An ex-post evaluation of Leader I has been conducted by the Commission, and was realised by independent experts. The team was important as it counted around 60 experts from 12 countries, divided in national teams.

An original method was built, as it was the first time that such an evaluation was conducted on an experimental and innovative initiative. This method is actually used for other evaluation work or studies on the initiative. The evaluation focused not only on the results and impact of actions in the conventional sense, but also on how each of the unique specific aspects introduced by Leader contributed to the achievement of a more effective approach to rural development.

A survey was conducted on all 217 local action groups, to collect basic information. A further deeper analysis covered 50 groups with qualitative questions on their action programmes, the modality of functioning, and the impact they had on the local communities. The results demonstrate that Leader I created a dynamic process and gave more confidence to associations and population. The study also assessed the role that European and both national and regional administrations had in the implementation of the Community Initiative. It gave a thorough analysis of the partnership and networking. It showed that a better understanding of the local processes is fundamental for the conduction of future actions in rural areas.