Community-led local development
The LEADER programme (an acronym in French meaning Links between actions for the development of the rural economy) is European Union initative to support rural development projects initiated at the local level in order to revitalise rural areas and create jobs. LEADER+ is the third phase of this initiative, in force from 2000 until 2006, following LEADER I and LEADER II.
Operation and objectives
LEADER+ projects are managed by local action groups (LAGs). Each project must involve a relatively small rural area, with a population of between 10,000 and 100,000. In France, the whole country is eligible with the exception of urban areas with over 50,000 inhabitants. France has 140 local action groups.
LEADER+ has three objectives:
- to encourage experiments in rural development
- to support cooperation between rural territories: several LAGs can share their resources
- to network rural areas, by sharing experiences and expertise in the development of rural areas by creating databases, publications and other modes of information exchange
Funding
The total budget for the entire period (2000-2006) in the EU-25 was €5.05 billion, of which just over €2 billion came from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF).
External links
LEADER+ LEADER European Observatory EU rural development policy 2000-06 EU rural development policy 2007-13 EU rural development policy 2014:20