(04 February 2019) – With only 4.5% of requests processed and settled, 13% of funds committed, and 5,000 files pending, the LEADER programme is still at a standstill in France.
To limit the risk of automatic ‘de-commitment’ (reimbursement of the funds allocated by the EU), LEADER France, the federation of local action groups, is calling for national management coordination and human resources for the examination of project applications. It is also calling for the creation of a prospective group to anticipate the implementation of the programme in its post-2020 version.
For months now, LEADER stakeholders have been warning of late payments and the difficulties faced by project promoters.
A total of 183 MPs sent a letter to the Minister of Territorial Cohesion, in support of the request for a “programme rescue plan” that was made in March, 2018, and reiterated in an article published on social media on 10 December, 2018.
For the time being, neither the regions, which have been the managing authorities of these funds since 2014, nor the national government have reacted to the current situation. (Banque des Territoires)