Leader OBSERVATORY

1
Leader OBSERVATORY
European Commission

• Contact Point 2005

2
Observatory and Contact Point

• As part of Leader Action 3 (Networking) is the
  establishment of An Observatory of rural areas.
• Observatory The European Observatory of rural
  areas, led by the Commission, ensures and
  promotes networking at Community level.
• Contact point Team providing technical
  assistance to the Commission within the framework
  of the Observatory.

3
Observatory and Contact Point

• The aims of the Contact Point are
• Dealing with requests for information, reception
  of visitors
• Development of Leader Web site
  http//europa.eu.int/comm/leaderplus
• Production of an electronic newsletter Flash
  News
• Promotion and representation of Leader
• Planning and organisation of seminars
• Methodological support for those involved in
  Leader
• Editing of the Leader Magazine
• Summaries and analysis of Leader programmes and
  pilot activities at the European level.

4
Observatory and Contact Point

• Target groups
• Local Action Groups (LAG)
• National Network Units (NNUs)
• Administrations and institutions participating
  and implementing Leader (Managing Authorities,
  DG AGRI and others)
• Other bodies involved or interested in rural
  development
• EU-25.

5
The Leader team

• Team of the Observatory
• (European Commission, DG for Agriculture and
  Rural Development, Unit F3)
• Athanasios Christidis, acting Head of Unit
  General Management
• Jean-Michel Courades, Policy Desk Officer
  Horizontal Coordination
• Luc Jacobs, Operational Officer Contract
  Management
• Bénédicte Depovere, Operational Officer Events
• Stéphane Rault, Operational Officer Publications

6
The Leader team

• Team of the Contact Point
• Véronique Weyland-Ammeux, Team Leader
• Martin Law, Deputy and Publications Co-ordinator
• Pedro Brosei, Senior Information Officer
• Kristiane Hallermann, Events Coordinator
• Sergi Batlle, Information Officer
• Karolina Jasinska, Information Officer
• John Edwards, Information Officer
• Dieter Wagner, Information Officer
• Sophie Peppes, Administrative Assistant

7
The Leader team

• Non permanent expert staff
• Strategy advisory group (SAG)
• Informatics experts
• Thematic Experts
• Translators

8
Contact details

• Leader Observatory Contact Point
• 81, Rue du Marteau
• B-1000 Brussels
• BELGIUM
• Tel [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• contact.point_at_leaderplus.org

9
Contact PointBasic functions

• 1) Treatment of requests for information
• Reception of visitors
• Telephone answering service
• Mail management

10
Contact PointBasic functions

• 2) Web site
• http//europa.eu.int/comm/leaderplus
• Aim
• Basis for networking and a tool to learn and
  exchange information about rural development

11
Contact PointBasic functions

• Services of the web site (free access)
• Electronic mailbox
• Instruments for encouraging cooperation
• Electronic library
• Database of LAGs
• Database of cooperation projects
• Contact details of Leader bodies
• Links, useful information, current events, FAQ
  etc.

12
Contact PointBasic functions

• 3) Electronic newsletter (Flash News)
• Publication every 15 days
• 1st issue 30/8/2004
• Languages EN, FR, DE
• 4) Mailing list
• Compilation and update of the address lists

13
Contact PointBasic functions

• 5) Promotion/Representation
• Promotion of the Leader initiative and
  representational events
• Visits of foreign delegations, participation/prese
  ntation in seminars and forums
• Communication (writing of the newsletter,
  magazine, and website content and management).

14
Contact PointSeminars and Steering Committee

• 6) Seminars
• 25/10/2004, Brussels
• Quality of life experiences and
  co-operation
• 6-10/04/2005, Kauhajoki, Finland
• New know-how and new technologies in rural
  competitiveness and regional economic growth
• 27-28/6/2005, Brussels
• European cooperation fair
• 2005-2006 Decentralised seminars
  throughout Europe within the territory of a
  (hosting) LAG, including field visit

15
Contact PointSeminars and Steering Committee

• Aims of the seminars
• Acquisition of technical knowledge
• Exchange of experience and good practice
• Emergence and promotion of cooperation
  initiatives under Action 2 of the Community
  initiative
• Target groups
• Local Action Groups/National Network
  Units/Managing Authorities

16
Contact PointSeminars and Steering Committee

• 7) Steering Committee
• Planning
• Twice a year in Brussels next planned 8/6/2005
• Representatives of
• National administrations (Managing Authorities)
• National networks
• Chaired by the Commission

17
Contact PointMethodological Support

• 8) Methodological Support for those involved
• in Leader
• Support provided
• Transnational co-operation
• Evaluation
• Practical information
• Advice
• Research and dissemination of good practice
• To the
• Managing Authorities in the Member States
• The National Network Units
• Local Action Groups

18
Contact PointMagazine

• 9) Editing of the Leader Magazine
• Publication 3 per year
• 1st issue Available April 2005
• Languages All official EU languages

19
Contact PointSummaries and Analysis

• 10) Summary presentation of the 73 Leader
  programmes
• 11) Periodic summary and analytical information