(27 February 2020) – Moldova’s national parliament adopted on 20 February the European LEADER approach as the basis of national rural policy.
The Republic of Moldova will be the first non-EU country to implement the LEADER approach as the basis for its rural development policy and programming. The approach will be supported with national funds.
The first, EU-funded LEADER/CLLD pilot programme, which was carried out by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), began in Moldova in 2015. The first Moldovan Local Action Groups (LAGs) were launched in 2017/2018; currently, more than 30 LAGs cover around 30% of rural areas, with more expected.
The Moldovan LEADER experience will be shared at the second edition of the EU-Moldova LEADER Conference that will held on 13-16 May 2020.