European Commission
Leader+ Steering Committee Meeting
12 March 2008, Brussels / Belgium
Capitalisation of cooperation experience
László Simon
Hungary
Rural trends in Hungary
Missing communities in rural areas
High expectations towards governmental bodies
Lack of local innovation
Projects without wide social basis
Lack of decentralized decision-making
Missing local, regional and national development
networks
The idea of cooperation is not popular
LEADER+ in Hungary
186 applicant LAGs: 2332 villages, 3.5 mn people
70 selected LAGs
960 settlements
1.6 million
inhabitants
EUR 25 million
total funding
2,600 selected
local projects
Implementation
until 2008
Cooperation: Tasks
Introduction, enhancement
Events
Partner search
Best practice
Consultancy
Study tours
Project development
Preparation of bilateral cooperation agreements
Introduction of international
experience on national
conferences
Presentations, lectures and consultancy
Conferences and seminars
LEADER Centre events
Other events
International conferences
in Hungary and abroad
46 foreign lecturers (international rural
development experts) in all national LEADER
seminars and conferences
Signing a Memorandum
by the Commissioner and
the Minister
Joint Initiatives for the
Hungarian Countryside
To start discussion between rural actors
Seek and create LEADER-based cooperation
opportunities, elaborate cooperation ideas and
projects (rural areas in Hungary and abroad)
Share national and international LEADER and
other rural development experience, examples
and good practices
Projects ideas: rural tourism, local products,
renewable energies, equal opportunities
Thematic discussions: human resource
conditions, communication,
young people in
rural development
Tisza project
The river Tisza is a source of values and identity
as well
Cooperating Local Action Groups along the river
Tourism development in unutilised areas
Building new harbours, introducing cultural
values
Infrastructure
development,
education and
marketing
Regional cooperation
Complex packages
Oxenweg
A traditional grey-cattle transportation route
through Hungary, Austria and Germany
International partnership, preservation of cultural
and gastronomic values and traditions
Establishing hiking routes along the traditional
route for normal tourists or with horses,
bicycle and car
Tourism packages
Regional values
Hungarian Rural
Tourism Days
Supported by the Ministry, organized by the
LEADER Centre
Aiming at promoting cooperation of micro-
regional actors (local civil organizations,
entrepreneurs, municipalities) to make
use of rural tourism opportunities
52 LAGs, 340 settlements, ca. 900 service-
providers and ca. 1,400 services offered
with a discount of 30 to 100%
Media campaign:
national, regional,
local publications
Website with
all information:
www.hazajaro.hu
Experience sharing
Poland
Representatives of Managing
Authority, Paying Agency, LAGs
Visit to Hungary: National institutions, LAGs
Study tours
Güssing, the bio town: Renewable energies
Scotland: Young participants, youth projects
Wales: The operation of LEADER in practice
Brussels: Parliament and European institutions
Visitors from many EU and non-EU countries
Bilateral relations:
Romania
1st Hungarian-Romanian LEADER Conference
(Nagyvárad)
Visit of 45 young Romanians in
Hungary (to collect new experience)
LEADER road show in Romania:
11 locations, about 400 participants
Mentoring Programme
Networking
Get more experience
Targeted programmes
and events
Bilateral relations:
Croatia
Croatian-French-Hungarian cooperation to
establish a pilot LAG in the island of Brac
On-the-spot analysis, plenary session, teamwork
To learn about the area and involve local actors
Detailed introductory study, strategic planning
Experiencing a NMS
Croatian study tour
in Hungary
Balkan Tour:
Skopje, Bosnian group
Skopje: LEADER seminar for Balkan countries
Preparation for LEADER, networking
Bosnian group: A 10-day study tour
To visit LAGs and business development
centres to learn about Hungarian LEADER
experience, role in national rural development
strategy, three LAGs,
municipal programmes,
business development,
agriculture and
tourism development
Cooperation in the future
Green Paper
Based on the experience of the Hungarian NNU
Wide social discussion on the future of LEADER
Covering the whole country with LAGs and
LEADER-like communities
LAGs prepare strategy and select projects for
Axes 3 and 4
EUR 8 to 10 million per LAG
Cooperation
Separate budget, National Rural Network to
support international cooperation
Strategy writing February - June 2008
Starting LEADER and opening cooperation
opportunities: August 2008
LEADER Centre:
Work in figures
Events in Hungary once in every 5 days
International events 16
Newsletter 14
Magazine 60
On-the-spot consultancy for LAGs 4
International partner search 5
Working on the spot in the country 2
Thank you for your kind attention European Commission
Contact details:
László Simon, Director of Central Development
Programme Office, National Development Agency
simon.laszlo@meh.hu
István Már,
Responsible for LEADER cooperation,
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
imar@vkszi.hu