Community-Led Local Development in the European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 Jean-Pierre Vercruysse European Commission - DG MARE
Why Community-Led Local Development (CLLD)? One-size fit all policies have shown their limitations: Fail to address specific problems affecting local areas Limited capacity to seize specific local opportunities Growing evidence that many needs are better addressed at local level Sector-specific policies have shown their limitations in addressing local needs Fail to take into account the territorial impact of the operations they support
Specific features (1) Sub-regional areas: Funds are concentrated on the areas that need and can use these most. Solutions are adapted flexibly to meet the diverse needs and opportunities of local territories - at the right time and place. Partnerships: Co-responsibility and ownership, no interest group whether public or private dominates. Partnership mobilises the knowledge, energy and resources of local actors.
Specific features (2) Integrated strategies: Actions reinforce each other, building on the strengths of the area Linkages improved horizontally with other local actors and vertically with other levels in delivery or supply chains Innovation in a local context: New ways of thinking and doing, new markets, new products, services, ways of working and social innovation. Networking and cooperation: Local areas and communities learn from each other and find allies
CLLD in rural areas until 2013: The Leader programme Four rounds of LEADER since 1991 1991: Small scale Community Initiative with 217 partnerships in 12 MS 2006-2013 period: 2.321 partnerships (ten times more) in 28 MS Budget: 5.500 million Euros EU + 3.072 million Euros national public funding each partnership has an average public budget of around 3.8 million Euros for the whole period public funding expected to lever in significant amount of private investment
Why CLLD in the European Fisheries Fund 2006-2013? Decreasing employment in commercial fisheries Fishing sector undergoing major structural and social changes, impacts on fishing communities Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy presents new challenges but potentially new opportunities Fishing households, businesses and localities must be seen as part of an integrated approach to local territorial development Expansion of marine spatial planning and marine protected areas
Community-led local development in fisheries and coastal areas Smaller and only since 2006-2013 period 312 fisheries local action groups (FLAGs) in 21 EU countries Budget: 870 million Euros public funding: each group has a budget around 3 million Over 9000 projects Adding value to fisheries products, diversification, environmental and social improvements, linkages fishermen with other local actors Results: 8.000 jobs created, 12.000 maintained, 250 new businesses (estimated 2013)
2014-2020 CLLD in the ESI Funds A single methodology for CLLD applicable across all Funds and regions EAFRD, EMFF, ERDF and ESF All territories can benefit from EU support Rural, coastal, urban, rural-urban, coastal-rural Support from EU Funds consistent and coordinated Strategies financed by multiple funds and better adapted to needs and areas (rural and urban) Incentives: 80-90 % co-financing rate
Cooperation between Funds A means to achieve results not an end in itself Obligatory with or without multi-funding Needs to take place at all levels (EU, national, regional, local) Less coordination at one level means more at another Commission has set the framework but mechanics are left for national/regional levels If not done well complexity can drown local groups
Cooperation LAGs & FLAGs 2/3 of partnerships financed by Axis 4 cooperated with LEADER LAGs (2007-13) LAG/FLAG = same organisation Other methods for coordinating strategies & project selection use this experience for coordination of multi-fund interventions many LAGs expected to receive both EAFRD & EMFF funding (2014-20) 10
Further information 1. An example: 27 Percebeiros https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zdwozjsm5 I&list=UUMp51h55nNxYUUuxuGl6foQ 2. Web sites: Guidance documents: http://enrd.ec.europa.eu/enrdstatic/themes/clld/policy-and-guidance/en/policy-andguidance_en.html FARNET: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/cms/farnet/ LEADER on ENRD: http://enrd.ec.europa.eu/enrdstatic/leader/en/leader_en.html