Sivu 1

1
Leader in FinlandAdministration and
implementation of Axis 4

• Finnish Leader actors study trip to Austria,
  Slovakia and Hungary 14.-16.9.2009
• Planning Officer Marianne Selkäinaho, Ministry of
  Agriculture and Forestry
• Senior Inspector Kirsi Murtomäki, Agency for
  Rural Affairs

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Rural Development Programme for Mainland Finland
2007-2013, Actors
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Department
of Agriculture (Managing authority)
Rural Network Unit (in Seinäjoki)
Agency for Rural Affairs (Managing and payment
agency) (in Seinäjoki)
Central admin.
TE-Centers (delegated Managing authority and
Payment Agency)
Local level
Municipalities
Local Action Groups (55) (MA)
Other actors in local level
Sivu 2
5.11.2009
3
FINLAND - basic information

• population 5,3 million
• area of land 338 145 km²
• 348 municipalities (mainland 332, Åland 16)
• population density is average 17 habitant / km²
• very rural country (according to OECD definition
  94 of territory is rural)
• biggest employers are services and forest
  industries cluster (economic depression may
  change this)

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The administration of rural development in
Finland is constructed as follows
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is
responsible for planning the rural development
programme and any changes in. Ministry also makes
Rural strategy other political quidelines.
Ministry prepare national legislation and
allocation funding to the regions and LAGs.
Ministry selects LAGs. The Finnish Agency for
Rural Affairs is the national authority
responsible for the administration of rural
funding. The Agency in payment authority and it
have also delegated managing authority. The
Agency compiles application forms and
instructions and is responsible for paying and
supervision of the funds granted. Agency give to
the LAGs all administrative training. Agency
makes to the LAGs guidance, check list,
application and payment forms.
Sivu 5
5.11.2009
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GENERAL-DIRECTORLeena Tenhola
AGENCY FOR RURAL AFFAIRS
INTERNALAUDITSatu Levelä-Ylinen
MANAGEMENT GROUP
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICESUlla Oas
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL BUSINESSES Olli-Pekka
Peltomäki
DEPARTMENT OF MARKET SUPPORTIrmeli
Lario-Vuorinen
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Marketta
Norrgård
DEPARTMENT OF CONTROL Päivi Wallin
DEPARTMENT OF ICT-MANAGEMENT Mika Tuikkanen
INTERVENTION AND IMPORT UNIT Minna Luusua
RURAL AND STRUCTURAL UNIT Carl-Gustav Mikander
CONTROL UNIT Jukka Pekonniemi
SUPPORT PAYMENT UNIT Tuula Seurujärvi
IT GROUP Jani Alkava
INSPECTION UNIT Heli Pöyhönen
ACCOUNTING UNIT Ville Räty
OPERATIVE ICT SUPPORT GROUP Juha Pietilä
INTERNAL MARKET UNIT Petri Koskela
AREA PAYMENT UNIT Sami Iltanen
COORDINATION UNIT Mika Sivula
ACCOUNTING UNIT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT FUND Hilkka
Pajari
HELP DESK AND TESTING GROUP Anneli Kupari
EXPORT UNIT Sini Brown
LIVESTOCK AND SPECIAL SUPPORT UNIT Vesa Perätalo
COMMON PROCESSES UNIT Esko Leinonen
RECOVERY UNIT Riitta Tevaniemi
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The administration of rural development in
Finland is constructed as follows
The TE Centres provide funds for business aid
and projects and they also grant the payments for
special agri-environment measures. TE-centres
make all the final project approval and payment
decisions in Leader-projects and Leader business
aids. TE-centers make legal checks. TE Centers
have delegated managing and paying authority
duties. TE Centers makes on the spot checks.
The Rural Network provides links between rural
developers. The Rural Network Unit provides
services for the LAGs and assists them, for
example, in finding international partners.
Network organize training relating good practices
and also training to the LAGs for example Leader-
association board members.
Sivu 7
5.11.2009
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The administration of rural development in
Finland is constructed as follows
The municipalities fund Leader activities (20 of
public funding )and grant agri-environment
payments. The LAGs makes for their area local
rural strategy / plan. provide funding for
enterprises and development projects that are in
line with the local strategy. The registered
associations are eligible to apply for support
for special agri-environment measures. LAG board
makes statement / feasibility study approval of
all actions. All the applications and payment
applications are send to the LAGs. LAGs also make
training, advising and information actions.
Sivu 8
5.11.2009
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Financial framework
Sivu 9
5.11.2009
10
Axis 4 / LEADER approach
Includes actions of axes 1, 2 and 3 The principle
is that actions are based on a development
strategy prepared by local residents, actors and
organisations and that a group of local actors
carries the main responsibility for the
implementation.
Total public funding for Leader-axis is 242
million euros Private funding for Leader-axis is
128 million euros 5,3 of total programme
EU-funding 3,7 of total programme public
funding EU funding 45 Funding will overlap with
funding if axes 1,2 and 3 Funding available - in
all rural areas
Sivu 10
5.11.2009
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Leader LAGs are available to select measures in
Finlands Rural Programme for Mainland
Axis 1 111 - Vocational training and information
(Developing human potential) 123 - Adding value
to agricultural and forestry products 124 -
Co-operation for development of new products,
processes and technologies Axis 2 214 -
Agri-environment payments 216 - Support for
non-productive investments Axis 3 311 -
Diversification of agriculture 312 - Creation
and development of micro-enterprises (less than
10 employees) 313 - Encouragement of tourism
activities 321 - Setting up basic services for
the economy and rural population 322 - Village
renewal and development 323 - Conservation and
upgrading of the rural heritage 331 - Training
and information Axis 4 421 - Inter-territorial
and transnational projects 431 - Running the
local action group, acquiring skills and
animating the territory
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Leader-LAGs in Finland approximately
7 municipalities / LAG area 41 000 inhabitants /
LAG area 1,5 people working in a LAG funding 2,5
- 6,8 Meuros / LAG
Sivu 12
5.11.2009
13
Finnish principles for Leader / LAGs are
Members in the board of the LAG 1/3
representatives of municipalities 1/3 local
associations and enterprises 1/3 rural
inhabitants National public financing
Municipalities of the LAG area must cover 20 of
total public financing All Rural areas covered
with Leader- methodology Leader- methodology is
used in all axes of RDP
Sivu 13
5.11.2009
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Drivers of success of Leader in Finland

• Civic activity has been strengthtened as a
  working method (partnership)
• Taking responsibility of development will grow
  when citizens are trusted (free, uncompelled
  action)
• The size of Leader action group's area
  (subregion) is suitable
• Leader connects citizens, associations and
  municipalities to work together (joint
  responsibility)
• Leader has been mainstreamed as geographic
• Action is diversed and the funding responses to
  needs

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Drivers of success of Leader in Finland

• Leader is cost-effective development work
• Development of Leader-method is going on non-stop
  (just new development project is started)
• Workers in LAG's are skilfull and good at their
  work and that ensures profitability of action
• Good results of projects cause positive
  consequences
• Internationality increases and that has positive
  influence
• People has started to trust on the permanence of
  Leader

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Decision making procedure in Leader
Paying Agency
TE-CENTRE Rural Department
Electronic message
Check
LAG
Legal verify and official decision
Statement YES feasibility study approval
Common database system, connect to paying agency,
managing authorities, the state budget, controls,
monitoring etc.
Legal verify and official decision
Statement NO / feasibility study
Board
Workers
Reject decision
Final decision
activation, information, training and advising
Project application
Payment and decision of payment
Payment application
Applicant
Sivu 17
5.11.2009
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Decision making procedure in Leader a little
more simplier picture

• double-barrelled decision making procedure
  approving statement from Leader group is needed
  for TE-center decision making

TE-CENTRE
LAG
APPLICATION
LAG's duty is to advice the applicant and check
the application and TE-centre makes the legal
verification
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• more information about the Rural Development
• Programme for Mainland Finland 2007-2013
• www.rural.fi

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Contacts to Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

• Postal address Maa- ja metsätalousministeriö,
  PL 30, 00023 Valtioneuvosto, Finland
  
• Visiting addresses Liisankatu 8 A (Mariankatu
  23), Helsinki
• Telephone [phone]
• Internet www.mmm.fi/en
• Email forname.surname_at_mmm.fi

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Contacts to Agency for Rural Affairs

• Postal address Maaseutuvirasto
  PL 256, 00101 HELSINKI
• Visiting addresses Opastinsilta 12 B,
  Helsinki Matinkatu 2, Seinäjoki
• Telephone [phone]
• Internet www.mavi.fi
• Email forname.surname_at_mavi.fi