European Economic and Social Committee

LEADER, an EU initiative aimed at engaging rural communities, can provide a model for empowering stakeholder participation in local development. This was one of the main conclusions reached at a public hearing: "LEADER as a tool for local development", organised by the European Economic and Social Committee on 20/6 in Brussels. While participants praised the initiative for its partnership-based approach, they also pointed out that it has not yet achieved its full potential for mobilizing stakeholders and promoting local innovation.