New tools for LEADER networking
The EU CAP Network has launched a new series of tools to boost LEADER networking: the LAG Directory and the LEADER Cooperation Offers are now available to all LEADER enthusiasts - in all EU languages!
The EU CAP Network has launched a new series of tools to boost LEADER networking across the EU. This is great news for all the LEADER experts and enthusiasts out there!
Both the LAG Directory and the LEADER Cooperation Offers include very useful features:
- A variety of different search functions, including pre-set filters and free search.
- Plenty of cross-links: no matter the entry point, you can get anywhere in the LAG Directory and the Cooperation Offers, and you can easily move from one to the other.
- All the information is available in all the EU languages via the 'Translate this page’ function at the bottom of each EU CAP Network website page. Networking gets easier!
Here is an overview of the key characteristics of each tool.
LAG Directory
The LAG Directory is the only online platform where you can find reliable and up-to-date information about LAGs across the EU, all in one place. It combines the official information provided by Managing Authorities with additional information provided by the LAG managers. Managing Authorities provided the name and main contact details of each LAG, the municipalities covered, key topics of the Local Development Strategies (LDS), and funding sources, while LAG managers can add more information about their LAG, including topics where they are interested in establishing transnational cooperation (TNC), and projects implemented.
The Directory now features enhanced browsing possibilities, so users can search LAGs by country, by main topics in the LDS, and by main fund.
The filter ‘Interested in LEADER TNC’ is particularly important, since it helps clearly identify LAGs that are actively searching for project partners or that are interested in cooperation at least in principle. A number added to the green label (e.g. ‘Interested in LEADER TNC +1’), as in the picture below, indicates that the LAG is not only interested in cooperation, but has an active ‘cooperation offer’ (read more below).
From June 2025, LAG managers of the LAGs included in the Directory are allowed to access and edit their LAG profile, keeping it up to date. We spoke to some LAGs who helped us pilot the Directory.
"The most challenging part was the EU Login. After that, entering the relevant data was quite easy and quick. It's a very useful tool for getting a first impression of a LAG area and, of course, for finding new cooperation partners. Personally, I also like the section featuring LAG project examples – they are both informative and inspiring, even for planning private trips."
Indeed, try typing the name of next weekend's rural destination in the Search field: you may learn about some interesting events by the LAG there!
“We have frequently used the LAG database in the past whenever we wanted to get in touch with colleagues or search for LAGs by region. Now, with this new partner search function, we can much more easily find LAGs that match our interests and are relevant for TNC cooperation. The LAG Directory is an excellent tool. We find partners for collaborations much faster now — not only for LEADER projects, but also for larger initiatives.”
LEADER Cooperation Offers
The website section dedicated to LEADER Cooperation Offers is a dynamic list of all the Transnational Cooperation (TNC) offers – both active and expired – uploaded by the LAGs on the website, with an overview of the objectives and topics and the list of eligible partners.
Cooperation Offers are fully searchable through filters, including the eligible partner countries, the country where the LAG (or one of the LAGs) involved is based, and the TNC topics. Cooperation Offers can only be uploaded by LAG personnel authorised to do this (typically LAG managers) through an existing LAG profile, but the project promoter can be another entity (e.g. a local institution, a private organisation, etc.).
The LEADER Cooperation Offers section is part of a full set of tools developed by the EU CAP Network to support TNC, including a TNC practical guide and TNC Factsheets detailing TNC rules applicable in each Member State (and in different regions in a Member State, when applicable).
LAGs are not short of reasons when it comes to explaining the importance of Transnational Cooperation.
For Alina Baba, Manager of LAG Napoca Porolissum, Romania, “Transnational Cooperation (TNC) enriches our work by creating opportunities for shared learning, innovation, and the exchange of good practices. Topics such as climate awareness, sustainable tourism, or heritage preservation benefit from diverse approaches and cross-cultural insight.” You can read more about their TNC project ‘The Atlas of Rural Beauty’ in this article.
“TNC allows us to connect our local experiences with broader European strategies and co-create tools and outputs - such as joint websites, exhibitions, and educational materials - that have wider impact. It also helps raise the visibility of our area, foster community pride, and promote new models of development rooted in sustainability.”
Arlene Goulart is the coordinator of the Portuguese LAG Adeliaçor, which is very active in promoting wine tourism in its island territories. “Transnational Cooperation (TNC) can foster innovation in our territories and in the wine sector, through knowledge transfer of successful examples of architectural heritage renovation related to wine production, protection of landscapes and sustainable wine making processes, wine marketing, and upskilling the mindset of local producers to attract added value clients.” You can read more about the kind of partners they are looking for in this article.
A call to action
The LAG Directory is a window to the key actors of the LEADER ecosystem in Europe – all the more important considering the many roles LAGs play to make their rural communities smarter and more resilient. The LEADER Cooperation Offers section is a unique platform to disseminate LAGs’ TNC project ideas and to generate new potential partnerships. All LEADER stakeholders are invited to make the most of these enhanced opportunities for networking.
These tools – and most of the LEADER section – reflect some of the key principles of LEADER, such as networking and the bottom-up approach. Indeed, to keep this tool up to date, we count on all LAG managers to keep updating their LAG profiles regularly and make a habit of using the LAG Directory as their go-to place to network, learn about other LAGs, and find potential cooperation partners. And we count on all LEADER ‘people’, from researchers to rural citizens to Managing Authorities, to use these tools to enjoy the power of networking with (and for) LEADER.
..and make sure you keep an eye on the LEADER section and on our newsletters, as more new LEADER tools will soon be available too!