1. The Swedish Rural Network and The European Rural Development Network, ERDN Presentation at theLeader Networking Event LEADER: A Collective Perspective 17th and 18th September 2008 SNH Battleby, Perth by Hans-Olof Stålgren

2. Short presentation Hans-Olof Stålgren • Manager for the Swedish Leader+ Network • Was working for the Leader+ Contact Point • Starting to work for the new Rural Network • Background as agronomist • Working in Stockholm • Living in Örebro

3. From Leader+ to the new RDP • From 12 to 65 Leader areas • From 20% to 85% of rural population • From just a few municipalities to all Swedish municipalities except four

4. Different kinds of networks • Formal or informal • Just for Leader or for the whole Rural Development Program • Within Managing Authority or outsourced • Partially or totally outsourced

5. A formal network for all national actors Swedish Rural Network • All actors for rural development, at national level, can be members • Network Unit at the Managing Authority • A special budget line for member activities • A Steering Committee of 11 members

6. The purpose of the Swedish Rural Network Axis 2 Axis 3 Axis 1 The Rural Development Program Axis 4 Leader Improve the implementation Strengthen its potential for rural development The Network action plan Exchange of information, excperience and methods Broad dialogue between local, regional, national and inter- national level Exchanges of experience between rural development policy, regional development policy and environ- mental policy

7. Today 100 national actors involved Steering group Network Unit Leader sub- network Thematic working groups Cooperation council with researchers Almost 65 LAGs to be started 25 of them are already operational Gender equalityIntegrationCommunity planning and local develop.

8. Some of 100 Members of the SE Rural Network • The Breeding Association for Race Horses • The National Federation of County Halls • Centre for Biodiversity • Farmers Union, LRF • The Swedish Board of Housing • Ecological Farmers • National Association for Nature Conservation • The Swedish Board of Fishery • The National Association All Sweden Shall Live • The Swedish Federation of Rural Economy and Agricultural Societies, HUSH • The Leader LAG:s • The Swedish University of Agriculture • The County Administrations • Many more

9. Example of ongoing animation activities Target groups for animation • Youth focus in Leader (U-land) • Community halls as a hub for local development (National Federation of Community Halls) • Local groups in Rural Economy and Agricultural Societies (HUSH) • Farmers Union local groups (LRF) • Regional councils of village development groups (All Sweden Shall Live) • Local Nature Conservation Associations (Swedish Assocation for Nature Conservation) • Secondary upper schools for agriculture (HUSH) • Business associations • Cooperative enterprises (Coompanion) • Coordinating local services (FLF)

10. www.landsbygdsnatverket.se • Starts with simple information • Newsletter • Program information • Network activities) • Building more interactive tools • Project database • Partner search • Webb tools to support the LAGs

12. Network tools to support the Leader process • Sub Network meetings • Mentor program • Animation cheques to inspire members to participate in Leader • The Leader Of The Year – Good practice • Training courses • Cheques for international exchange • Activities to promote transnational cooperation

13. European Network of Rural Development, ENRD • One permanent Coordination Committee • A Leader sub-committee • Thematical working groups • Evaluation committee • Contact Point, a “Service office” in Brussels

14. Leader Sub Committee Contributes to CC Transnational coop. EU CommissionDG AGRI Contact Point Permanent staff Technical Assistance (TA) Coordinating Committee, CC External experts Thematical working groups Reports, surveys, Good examples Evaluation committee Reports to CC

15. Contact Point has started • A call for tender in January • The decission was taken June 19:th • The Kantor Group Consortium won(They also had the Leader+ Contact Point) • The Brussel office started last week

16. Kantor Group Consortium • Kantor Qwentes, Greek consulting company, GR • Swedish Federation of Rural Economy and Agricultural Societies, SE (HUSH) • IEEP, Institute of European Environmental Policy, UK • CIHEAM, Agricultural Institute of Montpellier, FR • AESA, Agriconsulting, Consultancy Company, IT • Hungarian University and rural development institute, HU

17. Organisation of Contact Point

18. Organisation of Contact Point

19. Transnational Cooperation • Big emphasis on transnational cooperation • Coaching • Partner search • Databases • ”Intervention” • Conferences