This file is the result of consecutive activities organised by the LEADER European Observatory:

1. The preparation and realisation of case studies in 7 European areas, focusing on the selection of projects in the context of LEADER I and in the current context of LEADER II. These LEADER areas are:

• Wexford, situated in the extreme south-east of Ireland;
• Ouest-Aveyron, in Midi-Pyrénées in the southern Massif Central (France);
• Sierra de Béjar y Sierra de Francia (Castile-Leon) and Serrania de Ronda (Andalusia) in Spain;
• Capo Santa Maria di Leuca in the Apulia region (Italy);
• Kozani (Western Macedonia) and Psiloritis (Crete) in Greece.

2. A seminar entitled "Selecting local projects", which was held in Grevena (Kozani LEADER area) from 5 to 11 May 1997 with participants from five countries.

3. An analysis of the discussions and conclusions of the seminar. A few additional examples were analysed, notably South Devon & Dartmoor (England, United Kingdom), Canal de Castilla (Castile-Leon, Spain) and Guadiato (Andalusia, Spain).

All of these activities fall within the context of the more general work of the LEADER European Observatory; one of its missions being to support the transfer of innovations to rural areas.

This file was written by Samuel Thirion (INDE, Portugal) and Gilda Farrell (LEADER European Observatory), in association with Paul Soto (Iniciativas Economicas, Spain). Preparation of the seminar and case studies was coordinated by Samuel Thirion, with the help of Pierre Campagne (IAM, Montpellier), Carlo Ricci (Agriteknica, Italy), Michael Mernagh (Wexford LEADER, Ireland), Stavriani Koutsou (University of Thessaloniki, Greece), Alessandra Pesce (INEA, Italy), Lorenzo Barbera (CRESM, Italy) and Maria-Christina Makrandréou (LEADER European Observatory). Yves Champetier and Jean-Luc Janot (LEADER European Observatory) helped in the final stages of this document. Christine Charlier (LEADER European Observatory) was in charge of production coordination.

Introduction

Chapter 1: The various methods of project selection

• 1.1 Several possible forms of intervention
• 1.2 Types of projects and beneficiaries
• 1.3 The selection criteria
• 1.4 The stages of the approach
• 1.5 Distribution methods and strategies
• 1.6 Frequency of the call for projects
• 1.7 Requirements in terms of submitting applications
• 1.8 The application of the selection criteria
• 1.9 Moderating the rates of subsidies
• 1.10 Differentiated approaches

Chapter 2: Project selection, expressing a development strategy

• 2.1 Diversity of contexts, diversity of answers
• 2.2 A development approach rather than a series of procedures

Chapter 3: Project selection in the area coordination process

• 3.1 What is meant by "coordinating an area"?
• 3.2 Local partnerships and project selection
• 3.3 The stages of the coordination process and project selection

Chapter 4: Evolution of the methods of project selection

• 4.1 The evolution of the institutional context
• 4.2 Changes introduced by the LAGs themselves
• 4.3 Conclusion

Chapter 5: Optimising the effects at local level

• 5.1 Optimising the effects in terms of selected projects
• 5.2 Optimising the effects in terms of area dynamics
• 5.3 Global vision of the effects

Conclusions

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