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THE
PROGRAMME OF EU INITIATIVE LEADER+
(2000-2006)
LEADER
+ is a programme aimed at economic development of rural
areas in the European Union. Its purpose is to enhance
the natural and cultural heritage at local level, to
boost local economy and improve organisational skills
of local communities.
LEADER + promotes local development through a synergy
of operators, sectors and projects working on a central
theme. The theme has to reflect one of the characteristics
of the territory and works as a pivot around which the
whole development strategy revolves. The theme needs
to be consistent with the territory and can belong to
one of the following categories:
-
The
use of new technologies and know-how to improve
local competitiveness of products and services;
-
A
contribution to the improvement of the quality of
life in rural areas;
-
Promotion
of local products and support to local SMEs looking
for market access;
-
Enhancement
of natural and cultural resources, including the
sites of Community interest of Nature 2000.
This
programme is complementary to other intervention forms
foreseen by the EU, consequently it has to be integrated
with other initiatives of collective integrated development.
Starting from the guidelines established by the EU,
each Region defines it Regional Operational Plan - LEADER
+ (P.O.R.), which is carried out locally by the Local
Action Groups - LAGs - i.e. local development agencies,
as DELTA 2000.
Each LAG prepares a proposal called Local Development
Plan - LAP -which has to be approved by the relevant
Region.
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