CLLD puts coastal communities in the driving seat!
Is the EU ‘worth the money’? A recent FAMENET report on Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) in coastal communities demonstrates the success of a participative approach to delivering EU funding.
Is the EU still relevant? Is it ‘worth the money’? A recent FAMENET report on Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) in coastal communities demonstrates how a participative approach to delivering EU funding has empowered local stakeholders to drive change… and improved the image of the EU.
The LEADER/CLLD approach to local development was transferred to fisheries areas in the 2007-2013 programming period. After 15 years of implementation, FAMENET took stock of what CLLD has achieved in fishing and aquaculture communities across Europe, in particular CLLD funded under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF, 2014-2020). About 10% of the EMFF budget was dedicated to CLLD, managed by 348 Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs) in 19 EU countries. With an average of around EUR 2 million each, together they funded around 14 300 local projects.
A year’s worth of research and analysis concluded that CLLD is highly effective for mobilising diverse stakeholder groups, from fishers and aquaculture producers to environmentalists, researchers and public authorities, to drive local development from the bottom up. Indeed, 84% of local stakeholders surveyed felt that their FLAG had enabled them to improve or influence life in their community.
Besides the grant funding awarded, FLAGs were found to have been influential in developing knowledge and capacity in coastal communities, building contacts, networks and trust between different blue economy players, and fostering cooperation and better local governance.
Action generated by CLLD was found to have contributed to improved socio-economic and environmental dynamics in coastal communities. New partnerships, cross-sectoral collaboration and funding to develop and try out new ideas have led to thousands of innovations of direct relevance to local communities. CLLD has also helped boost the economy in coastal communities. On average, around 60 jobs have been created or maintained in each local area, thanks to EMFF CLLD. New local businesses have been created, as well as support provided to existing enterprises to diversify their income streams and/or increase resource efficiency. Stakeholders have also been mobilised to address environmental challenges, ranging from water pollution to biodiversity loss, and be part of the transition toward a low-carbon and circular economy.
Very importantly, CLLD funded under the EMFF (and now the EMFAF -European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund) has put fishers and aquaculture producers at the heart of local development for more resilient local communities, where the importance of the primary sector is given visibility and local supply chains are strengthened. Cross-sectoral collaboration, increased trust , and an agenda to drive change for a sustainable blue economy are helping to foster a healthier and more forward-looking dynamic in many coastal communities.
FLAGs have raised awareness of EU funding opportunities, with an estimated 48% of CLLD projects funded under the EMFF being implemented by beneficiaries receiving EU funding for the first time. Direct involvement in the development of their area, access to funding, and the many concrete benefits that local communities are deriving from CLLD-funded projects, are bringing Europe closer to its coastal citizens.
The full reports can be found at the following links:
What does CLLD bring to coastal and fisheries communities around Europe? – Report 1, December 2024
