Estonian National Rural Network The LEADER TNC and the activities of the National Network in Estonia Ave Bremse 27. February, 2013 Karksi

Estonian Rural Network Unit

Overall structure – where is NRN? Managing Authority (MA) Ministry of Agriculture Paying Agency (PA) Agricultural Registration and Information Board (ARIB) Rural Economy Research Centre Department of Rural Network and Fisheries Network Department of Analyses of Agricultural Sector (FADN) National Rural Network (NRN) Bureau of Rural Network Bureau of Fisheries Network

Structure of Estonian Rural Network Estonian Rural Network Unit – no formal membership, at the moment 7 full time employee Network Cooperation Chamber – involves associations and organizations representing programme beneficiaries and organizations and authorities engaged in rural development. The members are selected according to the objectives of the axes of the Rural Development Plan Budget – for the period max. 4,480,000 € from RDP technical assistant

NRN and LEADER in LAGPAMA NRN brings parts together, Keep dialogue between parts on- going

Website of Leader Mainly 3 bigger target groups: 1)26 Local Action Groups (RDP Axis 4) 2)wider rural development (RDP Axis 1-3) 3)authorities related with implementing RDP (Axis 1-4) Keywords: –Step by step widening the target group (axis 1-3) –consideration of bottom-up initiative and cooperation

NRN collects, stores and disseminates Databases on NRN website: -RDP project examples database, also in EnglishRDP project examples database -Articles of weekly e-newsletter Võrgukiri are archived in database, so the articles are available by themes and sub- themes -Information about all Estonian RDP measures are collected in the database – it is like a history of measures (beneficiaries, regulations etc) and all articles about project examples can be found from the database through keywords -Database of Estonian LAGs (also in English) with interactive map and all articles about specific LAG can be found from the database through keywordsDatabase of Estonian LAGs Database of Leader transnational cooperation offers

Cooperation with Estonian Public Broadcasting Started 2008, continued 2010 and Summer 2011: –TV show “Estonian Game” (Eesti mäng) where NRN helped to search participants from LAGs, helped to find questions (incl. video-questions) and gifts (through LAGs)“Estonian Game” – 30 videoclips about different Leader projects from all over the Estonia, each of them are 7-10 minutes long and will be on air during autumn in every Saturday and Sunday at in broadcasting named “Beautiful country” (Ilus maa).“Beautiful country” –All the videos will also be available on the NRN website through YouTube.videos will also be available on the NRN website

TV show “Estonian Game” and video clips “Beatiful Country”

The Best Leader projects in 2011 “Notice Leader” A project proposals call was opened – everybody was allowed to make proposals – NRN disseminated leaflets about the contest in Rural Fair All together 64 project proposals in 5 categories (agriculture, rural entrepreneurship, environment, youth, cooperation) Lessons learnt: a new category for development projects is also needed

The Best Leader projects in 2011 “Notice Leader”

Prize Brochure with all 20 nominees The Best Leader projects in 2011 “Notice Leader”

Estonian LEADER

The total Estonian RDP budget of the programming period The total Estonian RDP budget is 924,8,9 mln EUR Axis I Improving the competitiveness 37,6% - 347,6 mln EUR Axis II Improving the environment 36,2% - 334,4 mln EUR Axis III Quality of life 12,9% - 118,9 mln EUR Axis IVLEADER 10 % - 86 mln EUR Technical support 4% - 38,1 mln EUR

Nationalcriteria National criteria  LAG’s legal status = non-governmental organisation  Objective of status must be development of rural life  Area of LAG = minimum 2 municipalities  Small towns up to 4000 inhabitants  Municipality can enter to LAG only together with at least 1 community-based organisation + 1 entrepreneur from their area.  LAG should be open for new members  LAG must have developed or must intend to develop a local development strategy  Members of the LAG must not be members of any other LAG at the same time

Maintasks carried out by the LAGs Main tasks carried out by the LAGs  Elaboration of calls including definition of local selection criteria  Publication of calls  Reception of applications  Project assessment  Project ranking  Final list of selected projects proposed on the PA including fixing the amount of support

TODAY – Leader covers 99,99% of Estonian rural areas 26Number of LAG’s: Number of inhabitants in Leader areas: km²The territory of Leader area: km² 19,411The average number of inhabitants of Estonian LAGs is 19,411 people per LAG’s are 36,563The biggest number of inhabitants among LAGs: 36,563 7,240The smallest number of inhabitants among LAGs: 7,240 –24 LAGs – started implementation in 2009; 2 LAGs – started in 2010

Success of Leader in Estonia LAG’s and Leader is visible LAG = important regional development unit LAG = real cooperation of sectors LAG = active internationally LAG = adviser LAG = administrative capacity (230 positive applications)

Regional food networks 13 LAGs have established regional food networks to raise the competitiveness of local small producers. The well-known networks in Estonia are Delicious South-Estonia (Maitsev Lõuna-Eesti), Local Taste (Uma Mekk), The Greener Mark of Põlva county (Põlvamaa Rohelisem Märk) and marketing association that joins small-producers of Saaremaa island.

Rural tourism networks 11 LAGs have improved the potential of rural areas through creating new tourism networks. Some successful ones are: Romantic Coastline (Romantiline Rannatee) in Pärnu county, Onion Road (Sibulatee) in Tartu county and Post Road (Postitee) in Põlva county. Active people have started or are going to start many projects that are unique, like Peter the Great's Naval Fortress as a military tourism object, geo-park in Tartu and Jõgeva county, etc

Leader implementation ( )

Financialexecution of LEADER ( ) Financial execution of LEADER ( ) As if 5. December 2012 paying agency (Agricultural Registers and Information Board – ARIB) has approved 5,999 Leader projects - support in total of 65.1 mln EUR, which: –3% of RDP Axis projects and support in total of 2.7 mln EUR –96% of RDP Axis 3 – 5,716 projects and support in total of 57.9 mln EUR –1 % cooperation projects - 53 projects

Leader cooperation projects 1 % cooperation projects – 53 projects, 25 of them are transnational cooperation projects (includes 17 LAG-s) + 1 TNC projects is in process of apporval 6 projects - leading partner Estonia 5 projects – full payments 28 national cooperation projects

Cooperation partners are LAGs (Expected number of LAGs: 2,400; current number 2303)

Number of the currently approved cooperation projects (measure 421) as of Oct, 2012 Climbers- Paradise RETO

TNC projects as of Oct, 2012 PER COUNTRY Climbers- Paradise RETO

Transnational cooperation  Estonian LAG-s have partners in 16 countries: Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Latvia, Luxemburg, France, Austria, Italia, Russia, Portugal, Lithuania, Spain, UK  Avarage TNC budget EUR.  Main subjects are: national cultural heritage, expirience exchange, youth, tourism, cooperation between enterpreneurs.

Transnational cooperation Cooperation in Cultural Heritage Exploitation Traditional sailing and maritime heritage FENIX Clower Power. 4H twinning people. From Salla to Salla International Theme Routes Dare to Dream Loving Local Values Handicraft Planet said to me… Ecoland Leader Slow Travel Route 1 CULTrips Villages on move Yhtteistyöllä lähelle ja kauas Tips from Estonia - Experience for South-Karelia Transnational Hunting FIN-EST Rural youth campS Medieval Festivals Youth for Youth WOLF: Wild Life and Farmers Innovative Village Growing Gastronauts

Saarte Koostöökogu - EE Hiiumaa Cooperation Network - EE Central Warwickshire Villages – UK Shropshire hills AONB Partnership - UK The objctives of the project is to: 1) promote local products and culinary know-how; 2) contribute to the restructuring of realtionships between producers/retailers/restaurateurs/consumers; 3) raise awareness of the possibilities of local sourcing by comparing practices in the different countries; 4) promote economic development in the partner territories.

International Conference - LINC 2012 LINC – Leader Inspired Network Community Partners: Austria, Germany, Estonia, Finland 12–14 June 2012 Tartu and South-Estonia Subtopic: “Involvement and Voluntary Work” Seminars Local Food Sport competition Practical workshops – voluntary work in 4 different places in South-Estonia

First contact with LAG manager of Urfahr-West was March 2010 in Kirchberg/Austria during LINC conference. Cultrips project has taken first steps in September 2010 and it will last about 3 years. CULTrips

LAG Raplamaa Partnership Population ~ people Region center Rapla 50 km from Tallinn 9 municipalities 81 LAG members

LINC 2010 CULTrips

Transnational Cooperation Project - CULTrips Cultural trips in Europe will be based on concept of socio-cultural exchange and tourism in rural areas. Tourists and local people active participation are the backbone in the project

PROJECT PARTNERS Valle Umbra e Sibillini Central Karelia Jetina and Joensuu LAG Raplamaa Partnership Redange-Wiltz Urfahr-West and Oststeirisches Kernland

KEY VALUES Contact to locals Story telling Learning together Authenticity Hidden treasures

PROJECT ACTIVITIES Creating the concept of Cultrips Compose inventory of touristic services and products Testtrips in every partner region Tour guides training Marketing of concept and services

CULTrips TARGET GROUPS “Unconventional discoverers” and “Ambitious cultural tourists” group size around people

cultrips.leader.lu

Thank you for your attention! Estonian Rural Network