Multi-level Governance in Rural Development: Analysing Experiences from LEADER for a Community-Led Local Development (CLLD)

Many different levels of the institutional framework influence processes of rural development. One funding-scheme for rural development is LEADER, which is a bottom-up-orientated approach funded by the EU. A key element is a Local Action Group (LAG) as a kind of a private-public partnership. The LAG collaborate on the basis of an integrated local development strategy. The LAG make decisions about the financial support for projects from an own budget. The patterns of such an element of rural governance on local level are embedded in a multi-level governance system. To analyse LEADER performances we develop a model of multi-level governance, which integrates governance arrangements at local level as well as regulation at European and German Federal State Level. In theory, under multi-level governance the role of the state shifts from one of control to one of co-ordination, using new mechanisms to guide a plurality of network actors. In general we use governance with a wide definition in an analytical sense (not focused on a normative perspective like in good governance concepts, not with a narrow definition as self-governance). So governance is seen as an umbrella term for regulation of collective actions with different modes of steering Crucial aspects for analysing LEADER are settings of the rural development programs and the LAGs own settings. However, only focusing on a formal system of the LAG's rules and regulations alone neglects the LAG's board's actual behaviour and processes. Therefore, in addition to the formal system, also an informal system of characteristics related to behaviours and attitudes should considered. Research questions are related to the observation of external induced changes (from the policy framework) as well as endogenous induced changes (from learning processes within the LAG). This contribution will be based on findings of an international research project with case-studies in France, Italy and Germany as well as the on the result of the LEADER evaluation in Germany (with written questionnaires for members of the LAG decision making bodies in ca. 100 regions with more than 3000 answers in 2009 and 2013). Incidentally research about the performance of LEADER becomes even more important, because there will be more LEADER-like implementations in the future: Not only new EU-countries could participate in the new funding period 2014+, but in addition the LEADER principles in theory are now usable for a 'Community-Led Local Development' for other structural funds.