream RD programming

EXPERIENCE WITH LEADER

Decentralised management and financing and local partnerships need more investments in the early phase (resources for capacity building, negotiation time, organisation development)

Accelerated programme delivery in later phases due to enhanced local capital, local ownership.

The various policy options Wider thematic and geographical scope of

application Application to the 3 axis Geographical application (application on a wider scale

for certain MS only)

a) Implementing local development strategies to achieve the objectives of one or more of the 3 axis

b) Cooperation 

c) Running the local action group, acquisition of skills and animating the territory

Selection of measures – menu of RD regulation measures will have to be chosen out of the

European ‘menu’ of measures. Sub option A : measure implemented

exclusively with the Leader method Sub option B :measure implemented in

addition to the top down method Implementation of own measures (e.g.

territorial measures)

Leader axis budget :

At least 5 % of total EARDF contribution in the old MS

At least 2,5% in the new MS.

Romania and Bulgaria (2,5% applying to 2010-2013)

80 % of public expenditure in regions covered by the convergence objective

55 % of public expenditure in other regions

Programmed expenditure for Leader in the EU:

Public: € 8.9 billion– of which EAFRD: € 5.5 billion– total public: € 13.9 billion

Private: € 5.0 billion

Maximum co-financing rate of 55% (80% in Convergence regions).

Breakdown of the EAFRD contribution according to the measures for Leader:

Implementation of local development strategies (Measure 41): 77, 5%Competitiveness (sub-measure 411) : 9,5%Environment and Land Management (sub-measure 412): 3,0 %Quality of Life and Economic Diversification (sub-measure 413) : 65,0%

Interterritorial and transnational cooperation (Measure 421) : 5,0%

LAG running costs, skills acquisition and animation (Measure 431) 16,5%

Acquisition of skills for new LAGs or existing LAGs

Selection of local developemnt strategy

Contractualization with LAGs

Implementation of local development strategy

Legally constituted structure or lead partner in administrative and financial matters

Composition: no interest group should represent more than 49% of voting rights

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 (… role of the managing authority in the approval of the projects remains an administrative and political choice in each MS, )

Monitor the implementation of the local development strategy and the operations supported, evaluation activities

Local action groups can fulfil additional functions

Opened selection procedure ensuring competition between LAGs No later than 2 years after approval of programmes

Additional calls if opened to new areas Content of the programme

procedure and timetable for selecting the local action groups,

including objective selection criteria planned maximum number of LAGs planned percentage of rural territories covered by

local development strategies justification for selection of areas,

Detailed selection criteria approved later after consultation of the Monitoring Committee

Partnership related criteria Be responsible for strategy implementation Representative of partners from the various

locally based socio-economic sectors At decision-making level representation of the

economic and social actors and civil society (at least 50 % of the local partnership)

(e.g. Chambers of trade, agriculture, or SMEs, NGOs, rural women association)

Ability to define and implement a development strategy;

Ability to administer public funds

Strategy related criteria integrated local development

strategy Territory related criteria

Coherent area and critical mass to support a viable development strategy

Requirements: Definition of the area and population covered by the strategy; Analysis of the development needs and potential of the area,

including SWOT Description of the strategy and its objectives, a description of the

integrated and innovative character of the strategy, including clear and measurable targets for outputs or results.

Description of the process of community involvement in the development of the strategy;

Action plan demonstrating how objectives are translated into actions;

Description of the management and monitoring arrangements of the strategy, demonstrating the capacity of the local action group to implement the strategy, and a description of specific arrangements for evaluation;

Financial plan of the strategy, including the planned allocation of various funds used to implement it .

Bottom up principle to respect : Individual projects/operations selected by local action groups (assessment of project relevance towards the local strategy)

Procedure for the selection of operations by the local action groups, and description of the financial circuits applicable for local action groups shall be described in the programme.

Eligibility checks (legal control) made by the Managing Authority in the majority of MS

Payment to the final beneficiary (e.g. commune or local enterprise) by the Paying Agency, or by the LAG

After payment the LAG can ask the reimbursement of EU contribution to the Paying Agency

LAG Financial management should respect conditions approved with Paying Agency

Paying Agency having paid the EU contribution to the LAG should ensure that all eligibility rules and conditions have been respected,

Possible use of global grant at LAG level with financial autonomy

Selection and payment of operations according to the bottom up principle

Good practices : concentration of public funds, advances to LAGs

Inter-territorial cooperation

Transnational cooperation Within EU With rural territories in third countries

Eligible costs: project development and implementation of a joint action including coordination costs for all areas

Role of Lead LAG At least one partner selected under the

Leader Axis

Can be integrated in local development strategy Advantages: coherent with the bottom up

approach; quicker procedure since local action groups select the projects; cooperation is coherent with the strategy

If not integrated in local strategy, authorization by the managing authorities Advantages: better control on the respect of

requirements (e.g. presence of a common action)

Coordination mechanism at EU level

Procedure (LAG or MA selection) Timetable and objective criteria to select inter-territorial and trans-national cooperation projects.

Assist Member States in the preparation and administrative implementation of Leader axis using past and current experience with the Leader + Community Initiative and Leader+ type measure

LAG internal structure and management not covered

Non binding instrument Complementary to the Leader Axis fiche Cooperation guide to be presented later

Introduction Defining a strategy for rural areas using

the Leader approach Designing the content of Leader Axis in

the programme including planning resources

The selection of the local action groups How will the administrative,

management and financial circuits be organised?

Europe 2020 strategy => unlocking the EU's growth potential Part of potential for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth lies in

the endogenous growth potential at sub regional level Sub-regional development policies acting at grass roots level can in

particular contribute to the social inclusion targets of Europe 2020

The EU tools in support of the Europe 2020 strategy include levers for growth and jobs such as the EU budget

EU financial support is delivered through the EU funds in shared management (EAFRD, ERDF/CF, ESF, EFF)

a Common Strategic Framework (CSF) is proposed to strengthen the coordination and integration of EU policies for the delivery of the Europe 2020 strategy

CSF will contain strategic guidelines for sub regional/local development including community led local development CLLD

Rules between the Funds for local development will be harmonised

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CLLD (based on the experience of LEADER under rural development) can complement and enhance the delivery of public policies for all CSF Funds.

It aims at increasing effectiveness and efficiency of territorial development strategies by delegating decision-making and implementation to a local partnership of public, private and civil society actors.

CLLD should be implemented in the context of a strategic approach, to ensure that the ‘bottom-up’ definition of local needs takes account of priorities set at a higher level.

Member States will have to define the national approach to community-led local development across the CSF Funds…

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... and should therefore include references to community-led local development in the PA:

detail the main challenges that MS intend to tackle, setting out the main objectives and priorities and indicate the types of territories where this approach should be implemented;

which specific role will be attributed to the local action groups in its delivery ;

indicate how the CSF Funds will be used together ;

explain the role envisaged for the different Funds in different types of territories (rural, urban etc.).

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ESF: CSF Thematic Objective No. 9 - Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty: support the preparation, the running and the animation of local strategies; support the activities designed and implemented under the local strategy in areas falling within the scope of ESF in the fields of employment, education, social inclusion and institutional capacity building

ERDF: CSF Thematic Objective No. 9 - Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty:fostering community-led local development strategies through support for the capacity-building of the local action groups and the preparation, the running and animation of local strategies, and through support for the activities designed and implemented under the local strategy in areas falling within the scope of the ERDF in the fields of social inclusion and physical and economic regeneration

EMFF: specific objectives for CLLD the EMFF Reg., link to Thematic

Objectives of diversification, promoting employment in fisheries communities and therefore indirectly also to No. 9;

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CSF Thematic Objective No. 9: Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty, which reflects RD Priority 6:

fostering local development in rural areas by promoting community-led local development (LEADER local development strategies) and through investments in all types of small-scale infrastructure in rural areas and investments in setting up, improving or expanding local basic services for the rural population, particularly in remote rural areas, together with other actions to improve the quality of life in and attractiveness of rural settlements (‘village renewal’) .

support may also be used to promote social inclusion, particularly through community-led local development (‘LEADER’)

Independently from this CSF focus, all other RD priorities can be addressed with LEADER !

Local development strategies are selected for EU funding under the responsibility of the relevant managing authorities

Strategies can be financed from one or several EU Funds in parallel “Multi-funding” as an option

For simplification, a „lead Fund“ can be designated in the case of multi-fund strategies covering for the management costs

choice of the lead Fund depends on the activities foreseen and the area in question

Local action group

ERDF, CF

ESF EAFRD

EMFF

Local governments Local entrepreneurs Local NGOs, civil society

LOCAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Project 3EAFRD

Project 3EMFF

Running costs, animation, networking

Possibly though „lead Fund“

Project 1ERDF

Project 2ESF

EXAMPLE OF A „MULTI-FUND“ CLLD STRATEGY

Possible actions:Improving strategic choices at Member State level

regarding local development inside of Partnership agreement:

Member States would have to choose/define the part of their territory which would be eligible for LDS (“one area = one strategy”)

Link local development potential with their overall growth strategy

Identify a "lead" Fund (EAFRD, ERDF, ESF or EFF) for each LAG/LDS

Broaden the funding base Reinforce rural-urban links

The Leader approach based on its specific features will continue to be an important tool of rural development policy after 2013

Within the EU priorities for rural development unlocking local potential will continue to be an important element

The implementation mechanisms of Leader will be improved in order to be able to better meet the expected added-value of the Leader approach

…on the basis of the lessons learned from the previous Leader Community Initiatives and the „mainstreamed“ Leader in 07-13:

More guidance to the Member States in the legal framework:

offering flexibility for the implementation without being too prescriptive

Goal: Make Leader fit to better serve innovation and local governance

Strengthening the role of the local development strategies (LDS) as the central tool to meet objectives: quality of design and implementation (including better monitoring and evaluation)

Ensuring the presence of all Leader specificities especially: more freedom for LAGs to chose those projects, which best fit their strategies

Concretely: Clearer distribution of tasks between the

authorities and the LAGs (depending on the implementation model followed)

Greater focus on animation and capacity building (also for the preparation of the strategies)

Strengthening the participation of the private sector in the partnerships

Concretely: Streamlining transnational cooperation Re-inforced networking tools for LAGs

on EU and national level Synergies with the local development

networking instruments of the other EU Funds

Thank you for your attention

jela@ruralevaluation.eu