As expected, on 16 July 2025, the European Commission published its long awaited proposals for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the 2028-2034 period and we have published an extensive overview. A debate has already kicked off and we are summarising below the stakeholders’ and experts’ responses, with special reference to local development and territorial cohesion. […]
Βottom-up initiatives can make local communities more resilient to climate change, social exclusion, disinformation, or conflict challenges
The series ‘Expert Voices’ offers interviews showcasing the experience and insights of AEIDL experts and ELIF members. In the 8th edition, Urszula Budzich-Tabor, Senior Policy Analyst at AEIDL on the Rural Pact Support Office and LDnet Deputy Chair, highlights: How the LEADER approach empowers local communities and inspires CLLD in coastal and fisheries areas. The impact of CLLD in […]
‘From vision to action: Empowering rural areas for the future’ – Highlights from the Rural Pact Conference
The Rural Pact Conference “From vision to action: Empowering rural areas for the future”, organised at the Château du Biez near Kortrijk (Belgium) on 16 and 17 September 2025, brought together 250 rural stakeholders from all over the EU and beyond, to exchange, network and discuss how to move forward with the Rural Vision till 2040 and […]
Slovenia monitors and evaluates the LEADER/CLLD delivery
This paper ‘Slovenia monitors and evaluates the LEADER/CLLD delivery’ by Dr Irma Potočnik Slavič offers an analysis of the processes that have had a key impact on rural development in Slovenia after independence in 1991. It is important for professionals dealing with rural development and, at the same time, contributes to the development of the […]
LDnet Webinar (28.5.2025) – “A new architecture of EU policies and funds post-2027 – what place for local development? (part 2)” – Presentations and Recording
This webinar took place successfully with 50 active participants on 28 May 2025. The full recording of the webinar is available HERE. The presentations of the speakers are available below. A summary of the event will be published shortly. For the background to this webinar and its agenda read on … On 19 February 2025 […]
LDnet Webinar (19.2.2025) – “A new architecture of EU policies and funds post-2027 – what place for local development?” – Summary, presentations, recording
This event took place online on 19 February 2025 as part of the 2025 series of LDnet webinars. It was attended by more than 120 people. The summary of the proceedings is available below together with links to the presentations and the recording of the event. A new architecture of EU policies and funds post-2027 […]
LDnet Webinar (21.1.2025)- “Citizen participation: From Sherry Arnstein’s ladder to Co-everything” (21.1.2025) – Summary, presentations, recording
This was the first in a new 2025 series of LDnet webinars. It took place online on 21 January 2025 with three main speakers – Peter Ramsden, Marijana Sumpor, Giuseppe Pace – and 45 active participants. Like all LDnet webinars it was free and open to practitioners, researchers and policy administrators. Urszula Budzich-Tabor, LDnet and […]
LEADER: Where it came from and what’s still in it (2nd edition)
LEADER has a long history and is still going strong. Robert Lukesch gave a talk in the final conference of the transnational project ‘LEADER/CLLD: Our common future’ on 4-6 November 2024, in Cheleiros/Mafra, Portugal, on the topic of ‘LEADER: Where it came from and what’s still in it’. This was based on a treatise in […]
Empowering Local Communities for Smart and Sustainable Cultural Heritage (Webinar 26 March 2025, 17.00 CET)
This webinar will follow up on the theme of participative approaches to local development and is titled “Empowering Local Communities for Smart and Sustainable Cultural Heritage: Bridging Expertise, Digital Change, and Partnerships”. It will take place online on Wednesday 26 March 2025 at 17:00 CET. This webinar is led by Rosalba La Grotteria and Giuseppe Pace. […]
Webinar, 21 January 2025, 17.00 CET: “Citizen participation: From Sherry Arnstein’s ladder to Co-everything”
This is the first in a new 2025 series of LDnet webinars. It is open to practitioners, researchers and policy administrators. All the LDnet webinars are free. Registration is open HERE. Title: “Citizen participation: From Sherry Arnstein’s ladder to Co-everything” Date: Tuesday, 21 January 2025 Time: 17.00 CET Moderator: Urszula Budzich-Tabor, LDnet and AEIDL Speakers: […]
LDnet Webinar – “A new architecture of EU policies and funds post-2027 – what place for local development?” (19.2.2025)
This is the second in a new 2025 series of LDnet webinars. It is open to practitioners, researchers and policy administrators. All the LDnet webinars are free. Registration is open HERE. The topic of this webinar is extremely topical following the publication of the Commission’s communication on this matter on 11.2.2025 – see HERE – […]
CoR: Programmes led by local action groups and communities must be reinforced and simplified
The Commission for Natural Resources (NAT) of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) discussed at its meeting on 27 November 2024 a draft opinion on “How post-27 LEADER and CLLD programming could contribute to better implementation of the long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas” (Rapporteur: Thibaut Guignar, Mayor of Plœuc-l’Hermitage). In this opinion […]