1. NEW LEADER IN FINLAND Doing well and in good time but?

2. Finland: 1200 km long Population 5 mil. Population density 17 / sqkm In Lappland less than 2 Over 50.000 lakes Average unemployment 9% Minimum salary 900 / month

3. From LEADER + to the new End of 2005, 58 strategies (drafts) Evaluation and feedback by a working group in May 2006 Deadline for full applications September 29.2006 Some LAGs have to improve their strategies, the methods or both A lot better quality than before (no competition - real needs)

4. The state level The national LEADER strategy is as much as possible based on the LAG strategies - bottom up New rural development network unit directly under Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry - big but stiff?

5. NEW? The LAGs and village committees are more and more capable of using other financing tools LEADER is beginning to have own image - still a bit vague Results are good but sometimes even the LAGs dont know about each others achievments

6. NOW All 55 new LEADER groups were selected and started September 2007. Active villages with active regional associations and coordinators working together with LAGs. A bit less money but more skills, better advisory, visibility and results? LEADER is a good advisory unit with some money and a lot of capacity buiding.