Leader Observatory Seminar

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Leader Observatory Seminar Leader in the New
Member States13-17 November 2006 - Tihany,
Hungary
European Commission

• Janja Kokolj Prošek
• Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food -
• Department for Structural Policy and Rural
  Development
• Slovenia

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• PREPARATION OF MAINSTREAMING OF LEADER AT LOCAL
  LEVEL IN SLOVENIA

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FACTS ABOUT SLOVENIA

• Territory 20.256 km2
• Borders Italy (202 km), Austria (324 km),
  Hungary (88 km), Croatia (546 km), 46 km of
  coastal line
• Geographical macro regions -alpine (12 of
  territory), -sub alpine (31), -subpannonian
  (23),-dinaric-karst (26),-sub Mediterranean
  (8)
• Inhabitants (1998) 1.982.603
• Population density 97.9 inhab./km2
• Rural population 57.3

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SLOVENIAN COUNTRYSIDE

• In Slovenia countryside occupies 93 of total
  area, there lives 60 of all population
• Large number of settlements, mainly very small
  (almost 6.000)
• 80 of all settlements are in hilly, mountainous
  and karst areas, there are just 40 of people
  living there
• 86.467 European comparable agriculture holdings
• Average largeness of farm with forests is 9,9 ha
• Average largeness of 5,9 ha agricultural land on
  farm
• 80 of Slovenian areas are LFA

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RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN SLOVENIA
Rural development policy
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RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

• CRPOV programmes (Integrated Rural Development
  and Village renewal Programmes)
• Wine roads of Slovenia
• Rural development programmes - Local
  development initiatives support

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RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

• Two types of projects
•  CRPOV projects for the area of village,
  settlement, and part of the municipality. Since
  1991 till 2003 cca. 300 projects in different
  phases of implementation
•  Development Programmes for Rural Areas -
  projects for the area covering at least three
  municipalities. Since 1996 till 2003 19 projects
  in 118 municipalities, 20 projects of Wine roads
  of Slovenia in 76 municipalities

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CRPOV PROJECTS
Programmes of Integrated Rural Development and
Village Renewal (CRPOV) and their continuation
Rural Development Programmes were the only
programmes, which were dealing with the problems
of rural areas in 1990ies.
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CRPOV PROJECTS

• Main idea - 3 x I
• i - Identity
• i - Innovation
• i - Initiative

• Five different working areas (themes)
• Animation and education
•  Project management

Principles
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CRPOV PROJECTS
LIVING SPACE

• On the path of the plateau of Šentviška planota

• Trekking trails on the Škofja Loka mountain chain

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CRPOV PROJECTS
SETTLEMENT SPACE

• Planning of the main square in Hotedršica

• Lopar

• Redesign of the Pannonian home Kobilje

• Drinking water and firewater supply in the
  Community of Solcava

• Reconstruction of the Cetore village home

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CRPOV PROJECTS
SOCIAL SPACE

• Osilnica manufacture of paper flowers
• Narin project trial marketing of Narin, a
  tourist village
• Crenšovci implementation of training workshops
  for the unemployment in the countryside
• Renovation of the Tišler mill
• Setting up a business core in the countryside

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CRPOV PROJECTS
CULTURAL SPACE

• Puh museum in Sakušak
• Dominikova homestead in Gorišnica
• Renovation of the castle complex at Prem
• Žužemberk castle
• Kovtrov mill

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CRPOV PROJECTS
WORKING SPACE

• Development of trade marks Dedek Jaka and Babica
  Jerca the natural products from the Škofja Loka
  hills
• My village your village our village the
  Špan homestead
• Renovation of the cheese dairy at Javornik
  mountain pasture
• Fruit road between Javor and Jance

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WINE ROADS OF SLOVENIA
20 projects of Wine roads of Slovenia in 76
municipalities
HERITAGE TRAILS

• The paths of Dolenjska and Bela krajina
• Heritage trails from the river Idrijca to the
  river Kolpa

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DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES FOR RURAL AREAS (DPRA)

• Introduced in year 1996 with the intention to
  continue and upgrade CRPOV projects
• Basic characteristics
• It combines development goals of at least three
  municipalities
• It represents basics for the preparation of
  implementation of LEADER programmes
• Same methodology and approach as with CRPOV
  projects

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DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES FOR RURAL AREAS (DPRA)

• Programming period 2004 - 2006
• 31 programmes (areas) by the end of 2005
• At least 3 municipalities
• Bottom up approach

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SLOVENIAN RURAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORK

• The CRPOV Programme of Integrated Rural
  development and other rural development projects
  over the last twelve years have shown that there
  is a need of formal and effective cooperation and
  networking between those who offer support and
  funding and those who actually carry out
  development projects.
• In September 2000, the MAFF supported the
  initiative of the Prepare group to bring
  together LAGs involved in CRPOV program.
• MAFF and PREPARE organized a three days seminar
  in Kranjska gora - participants local
  authorities, LAGs and others involved in rural
  development.
• 12 regional workshops agreement among a total
  nearly 300 people that a national initiative was
  needed.
• Slovenian Rural Development Network was
  established

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SLOVENIAN RURAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORK

• Legal based on the law for establishing non
  profitable organisations
• STRUCTURE
• Active Members (200)
• Management board (8) - elected by members
• President
• Vicepresident
• Members
• Supervisory board (3)
• Financial control (3)
• Disciplinary commission (3)

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SLOVENIAN RURAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORK THE MISSION
STATEMENT

• To bring together all players on a field of rural
  development
• To inform and educate the members and others
• Cooperation and mutual help among individuals and
  organizations
• To ensure effective representation of rural
  interests in the flow of information between
  Government and NGOs and from local to regional
  and national to international level
• To be an active partner in the process of forming
  legislation and Rural Development Policy

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NEW RURAL NETWORK WHAT AND HOW IN 2007 - 2013

• In 2007 - part of LEADER office on MAFF (Managing
  authority) part of technical assistence
• Possible transfer on NGO
• Many partners / NGO included
• Use of Slovenian Rural Development Network as
  support for axis 4 activities
• Activities
• Promotion and informing about activities of rural
  development policy (information about tenders
  for measures of all axis, promotion of measures
  and activities, promotion of Leader programme,
  website, publications, promotion material,
  contact point, forum, trainings,seminars)
• Stimulation of cooperation (database of
  structures and organisations in rural areas,
  meetings, seminars, )
• Collection and mediation of datas about rural
  development and performing rural policy measures

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PREPARATION FOR LEADER

• 6 workshops with 31 responsible persons for the
  Development programme for rural areas (DPRA) in
  2005 and 2006
• cooperating with partners in the formation of
  LAG criteria
• adopting the local development strategy

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COMPARISON LEADER / DPRA
LEADER principles Development Programmes for Rural Areas
Territorial approach On principle adequate (31 areas, almost whole Slovenia)
Bottom up' development Appropriate knowledge and experiences exist
Joining into partnerships STILL INSUFFICIENTLY rules for cooperation and decision-making according to common methodology of DPRA, contract liability limited intention about cooperation of municipalities, no clear relationships between partners
Decentralized decision-making and management of projects (it may be also financing) NOT REGULATED legal form of public-private partnerships? decision-taking about projects. capability for administrative-financial management of projects
Integration of sectors, of public and private initiatives STILL INSUFFICIENTLY
Innovations On principle adequate
Net-working and cross-border cooperation programme PREPARE establishment of Association for development of Slovenian rural development national LEADER point? setting-up of network?
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AXIS 4 - LEADER FINANCING
3 programme value

• ACQUISITION OF SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE AND STIMULATING
  LOCAL INHABITANTS
• 15 of axis 4 budget
• Activities qualification and stimulation of
  local inhabitants
• qualification of performers

• LAG WORK
• 25 of axis 4 budget
• Activities LAG work (max. 20 costs of local
  development strategy)
• cooperation projects

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MINISTRY ACTIVITIES 2nd half of 2006 - 2007
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LAG ACTIVITIES

• LAG ASSURES CORRECTLY ACTIONS AND PERFORMING
• Report
• Proofs about realisation

LAG MANAGER OF LOCAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

• ANNUAL PROJECT SELECTION
• Managing authority instructions

CONTACTS LAG RIGHTFUL CLAIMANT
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LAG ESTABLISHMENT - PROPOSAL
2 phases of axis IV implementation

• PHASE 2 establishment of LAG activities
• making local development strategy
• getting financial sources for activities
• choice and realization of projects

• PHASE 1 LAG verification
• establishment of partnership
• fulfilling criteria
• LAG registration

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LOCAL ACTION GROUP - LAG

• Organisation with different sources and
  legal-formal status (neither public
  administration neither private sector) is formed
  to
• Represent interests of institutions, which are
  responsible for development and institutions of
  local association
• Prepare development strategy and measures for
  implementation of strategy
• Has a responsibility and power of
  decision-making for implementation

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SELECTION CRITERIA FOR FINANCING

• Indicative distribution of financial resources is
  based on an average number of points for
• Evaluation of local development strategy
• Area covered by LAG
• Number of inhabitants in LAG area
• Quality of partnership evaluation
• Part of available financial resources from
  national budget
• for Axis 4 (LEADER) can stay indisposed and be
  divided
• to the most successful LAGs in the middle of
  programme
• period.

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LAG CRITERIA

• Rural areas in whole country, except cities and
  urban centres
• 5.000 150.000 inhabitants
• Geographically rounded area
• Homogeneous unit (physical, social, economical)
• Enough human, financial and economical potential
  for efficient realization of local development
  strategy
• Harmony between living and working sphere
• Assured tripartite partnership, gender equality
  and cooperation of young people in LAG
• Proportion between single partners (at least 50
  of local and economy representatives in decision
  processes)
• Established administrative structure
• Submitted Local Development Strategies
  included goals linked to National Strategy and
  Rural development programme as well as other
  strategic documents
• Bottom up approach local needs
• Implementation potential (definition of the
  project, project preparation, project approval,
  controls, procedures connected with payments,
  reporting)
• Management capacity Board ?

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INCLUDED PARTNERS
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TASKS OF LAG

• Information and advice
• Animation and identification of project
  leaders
• Education and training
• Working out business plans and searching
  resources for realization
• Coordination with professional institutions
• Support and project management
• Common and partner action for implementation

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PROJECT SELECTION

• Reasons for rejecting project can be
• Not based on local development strategy (rejected
  already by LAG board)
• Not in frames of approved financial budget or
  other financial problems (rejected by LAG board
  or MAFF)

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LEADER ORGANISATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES
MAFF programming and managing authority MAFF
public calls for selection of rural areas AAMRD
execution of payments AAMRD accounting and
reporting to EC LAG information and
animation LAG selection of projects LAG
controls and reporting
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STEP BY STEP

1. MAFF makes public tender for choosing LAGs on the
   base of criteria approving local development
   strategy
2. Contract MAFF LAG, for 7 years including
   financial issues (amount of money for running
   LAG, way of payment execution,..)
3. LAG yearly sends application with proposed
   projects to MAFF
4. MAFF approves projects, which corresponds to
   local development strategy and are in frame of
   budget
5. Implementation of project by project owner with
   cooperation of LAG authority
6. LAG sends payment proposal to paying agency
   refund (centralised model)

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WHAT SHALL WE DO IN THE FUTURE
We will use all our knowledge, experience and
readiness of all participants for the creation of
something new.