Key highlights of the Leader experience in Finland

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Key highlights of the Leader experience in Finland

• First National LEADER and Rural Network Seminar
• Sofia 10-11 November 2005
• Eero Uusitalo
• Councellor for Rural Development, Dr
• Secretary General in Rural Policy Committee of
  Finland
• Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Finland

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L
ocal Action Groups in Finland
LEADER action groups POMO action groups ALMA
action groups Objective 1, Northern Finland
action groups Objective 1, Eastern
Finland action groups Border of Objective 1
Programme
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L
ocal Action Group in Finland approximately
7 municipalities / LAG area 41 000 inhabitants /
LAG area 1,8 people working in a LAG funding 6 M
euros (until 2006) / LAG
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L
EADER features in all LAGs
area-based approach bottom-up approach local
partnership innovation multi-sectoral
integration inter-territorial co-operation (incl.
transnational co-operation) networking decentraliz
ed management and financing

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W
hat can we learn from this?
Cross-administratorial rural policy need an
organ, which constantly develops the rural policy
system as a network in central administration as
well as the regional and local levels Risks have
to be taken to achieve results Although the main
direction and power of LAG work moves upwards,
the crucial beginnings must be brought about from
a higher level downwards
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W
hat can we learn from this?
Rural policy needs contact persons who will
watch the progress of whole projects, preferably
on all levels of action Activities must be
considered and planned sufficiently long into
the future, for example the negotiations carried
out at the turn of 2000 and 2001 were aimed for
both the periods 2000- 2006 and 2007-2013 LAG
work functions well for local people and is close
to them
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P
reconditions for powerful LAGs
1.a LAG is a mixed group 2. a LAG has real
power 3. LAGs own Plan and Programme 4. Wide
range of projects 5. In the Board of the LAG own
quotas for different partners 6. Good will of
regional and national authorities 7. Good resluts
on the basis of living civil society
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W
hat does the future look like in Finland?
LAGs are essential part of Finlands entire rural
policy LAG work will continue during the period
2007-2013 in the entire Finland An increase in
the amount of social tasks for the groups has
taken the place of regional mainstreaming Goal
for LAG work is to remain stable and grow
stronger in the whole country