Concept for the Establishment of. National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria

Transcription

1 Concept for the Establishment of National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria The Concept is developed by the Foundation for Local Government Reform by assignment of the Ministry f Agriculture and Forests December, 2005

2 Contents 1. Background: the Concept development process Concept development methodology General framewrok Elements of the Concept Legislative framework and prerequisites for the establishment of a National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria EU legislation National Strategic Plan on Rural Development ( ) Description and needs of the rural areas in Bulgaria The experience of the National Rural Development Networks in the European Union Analysis of the attitudes of the potential participants in the National Rural Development Network Main stages in establishing and strengthening the National Network Goals and priorities of the National Rural Development Network Goals and vision of the European national networks Goals of the European Rural Development Network Goals of the Bulgarian National Rural Development Network Network status and structure Legal status Network members, pricniples of admission and participation in the network Membership proposal Horizontal justification and principles for the rpoposed membership optionserror! Bookmark not defined Membership procedure and principles Member rights Management and advisory bodies of the National Network Secretariat... Error! Bookmark not defined Rural Parliament Services provided by the National Rural Development Network Comparative overview of the services provided by the National Networks in the Netherlands, Slovenia and Poland Services provided by the Bulgarian National Rural Development Network Funding the National Network The National Network as a part of the European Rural Development Network

3 Concept for the Establishment and Functioning of a National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria 1. Background: the Concept development process The Concept for the Establishment of a National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria was formulated on the basis of analysis and studies of the experience of existing National Rural Development Networks in Europe, and in consistency with the principle of wide discussions and consultations with the social and economic stakeholders in Bulgaria. The first stage of the project implementation process involved an analysis of the information collected on the experience of the National Networks in the Netherlands, Poland and Slovenia, as well as a comparative analysis of the situation in each of these countries, the types of services provided by these organisations, their management and advisory bodies. The analysis served as a backbone and a starting point in the initial stage of the development of a draft Concept for the Establishment of a National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria. In early November, 2005 the FLGR team initiated the identification of all interested organisations and institutions in the country that could become potential members of the National Network. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forests submitted more than 370 survey questionnaires reflecting the common views and expectations of the interested parties with regard to the future National Network. The questionnaires were analysed and the summary results provided an objective picture of the current attitudes in the country and of the readiness of future network members to create the National Network. The conclusions from the survey are an indelible part of the justification of the Concept for a National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria. FLGR initiated the formation of a Work Advisory Group comprised of representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, experts from organisations and institutions involved in rural development. The workgroup discussed the draft concept for the establishment of a National Rural Development Network and submitted specific proposals and recommendations for its improvement. The workgroup provided for a wider initial discussion of the concept, as well as for the consideration of the points of view of various interested parties, transparency and publicity of the process. The revised and improved concept served as a basis for a wider discussion by the stakeholders during its first official presentation at the First National Seminar on Application of the Leader Approach and Establishment of a National Rural Development Network, held in November, 2005 by the United Nations Development Programme in Bulgaria and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests. The process of wide public discussion of the Concept involved the use of a mechanisms for wider participation of interested parties via Internet forums, more than 15 national and regional information seminars, radio broadcasts, publications, questionnaires sent to more than 170 organisations, municipalities and institutions in the country. The recommendations, comments and amendments to the draft Concept made during the public discussion were analysed and incorporated in the current Concept. 3

4 2. Concept development methodology 2.1. General framework The Concept for the Establishment of a National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria was formulated by the Foundation for Local Government Reform (FLGR) under the assignment Concept and Rules for the Functioning of the National Rural Development Network of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MAF). The purpose of the assignment was to provide a development method, structure and operating rules for a National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria, based on studying the experience of existing National Networks in European Union (EU) member states and adapting the most appropriate model to Bulgaria, and by means of creating an effective and open mechanism for public discussion of the draft concept. The changes to the common agricultural policy, as well as the challenges faced by our country on its way to EU accession, impose the implementation of a broader scope of measures and activities aimed at encouraging a wider promotion of the EU policy and the national policy and priorities in the field of rural development. Under the new EU Rural Development Regulation 1, which serves as the basis for the formulation and development of the Bulgarian National Strategic Plan on Rural Development ( ), Bulgaria, in the perspective of a future member state, is to establish a National Rural Development Network that would consolidate all organisations and administrative bodies involved in rural development. Each National Network should function in consistency with the principles embedded in the European Agricultural Convention, which places and emphasis on the horizontal and the vertical partnership between national and local authorities, and on local partnership between the public, private and civic sectors, based on the experience accumulated under the EU LEADER Initiative. In this respect, the National Rural Development Network will create conditions to make decisions supported by appropriate studies and a competent network in and among rural areas in Bulgaria; will encourage bottom-up initiatives and coordinated efforts of interested parties to protect their common interests on the basis of access and exchange of information, knowledge and technology in the fields of agriculture and rural development. The concept for the National Network is based on the principle of wider understanding of rural development in the country and on the involvement of a broader range of interested parties, i.e. it s not viewed solely as a national network under the EU Leader Programme. The National Rural Development Network will be a part of the newly created European Rural Development Network Elements of the Concept The proposed concept is comprised of several basic elements: Background and description of the concept formulation process; Legislative context for the establishment of the National Network, which covers the new EU Rural Development Regulation and the Bulgarian National Rural Development Plan; 1 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1698/2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)

5 Study of the attitudes and the readiness of the interested parties living and participating in rural development in the country to become a part of the National Network; Description of the current situation, current needs and features of the rural areas in the country, considering the specific needs and the existing capacity that determine the establishment of the National Network; Structure of the National network, regulated by legal statutes; proposed membership of the National Network and principles of members selection and involvement; consultative bodies to the National Network and Secretariat of the National Network; Proposed goals of the National Network; Scope of possible services to be provided by the National Network to its members; Opportunities to finance the National Network; Review of the inter-relation between the National Network and the European Rural Development Network; The main stages in the establishment and the strengthening of the National Rural Development Network. The concept incorporates a study of the experience of the existing National Networks in the European Union, specifically those in the Netherlands, Slovakia and Poland, in terms of arguments and justification of possible mechanisms of establishing and operating a national network, adaptable to Bulgaria. The questionnaire that was the main instrument in generating feedback, recommendations and proposals by the interested parties, is an integral part of the concept. The recommendations made on the draft concept during the national discussion were incorporated in it. The process of public discussion of the draft created a mechanism for wider involvement of the stakeholders by means of Internet forums, national and regional information channels. 5

6 3. Legislative framework and prerequisites for the establishment of a National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria 3.1. EU legislation Under the new EU Rural Development Regulation 2, which serves as basis for the formulation of the Bulgarian National Strategic Plan on Rural Development ( ), our country is to establish a National Rural Development Network that would consolidate all organisations and administrative bodies involved in the sustainable development of rural areas. Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) Article 68 National rural network 1. Each Member State shall establish a national rural network, which groups the organisations and administrations involved in rural development. 2. The amount referred to in Article 66(3) first subparagraph shall be used: (a) for the structures needed to run the network; (b) for an action plan containing at least the identification and analysis of good transferable practices and the provision of information about them, network management, the organisation of exchanges of experience and know-how, the preparation of training programmes for local action groups in the process of formation and technical assistance for inter-territorial and trans-national cooperation.... Community Strategic Guidelines for Rural Development Translating priorities into programmes The resources devoted to the Community rural development priorities (within the regulatory minimum funding limits for each axis) will depend on the specific situation, strengths and weaknesses of each programme area. Each of the Community priorities, and their contribution to Lisbon and Göteborg objectives, will need to be translated into the Member State context in the national strategy plan and rural development programmes. In many cases, there will be national or regional priorities for specific problems related to the agrifood sector or the environmental, climatic and geographical situation of agriculture and forestry. Rural areas may have to deal with other specific issues such as peri-urban pressure, unemployment, remoteness or low population density. 2 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1698/2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) Proposal for a Council Decision on Community strategic guidelines for Rural Development

7 Several means are available at EU and Member State level to improve governance and policy delivery. Technical assistance can be used to build up European and national networks for rural development, as a platform for exchange of best practice and expertise on all aspects of policy design, management and implementation between stakeholders. Information and publicity to ensure early involvement of the different actors will need to be considered in the preparation of the national strategies and worked out for the later stages of implementation Draft National Strategic Plan on Rural Development ( ) As per the draft National Strategic Plan on Rural Development ( ), the mission of the Bulgarian rural development network is to consolidate all organisations and individuals involved at the different levels of rural development in Bulgaria. The network s purpose is to inform and educate its members and the interested public, by serving as a focal point of coordination and support to the integrated development of rural areas and to specific rural development projects in Bulgaria, as well as to represent its members nationally and internationally. 4 At this stage, the National Plan includes information on the main principles and goals of the National Network, as agreed upon by the socio-economic partners in the country. This provides for consistency of the proposed Concept and the institutional support for its implementation, priorities, goals, services, managerial and operative bodies criteria and conditions for the selection of these bodies. With regard to the provision of resources for the establishment and the strengthening of the National Network, the National Plan provides information on an approved project of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests in the amount of BGN 20,000, which is an extension of the Rural Development Information Network Project under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Communication Strategy on the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union; the project will be initiated in the second quarter of Description and needs of the rural areas in Bulgaria The rural areas in Bulgaria are the cross-point of many problems. In these areas, the economy is marked by high unemployment, low efficiency, single-industry structure and fragmented ownership of land. This description holds true for 81% of Bulgaria s territory and 43% of the country s population, which have been pushed to the periphery of development. The Government of the Republic of Bulgaria is implementing a targeted policy for integrated development of the rural areas, in the context of the upcoming EU accession and the common agricultural policy. Since 2003 the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests has initiated a public debate on rural development priorities. In this process, the Ministry has actively involved local authorities, non-governmental organisations and rural communities as partners in the formulation, implementation, monitoring and development of policies concerning the rural areas. With regard to the definition of rural area, in the EU it is a territorial unit that has a) population density up to 100 persons per km 2, or share of agriculture equal or twice higher that the Community average for any year after 1985; b) average unemployment for the last three years higher than the community average, or a reduction of population after The high share of agricultural employment, the unemployment level and the demographic trends in Bulgaria do not allow for the mechanical adoption of the definition used in the EU, 4 Draft National Strategic Plan on Rural Development, p. 125, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests. 5 Draft National Strategic Plan on Rural Development, p. 126, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests. 7

8 as that would mean that almost all municipalities in the country would be defined as rural. Therefore, a more specific definition, consistent with the Bulgarian reality, should be adopted. The project for the National Rural Development Plan ( ) proposes a new definition of rural area. These would be the municipalities where, on one hand, the largest town has a population of less than 50,000 and population density is up to 150 persons per square kilometre and, on the other, the share of agricultural employment is above the country average. The national resorts are excluded from the rural areas. 6 Rural development in the country has not only sectoral but also territorial aspects, which in the Bulgarian context are reflected in the Regional Development Act 7. The Act has the following goals: to create prerequisites for balanced development of the regions; to reduce interregional and intraregional disparities in economic development and to provide employment and income growth conditions. In some respects, the requirements of this Act determine the way rural development programs and plans are implemented. The so-called targeted impact areas 8, which include the less favoured areas, have a special significance for rural development. The latest amendment to the Regional Development Act (April, 2005) identified the indicators for the formation of targeted impact areas. Under the same amendment, the indicators for the identification of less favoured areas are formulated as follows:... Art.16.(1). A less favoured area shall be a territory, in which most of the population of working age is employed in agriculture and forestry, and which is characterised by a low degree of development of the transport, technical and social infrastructure, low skills of the population of working age, limited employment opportunities, high unemployment, low income and depopulation. Diversification of the local economies in the rural areas is minimal. The few people of working age not employed in agriculture are either unemployed, work in the public sector, or work in a near small town. As the majority of the people in the rural areas are not involved in market agriculture, it is critical for them that all support programs, both national and European, create employment by investments in agricultural and nonagricultural industries. Agriculture is a strongly prevailing sector in the economies of the rural areas in Bulgaria. At the same time, the per capita GDP in the rural areas is significantly lower than in the urban areas. 9 Rural development depends to a great extent on overcoming the negative demographic trends. This holds true for the agriculture as well, as preserving its functions and modernizing it requires the preservation of vital rural communities. The natural growth of the population in the rural areas is negative (-8.57 ). One of the main reasons for the diminishing rural population is the diminishing number of young people, which results in fewer births. There is a clear trend towards ageing of the population in the Bulgarian villages. As a whole, the share of the people over working age in the rural areas is higher than in the urban areas 27.5% versus 20.8%, respectively Draft National Strategic Plan on the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas ( ), p The State Gazette, No. 14, February 20, The targeted impact areas are the territorial basis for the implementation of the national policy on regional development by a system of measures, aimed at achieving sustainable growth of the socio-economic development and overcoming the intraregional disparities. 9 National Human Development Report 2003, Rural Regions: Overcoming Development Disparities, UNDP. Sofia. 10 Draft National Strategic Plan on the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas ( ). 8

9 What is more specific about the rural areas in Bulgaria is not so much the fact that they are rural but the fact that most of them are in decline. This means that the people in the villages do not have the choice opportunities that they should have. They should be able to choose what to work instead of being forced to make a living by agriculture, to choose to live where they were born without dooming their children to low education and bad healthcare, and most of all, to choose and influence the policies that concern them. The people in the rural areas should be rather the motor behind the development policies than simply a beneficiary. The participation policies require that the decisions which sectors to be supported and how to affect the support be made by the local community and the interested parties. In this way, the rural development policy is self-integrating, arising from real needs and development potential. According to UNDP s National Human Development Report 2003, Rural Regions: Overcoming Development Disparities, efforts need to be made to consolidate the institutional networks and resources in support of agriculture and the rural areas The experience of the National Rural Development Networks in the European Union The European rural development movements are a silent revolution in rural Europe s development. Since the start in the Scandinavian countries in the 1970s, 19 rural development movements have been established in 16 European countries, and new ones are being formed. The reasons behind the formation of these networks arise from the necessity to protect the rural communities and heritage from the ever growing centralization and urbanization. The factors that have determined the establishment of the rural networks include: Decline in the development of agriculture and changes in the rural economy; Growing centralisation, restructuring local authorities and diminishing local democracy; Cultural and economic urbanisation; Migration and imbalanced age structures; Globalisation of markets and influence of the European domestic market. The rural movements in Europe have formed and have developed in different ways. Those in the Northern and in the Eastern European countries have developed by following the Finnish model (with some assistance under the PREPARE programme). The movements in Western Europe have developed independently but in an environment of international networks, such as PREPARE, the network of the Scandinavian countries and the Trans-European Rural Network. Both the bottom-up (rural action movements) and the top-down (rural forums of national organisations) approaches have been used in forming these movements. The definition of a rural development movement provided at a meeting of the European movements in May, 2004 states: unification of people from the rural areas and their interests, who, through working together want to achieve a change in those areas. These movements are structured, i.e. they are organised and networked at local, regional, national and international level. They are positioned at local level and are created and managed by local people. They mobilise and support local economic development activities. The information channels are well-developed. The movements aspire to achieve clear goals adopted as a result of strategic planning. To influence the EU rural development policy, they are implementing advocacy campaigns at different levels. At the international level, the movements function through a common network. By their activities, the movements influence: the development of the capacity of the people in the rural areas and the strengthening of the social capital; 9

10 local democracy established structures and mechanisms provide for the direct involvement of the people in the rural areas in decision-making at different levels; the rural development policy, by advocacy and partnership. The strength of the rural development networks is based on the fact that they consolidate the people from the rural communities and provide representation that acts as a partner to the respective national government. In the Netherlands, the LEADER+ Netwerk network is supported by the 28 LEADER+ regions. Its activities are financed by different ministries and provinces. The 28 LEADER+ regions are managed by 4 management bodies. Each region has its own local action group (LAG). The 28 LAGs in the Netherlands work on their own priority development topic, which is a main feature of the EU LEADER Programme. All services target the representatives of the local development stakeholders and encourage exchange of experience and cooperation. The network functions at local (institutions initiator), regional (associations executor), national (management bodies mediator) and European (policy formulation) level. The Polish Rural Development Forum was established in 2002 as an informal network by NGOs working at local and national level. At present, 72 organisations have signed the Declaration of Cooperation and have joined the Forum. Network members include both NGOs and networks of organisations (national and regional associations of rural leaders, Education Initiatives Federation) that work closely with public institutions. Actions have been initiated to register the Forum as a legal entity. Some of its main activities include the promotion of the EU LEADER initiative, training of trainers and initiators of local partnerships, as well as influence on the rural development policies. The Slovenian Rural Development Network is a non-governmental organisation established in Its 120 members include physical entities and NGOs working at different levels. The activities are implemented by 14 regional coordinators and offices. The main services provided include information to network members and the public, trainings on new development challenges and implementation of topical projects. 10

11 3.4. Analysis of the attitudes of the potential participants in the National Rural Development Network 11 In May, 2004 the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests implemented a project on the development of a rural information network under the Communication Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria with regard to Bulgaria s accession to the EU. The project involved activities that identified potential members of the National Network; its goals were to enhance the cooperation and the communication between the individuals and the organisations in the rural areas, in order to provide effective representation of rural development interests, as well as to enhance the information flow between the governmental and non-governmental organisations, from local to regional, national and international level. The first actions towards the formation of a new initiative, a national information network in the field of rural development, were one of the results from the project. In 2004 MAF, assisted by the PREPARE 12 organisational group, initiated a national conference on Partnership in the Development of the Rural Areas. The purpose of this forum was to discuss the potential for partnership and coordinated actions of the government, the local authorities, the social and the economic partners, non-governmental organisations and civil society, as well as the ways in which this partnership could be strengthened. The participants identified a need for the initiation and development of a Rural Development Network and committed to participate in its formation. The meetings, national forums and initiatives implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests provide ample feedback and information by the participants in these events. This information made possible the assessment of stakeholders attitude to becoming a part of the National Rural Development Network. The assessment was conducted in 13 Bulgaria regions: Smolyan, Stara Zagora, Kyustendil, Sofia, Varna, Plovdiv, Bourgas, Haskovo, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Yambol, Shoumen and Sliven. The interviewed include representatives of municipal administrations - mostly in small communities, local companies, industry associations, NGOs and trade unions, central and regional administrations` representatives. As a whole, the respondents have a positive attitude to the establishment of a national rural development network. 95% expressed their readiness to participate in the initiation of the National Network and its strengthening, while at the same time specifying their contribution. In this respect, the non-governmental organisations are most expressive: 90% of them declare a contribution in the form of the delivery of timely and current information about the respective regions; advisory support to future members with regard to the identification, development, initiation and implementation of projects and ideas; technical assistance in the coordination and community mobilisation and development process, etc. The need for a network is also justified by the needs of the individual stakeholders for coordination of their consolidated efforts in rural development, information resources sharing, pro-active involvement of the representatives of organisations working in this field to actively participate in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of rural development policies at national and local level. The analysis of the questionnaires submitted by 384 representatives of non-governmental organisations, municipalities and employees of the Regional and Municipal Agriculture Advisory Services indicates that the presentation of the PREPARE Programme has spurred interest among the attendees (mostly NGO 11 The analysis is based on survey cards and questionnaires filled by stakeholder representatives at regional meetings on Rural Development Information Network, held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests in the 6 areas for planning, as well as questionnaires aimed at collecting information from non-profit organisations and other institutions on the overall attitude for involvement in the establishment of the National Rural Development Network. 12 The purpose of the PREPARE Programme is to strengthen civil society in the rural areas and to encourage the multinational exchange in rural development, specifically in the ten candidate countries from Central and Eastern Europe, as well as in the expanded European Union. 11

12 representatives) and they would like to get additional information about the programme and the initiative. The need for the establishment of a National Rural Development Network is shared by representatives of the North-Eastern, North-Western, and Southern planning regions. They call it a network for partnership, cooperation, information. The presentation of PREPARE initiative resulted in the idea to establish a National Rural Development Network, however not as a recognised need but rather as an opportunity to work on projects and have access to financing. The Southern Central planning region representatives are asking whether such a network will be established and what are the criteria for involving local action groups in it. Some participants believe that it would be more reasonable to use the capacity of existing non-governmental organisations as regional structures delivering technical and information assistance, instead of creating new structures. At the same time, other representatives of non-governmental organisations state that there is a pressing need for the development of a partnership network to which the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests would act as secretariat. Representatives of non-governmental organisations from the South-Western planning region believe that the rural development network is critical, as there is no coordination between NGOs and municipalities which results in waste of funds, time and efforts. The participants state that initially the organisation should be a forum, which would be registered as a legal entity at a later stage. Other participants also support this opinion. Some propose to use the mechanism of the Community Forum Programme 13 to identify potential stakeholders interested in the establishment of a partnership network, the structure and the rules of operation of such a network. The participants from the North-Eastern planning region propose that the network be developed in two levels: national, where the goal would be to provide a link between all local action groups, and local, where the goal would be to maintain contact between governmental and non-governmental organisations at local level. Municipal employees from the Northern Central planning region ask about the role of the municipalities in the establishment of the rural development network. They propose that the Municipal Agriculture and Forest Services be actively involved in the formulation and implementation of rural development programs, as an inseparable part of the National Network. At the same time, they believe that the rural municipalities should be given the opportunity to participate in the network; such an opportunity should also be provided to more farmers. The representatives of the regional agriculture advisory services believe that establishing the network is necessary but would be very difficult, as the villages are depopulated and their population is ageing. In their opinion, it would be more expedient to use existing structures of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (such as the divisions of the National Agriculture Advisory Service) to create local action groups and to disseminate the idea behind the EU LEADER approach. At this stage, the individual stakeholders are ready to be directly involved in the establishment and the development of the National Network. This readiness is manifested mostly in the provision of wide information channels, as well as direct contacts with local authorities and communities; coordination support to the activities of the individual network members, in order to enhance the dissemination of information and services by the network; almost 90% of the respondents see themselves as future partners in every future activity of the network both in channelling the information and in supporting community mobilisation for the implementation of joint initiatives. Albeit a result of a non-representative (but sufficiently wide) assessment and analysis, the above indicates that to a great extent there is a pressing need for the establishment of a partnership and rural development network. Most participants share this idea in one way or another. However, it is necessary that all stakeholders be involved and that the network be structured in such a way, as to meet their needs to the 13 A programme of the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency. 12

13 maximum extent possible. The purpose of the network should be to encourage and stimulate the cooperation and the communication between the organisations and communities in the rural areas, to provide effective representation of their interests and to deliver a flow of information related to rural development among governmental and non-governmental organisations at local, regional, national and international level. It should be noted, however, that at this stage there are no specific ideas or initiatives on behalf of the interviewed stakeholders with regard to a more detailed and focused view of the overall structure, operations and organisation of the National Network; the attitudes reflect rather a support for its establishment in general than any specific operational measures on how to make that happen. The existing positive attitude of stakeholder representatives is supported by the recommendations incorporated in the National Human Development Report 2003 of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bulgaria. Some of these include encouraging at national level a greater interaction with local non-profit organisations that were created bottom-up and that represent and defend the everyday interests of the rural population. Establishing a National Rural Development Network is critical, as this network will represent the Bulgarian LEADER community at EU level. Also, it is critical at this stage to consider and use the experience accumulated under the Sustainable Rural Development Programme of MAF and UNDP with regard to forming and strengthening local action groups, as well as the experience accumulated under PREPARE initiative. At the same time, there is also additional experience and know-how under various donor programs that could provide a significant contribution to the efforts towards establishing and strengthening the National Network: the Community Forum Programme of the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency; the Teams on Wheels Programme of MAF and UNDP; the network of UNDP-supported JOBS centres in the country; regional and local associations of stakeholder representatives. 14 Based on the analysis and the experience in the other Central and Eastern European countries, and on the processes that have occurred there on the way to the establishment of national rural development networks, it may be concluded that attitudes and intentions in this respect already exist in Bulgaria; the need has been identified by the stakeholders and is justified well. There are prerequisites for the creation of an enabling environment for the initiation of a network that would be supported by all stakeholders, which have already declared their specific intentions and contributions. The lack of a mechanism that could enhance the synchronisation of this resource, the efforts and the activities towards its use in development, imposes the implementation of specific steps to form such a national network. 14 Midterm evaluation of the Sustainable Rural Development Project of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, UNDP; Heimo Keränen, Dotcho Mihailov, Iordan Velikov, Liisa Häme; p. 30, Sofia,

14 4. Main stages in establishing and strengthening the National Network Discuss and have a public consensus on the Concept for the establishment and strengthening of the National Network by December, Form an Initiative Action Group on the establishment and strengthening of the National Network by the end of February, By consolidating the resources of its members (organisations and institutions involved in rural development), the Initiative Group will be responsible for: - the overall promotion of the idea for the establishment of a National Network; delivery of information on its purpose, goals and services to stakeholders; - identification of stakeholders and potential members countrywide; - organisation and holding of the first National Conference for stakeholder representatives, which will mark the start of a national initiative for the establishment of the National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria (May June 2006). Initiate measures for the formation, institutionalisation and registration of the National Rural Development Network by December, Identify an Interim Secretariat (by October, 2006) that will help start the activities of the National Network, function as a coordination and operational unit until a regular tender procedure is held for the selection of the Secretariat of the National Network. The Interim Secretariat will promote the idea behind the National Network and will encourage initiatives and support the efforts towards the initial establishment and strengthening of the Network. By March, 2007 the Secretariat (Operative Office) selected through a regular tender procedure is to develop an Action Plan for the National Network, which is to be approved by the National Network s Board. What is particularly important at this stage is to identify financial support opportunities for the strengthening of the National Network through 2006 and 2007 (prior to the period when financial assistance for the Network could be allocated under the EU Structural Funds), as well as to encourage the implementation of successful pilot models and practices by providing synergy between donor organisations operating in this field. In this respect, for the timely organisation of the establishment and strengthening of the National Network prior to Bulgaria s accession to the EU, as well as in order to provide the necessary methodological, expert and financial resources, the consolidation of the efforts of the different donors in the country and the use of the already accumulated experience, models and practices in the sustainable development of the rural areas in Bulgaria, would be critical. The contribution and the support of the United Nations Development Programme may be especially valuable. UNDP has a vast experience in working with local communities, municipal entities, non-governmental organisations, the private and the public sector. This experience is based on 10 years of activities in support of good local governance, stakeholder involvement in strategic planning, building working partnerships, local capacity and social capital development. UNDP supports initiatives in various areas of local development in more than 2/3 of the Bulgarian municipalities. The integrated development of the rural areas and the overcoming of the large disparities between the rural and the urban communities are topics on which UNDP has been focusing its efforts together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests and with interested local authorities since 2003 (see Appendix 3). UNDP has demonstrated its willingness and readiness to 14

15 support the institutionalisation and the strengthening of the National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria in the pre-accession period. 5. Goals and priorities of the National Rural Development Network 5.1. Goals and vision of the European national networks According to Vanessa Halhead s study The Rural Movements of Europe 15, the most productive and working goals of the existing national rural development networks in Europe, which have contributed to the integrated development of the rural areas, include: Capacity building in rural communities; Increasing the social capital of the rural areas; Strengthening the partnership between the civic and the public sector; Influencing the national rural development policies; Functioning of a strong partnership network of stakeholders in rural development, allowing the latter to exchange information, experience and practices; Contribution of the National Network to the European Rural Development Network Aims of the European Network for Rural Development: The aims of the Network shall be to: (a) collect, analyse and disseminate information on Community rural development measures; (b) collect, disseminate and consolidate at Community level good rural development practice; (c) provide information on developments in the Community s rural areas and in third countries; (d) organise meetings and seminars at Community level for those actively involved in rural development; (e) set up and run expert networks with a view to facilitating an exchange of expertise and supporting implementation and evaluation of the rural development policy; (f) support the national networks and trans-national cooperation initiatives Goals of the Bulgarian National Rural Development Network The National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria will operate within the national context and rural development policy, the administrative and social culture of the stakeholders at local, regional and national level, and will meet the needs of its members. The network will be the driving partner of the national government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests in the identification of the rural development priorities; the changes that need to be made in the current policy to improve the effect of its implementation; the improvement of the dialogue with the civil society, the expansion of the participation in the decision-making process and in the process of planning, programming, monitoring and implementation of the rural development programs. 16 The Rural Movements of Europe, Vanessa Halhead,

16 The priorities of the National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria include: to encourage strong partnerships between rural development stakeholders and to work for a common national platform; to encourage the implementation of an integrated rural development approach; to work to build capacity and social capital in the rural areas; to provide access to information and opportunities for exchange of best practices; to encourage rural development in consistency with the principles of the LEADER approach; to present and defend the interests of the stakeholders in the policy formulation and the decisionmaking processes at national level. 6. Network status and structure 6.1. Legal status The National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria will be registered under the Non-Profit Legal Entities Act, as an association to the public benefit, which will provide a clear legal status of the Network and access to different funding sources. The supreme body of the Network will be its General Assembly; the Network will also have a Board of Directors. Poland s experience indicates that the National Network there was initially organised as an informal information network, without legal registration and status but with clear membership and decision-making rules. The first national meeting of the Network was held in February, 2003 when many and different organisations and institutions joined the Network. At this forum, the General Assembly elected Board of Directors, approved the establishment of the Secretariat and made a decision to legally register the Network. This was necessary because without a legal status the Network wouldn t have access to financing from the Structural Funds or other potential sources Network members, principles of admission and participation in the network Members of the National Rural Development Network When identifying the scope of the membership of the National network, we should be guided by the principle of organised and representative membership of organisations committed to sustainable local and regional development and rural development. The following organisations may be members of the National Rural Development Network: local, regional or national non-profit organisations and their networks; local action groups; national and regional associations of municipalities; NGOs in the field of sustainable local and rural development; associations of producers and industry organisations and associations. Individuals and businesses shall not be granted membership. The justification for this scope of potential members of the National Network arises, on one hand, from the experience of some European national networks and, on the other hand, from the idea to overcome an 16

17 existing Bulgarian problem with regard to the consolidation of private producers and farmers into larger, nationally represented and associated structures. As the National Network basically represents the interests of a wide range of stakeholders and is meant to be the national platform of the civil society in Bulgaria, the membership of individuals and single businesses would fragment the overall and philosophy of the concept. The value-added of this idea is that it will create conditions for more pro-active actions towards consolidation and association on behalf of the small producers and will encourage association and collective representation of certain agricultural businesses. It should be noted that in the Netherlands, for example, the National network is in fact a network of the local initiative groups formed under the EU LEADER Programme. In this respect, it should be pointed out that, due to the fact the LEADER Programme is currently not implemented in Bulgaria, the network may include in its membership representatives of a wider circle of interested institutions and organisations involved in rural development as a whole. At a later stage, the National network could be instrumental in the delivery of specific LEADER-related information, as well as in the establishment and the development of the local action groups in the country Membership procedure and principles Vertical and horizontal cooperation within the Network and with external organisations and institutions at national and European level; Networking; Voluntary membership; Equality; Organised and representative membership. The membership procedure could be regulated by several basic steps: Declaration of interest in membership by the respective organisation/institution, addressed to the Board of Directors; the application should be supported by 2 references by Network member organisations. The Board of Directors reviews and approves/rejects the membership application by a Decision; all new members are announced at General Assembly meetings; Signing of a Declaration of Cooperation between the National Network and the new member, which describes the main goals and the contribution of each party; Inclusion of every member in a public registry of National Network members Member rights Every member of the National Network has the right: 1. To participate in General Assembly meetings; 2. To elect and to be elected on the consultative bodies of the Network; 3. To participate in the discussion and the identification of solutions to issues of common interest; 17

18 4. To benefit from the activities of the National Network; 5. To participate in all events organized by the National Network in the country and abroad; 6. To be informed on a timely basis about all acts and actions of the National Network and its advisory bodies. The membership in the National network shall be voluntary and shall be effected in consistency with membership criteria discussed with the stakeholders and adopted in advance. At the time of establishment and in the process of strengthening the National Network, the member organisations/institutions will not pay membership fee, as the services that the National Network will provide would not have been developed fully and comprehensively. In the future, the General Assembly will discuss the potential introduction of membership fees, their amount and frequency Management and advisory bodies of the National Network The National Rural Development Network will be registered under the Non-Profit Legal Entities Act as an organisation in the public benefit. The National Network will have constituents (at least 7 physical or 3 legal entities 16 ) who will developed and adopt its By-Laws. The National Network will have a General Assembly comprised of all interested Network members at local, regional and national level. Every General Assembly member has one vote and decisions are made with simple majority when there is a quorum. The General Assembly will elect Board of Directors comprised of at least three 17 members of the National Network. The Board will elect a Chairperson. The National Rural Development Network will have 4 Consultative Groups, one for each of the four priority areas under the draft National Strategic Plan on Rural Development ( ). The Network s members will be structured and will be represented by Consultative Groups covering the four priority areas under the draft National Strategic Plan on Rural Development ( ). 1. Investments in agriculture and forestry aimed at restructuring, human potential improvement, encouraging the production of biological products and the innovations in the processing and valueadding. 2. Environmental preservation and sustainable land management. 3. Diversification of economic activities, employment creation and infrastructure and service improvements in rural areas. 4. Investments in the participation of the local communities in the development of their respective rural areas. Each Consultative Group will be comprised of a maximum of 15 members of the National Network; the ratio between the representatives of the different stakeholders should be balanced and based on a quota principles, and should be approved by the General Assembly. Every stakeholder/interested party will elect by consensus and nominate to the Board of Directors its representatives to the Consultative Groups. 16 Non-Profit Legal Entities Act, The State Gazette, No. 42 of May 17, 2005; Art.19, Para Non-Profit Legal Entities Act, The State Gazette, No. 42 of May 17, 2005; Art. 30, Para 1. 18

19 Besides the four Consultative Groups, the National Network could encourage the formation of an Advisory Board to the National Network, which would be comprised of up to 9 members and would include one representative from each Consultative Group and representatives of external institutions and organisations (ministries, agencies, organisations and groups involved in sustainable rural development). The idea for such an Advisory Board is justified, on one hand, by the existing need to discuss, consult and involve the interested socio-economic partners in the formulation of the national rural development policies and, on the other hand, is a prerequisite for integrated and inter-sectoral approach in the discussion and the implementation of rural development policies in Bulgaria. This division of the Consultative Groups will allow for more structured work and representation of National Network members interests at national level Secretariat (Technical Office) The Secretariat of the National Network provides comprehensive technical and information support to network members and coordinates the interaction and the functioning of the Board of Directors, the Consultative Groups and the Advisory Board. The Secretariat will actually coordinate the activities of the National Network, will organise regular Consultative Group meetings and will provide the services defined by the By-Laws of the National Network. The Secretariat will develop the National Network Development and Strengthening Plan and consult it with network members. The Board of Directors will adopt the Plan by The Plan must incorporate the following mandatory components 18 : (A) Identification of clear and precise mission, vision and strategic priorities of the National Network; (B) 2-year strategic action plan: tasks, timelines, financial and non-financial resources needed; (C) Identification and analysis of best and applicable practices and provision of information on such. Possible sample areas: the four priority axes and different networks; the different topics incorporated in the EU Regional Development Strategy and the national rural development plans and strategies (innovations, renewable energy sources, employment creation in rural areas, etc.); horizontal topics concerning gender equality and the young people in the rural areas; issues related to policy implementation; information on project selection criteria, monitoring, evaluation, local development strategies, etc. (D) The complete organisation and structure needed to provide exchange of know-how and experience and to deliver services to Network members, including administrative procedures, practices and issues; (E) Detailed description of all services provided to Network members, as defined and agreed upon with the stakeholders in the Concept for the Establishment of the National Network; description of rules and procedures on members access to the services provided. The Board of Directors could develop procedure, rules and criteria for the selection of a Secretariat on a competitive basis. The Secretariat will be responsible for structuring and delivering the services to network members. The Board of Directors may sign a contract with the Secretariat, thus regulating its level of commitments and quality of performance and instituting clear monitoring criteria for the individual strategic functions that will be implemented by it. 18 Establishing the National Strategy Plan; Guidance Template; Référence: VI/197/396/05, European Commission, November

20 The task of the Secretariat will be both to create and deliver the needed service package, and to support the functioning of topical expert units performing specific tasks (as defined by the respective unit s assignment). The National Network will own the resources and the capacity accumulated, as well as the products created by the Secretariat and the topical units, and will use them to build its potential. The Secretariat could be an existing organisation that has already built experience and capacity and which is functioning at national level, has a solid reputation at local and regional level and is trusted by different organisations and institutions working for sustainable local development in Bulgaria. By selecting an already existing and strong organisation for a Secretariat (through a tender procedure), the National Network will avoid loss of time and resources needed for its establishment, institutional and expert strengthening. The Secretariat could be selected on a competitive basis, through a regular tender procedure, within the envisaged Technical Assistance for the establishment and strengthening of the National Rural Network (COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1698/2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) ). The Secretariat should have: - established information channels, known to and used by the potential members of the Network; - experience in working with local communities, knowledge of the specific features at local and regional level; - organisational and expert capacity in the development and delivery of training seminars; - experience in the delivery of expert assistance in the process of integrated local development based on the involvement of all stakeholders. In the longer run, the Secretariat could use its experience and capacity to develop and submit for funding various programs that would build on the existing resources for the functioning and further strengthening of the National network, as well as for the expansion of the services available to network members. It is recommended that options be identified for the establishment of regional information and communication units of the National Network, thus providing for faster and more immediate access to information at regional level among the stakeholders and members of the Network. Through the Secretariat, the National Network will create a common on-line database, a website of the National Network. The Network s Board of Directors may, depending on members current needs, form Task Force Teams, in order to provide the different services, consultations, studies or training seminars at the local level. The selection of these teams will be based on existing organisations or their experts possessing capacity in a certain area, which will result in the accumulation of additional capacity and experience within the Network. Should more specific expert capacity be needed, the Board of Directors may select external expert teams on a competitive basis. To this end, the Board of Directors may select: already existing local or regional resource organisations that are members of the Network and that can assume such function and role; these will be selected on a competitive basis by the Board of Directors; or new Task Force Teams comprised by both Network members and external experts. 20