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Rural Vision
News article12 April 2023Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy

How has CLLD been used in the EU in 2014–2020?

A recent study conducted by Stefan Kah, Haris Martinos, and Urszula Budzich-Tabor entitled “CLLD in the 2014–2020 EU Programming Period: An Innovative Framework for Local Development” examines the effectiveness of the previous (2014-2020) Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) programme in promoting sustainable and inclusive local development across the EU.

This paper provides an overview of the utilisation of CLLD by the different European Structural and Investment (ESI) funds and across different European regions (including LEADER under the Common Agricultural Policy), as well as a typology of countries based on earlier work by LDnet featuring country profiles showing how each EU Member State used CLLD funding opportunities and analysing the obstacles encountered and key outcomes achieved.  

The paper concludes that CLLD has the potential to significantly enhance the development of targeted territories and foster greater policy integration. However, administrative complexities remain a challenge that may hinder policymakers from utilising the full range of options provided by CLLD. As the 2021-2027 period started, some countries have decided to discontinue using CLLD, while others are expanding the model in areas where positive experiences have been reported.  

The Rural Pact provides a place for stakeholders to exchange and learn from experiences from across Europe.

Join the Rural Pact community to connect with peers and share your experiences with CLLD.