LEADER Programme 2023-2027 — 'Supporting Economic Transitions and Diversification While Strengthening Local Development Drivers'
This action aims to diversify the drivers of local development by supporting the emergence of innovative sectors, strengthening local retail functions and the local economy, and encouraging transitions in the business community (collaborative economy, social and solidarity economy).
LEADER (Liaison Entre Actions de Développement de l’Économie Rurale) is the local development measure funded by the FEADER, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, under the Common Agricultural Policy. In France, the Régions are the programme’s managing authorities; around 140 local action groups (groupes d’action locale, GAL) have been selected for the 2023-2027 period, each steering a local development strategy tailored to its area.
Funded by Union européenne
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Who can apply
Eligible project leaders (local authorities, businesses or associations, depending on the case) are defined by the local GAL’s action sheet — this is not specified generically for the programme as a whole.
Eligibility conditions
Each LEADER action is implemented by a GAL (local action group) covering a specific rural area, on the basis of a local development strategy approved by the Région. The exact eligibility criteria (beneficiaries, expenditure, co-financing rates) therefore depend on the GAL concerned and its action sheet, not on a single national regulation — they are not available centrally online and must be checked with the GAL or the Région concerned.
What the scheme covers
Operations typically supported under this type of action include helping innovative sectors to emerge, supporting the establishment and development of local businesses, and projects in the collaborative economy or the social and solidarity economy — to be confirmed in detail with the GAL.
Amount and funding terms
The FEADER co-financing rate and the grant ceilings depend on the action sheet (fiche-action) drawn up by the GAL running this action in its area — no centralised figures were found for this specific action.
How to apply
1. Identify the GAL (local action group) responsible for your area — your intercommunal body or the préfecture can tell you which one it is. 2. Contact the GAL’s facilitation team to present your project and check that it is eligible for this specific action. 3. Consult the relevant action sheet in the local LEADER programme (budget, rates, eligible expenditure). 4. Prepare the FEADER grant application with support from the GAL’s team. 5. Wait for the decision of the local programming committee.
Timeline
This scheme is available until the end of 2027, according to the Capital OS catalogue. The LEADER 2023-2027 programming forms part of the French National Strategic Plan for the Common Agricultural Policy.
Key facts
- Funder
- Union européenne
- Type of funding
- Grant
- Status
- Open
- Closes
- 31 December 2027
- Geographic scope
- Not specified
Frequently asked questions
What is the LEADER programme?
A European rural development scheme (FEADER), implemented locally by local action groups (GAL) under the managing authority of the Régions.
Who actually runs this action?
The GAL (local action group) for the area concerned, not the European Union directly — your intercommunal body can help you identify it.
Are the conditions the same throughout France?
No, each GAL sets its own action sheet (beneficiaries, rates, eligible expenditure) as part of its local strategy approved by the Région.
Official source
Official Union européenne page ↗(data_gouv_aides_entreprises)Applications are made from the official source (usually in French).
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