Cooperation is a feature of a number of Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020 schemes. The LEADER Cooperation Scheme is designed to encourage rural areas to work together on joint projects with mutual benefits for each participating area. LEADER Cooperation is more than networking. There are many potential benefits, such as:

• Widen local views in order to improve local strategies
• Access information and new ideas
• Learn from other regions or countries
• Stimulate and support innovation
• Acquire skills and means to improve delivery.

Cooperation is a partnership between LAGs but the partnership can also involve non LEADER groups.  Cooperation projects between LEADER LAGs and non-LEADER groups may also be eligible where the proposed project is led and coordinated by the LEADER LAG, and the non-LEADER group is implementing a local strategy.  Partners must have a direct relevance to the project theme and may have an advisory or a practical role in project management and delivery.  It is vital that partners add value to the overall project and its eventual outcomes.

Different types of LEADER cooperation exist:

• Inter-territorial Cooperation takes place between two or more LAGs within a Member State.
• Transnational Cooperation takes place between two or more LAGs from different Member States. For example, cooperation between a LAG from Northern Ireland and Ireland is known as Transnational Cooperation.

Find out more:

• Check out the European Network for Rural Development’s LEADER Cooperation web-based resource.
• Download the toolkit ‘Launching Cooperation North and South’ designed to encourage Transnational Cooperation between Northern Ireland and Ireland.