Stronger LEADER/CLLD: important to achieving EU’s rural vision
LEADER, as a key bottom-up approach, can make an important contribution to achieving the objectives of the long-term vision for EU’s rural areas. The recent LEADER Congress called for strengthening the role of LEADER/CLLD in European policies, developing new financial resources for its implementation, as well as simplifying and facilitating access to funds.
Read the resulting LEADER Congress Declaration ‘LEADER and CLLD within European policies post 2027’.
The Congress – 18-19 December 2023 – brought together 800 LEADER community members from 36 countries to discuss LEADER and its added value, the role of the approach in putting rural areas at the heart of EU policies and achieving the long-term vision for EU’s rural areas.
The event highlighted the value of LEADER for rural development policies such as social capital and local governance, while noting its contribution to the framework of the European Rural Pact. LEADER carries the potential of implementing the Pact at local and regional levels through the 2 600 Local Action Groups (LAGs) spread across rural areas in the EU.
“Since adopting the Vision back in 2021, we have been implementing actions [such as the Rural Pact, the rural revitalisation platform, a mechanism for rural proofing]. In all of these areas, the importance of LEADER and community-led local development is unquestionable,” said Janusz Wojciechowski, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development.
Congress participants further called for work on the future of LEADER, post-2027, to start as soon as possible and to take into account the rich experience of existing LAGs. “The voice of rural areas and the needs of those involved in the LEADER programme must be placed at the heart of the roadmap for the post-2027 programming period,” said Irène Tolleret, Member of the European Parliament.
Highlights from the Rural Pact Support Office - DG AGRI session on the Rural Pact and LEADER as mutually reinforcing instruments
Photo: © ELARD
