Index

In a word...
Franz Fischler, Member of the European Commission,
responsible for agriculture and rural development

Rural Europe at the turn of the third millennium
"Diversity" is the key word
In the 1990s, rural areas gave Europeans and their political leaders quite a surprise when they emerged as dynamic and innovative areas, attracting businesses and city dwellers. This article takes a look at today's rural Europe.

Defending the European rural and agricultural model at the WTO
If we are to take full advantage of the potential of the rural world and recognise the socio-economic but also historical and cultural importance of agriculture in rural Europe, the multifunctional nature of European agriculture must be maintained.

Rural development, the European model and the LEADER Initiative: Four views from the outside
What is the situation of rural development outside the European Union? How do others perceive the "European rural model"? Can the LEADER programme be exported? What can Europe learn from the experiences of other industrialised countries in the world? LEADER Magazine put these questions to an American, a Canadian, a Japanese and an Estonian.

• Rural development in the US: what's happening today and what's on the horizon?

• Quebec (Canada): "Americanising" the European rural development model

• Estonia: KODUKANT village movement celebrates eight years of existence

• Agriculture and rural development in Japan

The Duhallow Tiger
Against the current backdrop of very strong growth in Ireland, the people and businesses of Duhallow are implementing innovative economic, social, cultural and environmental projects on a large scale.

• Training, work and local service: The Duhallow Food Training Centre

A "plus" for the Park
France's "Regional Nature Parks" operate on principles identical in many ways to those of LEADER. However, the Initiative enables those Parks benefiting from it to go even further. This article examines the case of Livradois-Forez.

• Montaņa de Navarra (Spain) and Livradois-Forez (France): Long-standing cooperation on methodological issues

Service station
Created under LEADER I, the CEDERNA-GARALUR association has been working in the Navarra Mountains to create activities and jobs involving services for businesses, tourism and non-industrial production.

City and countryside working together
As its name indicates, the LEADER group Stad och Land - Hand i Hand ("City and Countryside - Hand in Hand") bases its programme on the synergies between the city and countryside.

source: LEADER Magazine nr.25 - Winter 2000/2001