At the end of the european programming 2014 – 2020, extended until 2022, Leader France publishes a collection of experiences on the implementation of the european rural development program LEADER in France. More than a simple compilation of projects, the collection, entitled “LEADER : A european program at the service of rural areas” is a real plea on the importance of this european program for rural areas in France.

A few months after the European Court of Auditors’ special report, entitled “LEADER and local development led by local actors facilitate engagement at this level, but their additional benefits are still not sufficiently demonstrated”, Leader France has just published at the beginning of this year a collection entitled “LEADER : A european program serving rural areas.

This publication, of 72 pages, is the result of a collaborative work with the French rural territories involved in the process. This collection presents both analyses by several French academics and European personalities, and a catalogue of exemplary projects funded by the LEADER program in France and in Europe during this programming.

A real plea on the added value of LEADER and its influence on new rural development policies, from the French rural agenda to the European Rural Pact.

More than a simple compilation of projects, the collection, entitled “LEADER : A European program serving rural areas” is a real plea for the importance of this European program for rural areas in France. The analyses of several French academics and European personalities such as Pierre Loaëc, head of the regional representation of the European Commission in Marseille and Irène Tolleret, member of the European Parliament, make it possible to highlight the value of this European rural development program and its influence on new rural development policies, from the French rural agenda to the European Rural Pact.

A collection of experience from award-winning exemplary projects at regional and national level.

To illustrate in a concrete way the added value of the LEADER program, through three thematic approaches, nearly forty exemplary projects sheets funded by the LEADER program in France and in Europe during this programming are listed. The majority of the projects presented were valued and awarded at the LEADER National Awards for Rural Innovation and Experimentation, organised by Leader France since 2019.