1. ODRAZ - Sustainable Community Development / EESC
OPINION European Economic and Social Committee ________________________________ Advantages of the Community-led Local Development (CLLD) approach for integrated local and rural development ________________________________ Lidija Pavić-Rogošić
ODRAZ - Sustainable Community Development / EESC
March 2018

2. Request from Estonian Ministry of
Rural Affairs to EESC
for exploratory opinion under the title
“What kind of advantages the Community-led Local Development multi-funded approach creates for integrated local and rural development”
with the aim to get to know more about
the benefits of CLLD for Member States
the bottlenecks and their resolutions

3. EESC and LEADER/CLLD
EESC believes in LEADER and CLLD strongly supports the bottom-up decision-making process by preparing opinions and through cooperation with European networks CLLD contributes to territorial cohesion and sustainable development
Opinion adopted by EESC on 7 December 2017

4. Difference between LEADER and CLLD
CLLD brings more integrated approach and diversified financing model
the use of CLLD could include several funds and has been extended to the urban and peri-urban dimension

5. Three interconnected elements
CLLD is based on three interconnected elements:
multisectoral local action groups (LAGs)
integrated local development strategies and
defined territories

6. Integrated strategies
Integrated local development:
influences a wide spectrum of activities and has an impact on local economies and job creation, especially outside primary production in agriculture
beneficial effect on social inclusion involvement and participation of different stakeholders
Top-down
Local strategy
Local needs/
opportunities

7. Other principles remain the same
The CLLD encourages integrated local development based on its principles: bottom-up approach, local development strategies, public-private partnerships, innovation, networking and collaboration
Citizens can directly participate in improving the quality of life within their community by addressing the different types of community needs (in particular social, cultural, environmental and economic)

8. Main advantages of the CLLD multi-funds
CLLD creates opportunities for different types of territories (rural, urban and coastal) and communities to work together on challenges (green economy, social inclusion, poverty reduction, migration issues, regional clusters, rural-urban-coastal linkages, smart solutions and IT technologies) helps building cohesion between rural, peri-urban and urban areas, thus overcoming the periphery effect

9. Main advantages of the CLLD multi-funds
good mechanism for supporting "Smart Villages" concept through:
involvement, capacity building,
cooperation and networking
support for innovations
investments
enhance good governance

10. CLLD in EU – state of play
According to the European Commission, the most of Member States have adopted an approach that includes more funds in the programming period

12. LAGs that use ERDF and ESF
Territorial focus of local development strategies
Urban development
Rural development
Urban-rural connections
Peri-urban areas
Coastal areas

13. Conditions for success of CLLD
The introduction of the multi-fund approach requires:
political will
understanding of the benefits of CLLD at national level
good collaboration between ministries

14. EESC recommendations 1
Establishing a clear vision for an obligatory CLLD multi- funds implementation in the EU, assuring more funds
Strong cooperation between DGs and with other organisations
Urging the EC to explore and analyse in depth opportunities to create a reserve fund for CLLD at EU level

15. EESC recommendations 2
defining a harmonised framework of all ESI Funds and setting up simple rules for CLLD Fund implementation at EU level
enabling a close dialogue between all CLLD actors at European, national, regional and local level in preparations for the next programming period

16. EESC recommendations 3
One CLLD operational programme and management body for the implementation of the CLLD at the national level
EC to ensure that all Member States have a national CLLD Fund with contributions from all four ESI Funds (EAFRD, EMFF, ERDF and ESF)
Requiring Member States to allocate at least 15% of each ESI Fund budget to the CLLD Fund and to have sufficient national resources

17. EESC recommendations 4
harnessing the potential of IT solutions for simplification and automating data collection at national and local level, using best practices (as in Estonia, for example)
CLLD in peri-urban and urban areas are the challenges for future EU local development
collecting data on successful pilots
organizing information and motivation campaigns
training local urban actors and public administration

18. Proposed model for CLLD
implementation

19. Example from Sweden – Model with intermediate bodyEU
ERDF 6%
16,5 mio €
EMFF
16,6 mio €
ESF 16,3 mio €
EARDF 5%
200 mio €
Board of agriculture
CLLD-unit with co-workers takes the task of MA
PA at different unit

20. State of play in Sweden
46 out of 48 areas have approved project applications
230 EAFRD
23 ERDF
17 EMFF
4 ESF

21. Conclusions - Sweden Intermediate body
The method through storytelling - connectivity at emotional level; how we feel and what we know; to make the audience share the same feeling
Collecting statistical data

22. Why are we talking about CLLD now?
The EU is on the threshold of negotiations on policy post-2020
The EC and the Member States are discussing the future financial framework for ESIF
How can the European Union strengthen its ties with the Member States and regain the trust of its citizens?
CLLD - enables integrated local development and the involvement of citizens and their organisations at grassroots level
EESC CLLD as a successful European local development tool

23. Message from EESC
We will be happy to be co-founders of the new „working CLLD platform“ – EESC, ECoR, EP and EC – several connected DGs - at the EU institutional level, with the participation of expert networks – ELARD, RED