Concept for the establishment of a National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria

1. Concept for the establishment of aNational Rural Development Network in Bulgaria First National Seminar on Leader and Rural Network Activities in Bulgaria 10-11 November 2005 Sofia, Bulgaria National Palace of Culture

2. The Concept • presented for the first time to stakeholders for public discussion • developed by the Foundation for Local Government Reform according to an assignment „Concept and rules of procedure of the National Rural Development Network” commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests

3. Major Objective To propose a concept and rules of establishment and procedure of the National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria based on a research of the experience of existing National Networks in the EU member states

4. Elements of the Concept • Legislative Framework • Study on Attitudes • Condition and Characteristics of Rural Regions in Bulgaria • Objectives and Structure of the National Network • Services provided by the National Network • Funding Opportunities • Forthcoming Steps

5. RegulatoryFramework • Council Regulation № 1698/2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development /EAFRD/ 2007 - 2013 “...Each member state shall develop a National Rural Development Network which shall group all organizations and administrations involved in rural development.”

6. Legislative Framework • EU Strategic Guidelines on Rural Development 2007 – 2013 ”...Technical assistance can be used for building European and national rural development networks as a platform for exchange of good practices and expertise in all fields of establishment, management and implementation of policies among stakeholders”

7. Objectives and Mission of the National Network • Draft national Strategic Plan for Agriculture and Rural Development 2007 – 2013 ”... The mission of the Bulgarian Rural Development Network is to get together all organizations and individuals working on different levels of rural development in Bulgaria. The major task of the Network is to inform and educate its members and interested communities. The Network will coordinate and support of integrated development and specific rural development projects, and will represent the interests of its members on national and international level.”

8. Definition... The definition for a national rural development movement provided at a meeting of 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.”

9. The experience of the EU Networks for Rural Development • The National networks are structures – they are organized and as working in a network on the local, regional, national and international level. • They mobilize and support activities with the aim of achieving integrated local development and sustainable rural regions. • Among the major functions of each network are: information services and exchange of good practices • Implement advocacy campaigns to influence the national and the EU rural development policy.

10. The National Network in Bulgaria – the vision • Through uniting the capacity and resources of various organizations which posses diversified capacity in the field of regional and local development and well as in the field of sustainable rural development, conditions will be created for a single platform and stronger representation of the local and regional interest on the national and the EU level.

11. Members of the National Network • Observing the principle for organized and representative membership; • Organizations involved in sustainable local and regional development and rural development

12. Your opinion? • Potential members of the Network: local, regional and national networks of non-governmental organizations, local action groups; the national and regional associations of municipalities; associations • ?...

13. Horizontal Principles of membership in the National Network • The members of the Network will work and will be represented the in the frame of Consultative Groups, covering the three priority objectives in the framework of the Draft National Strategic Agriculture and Rural Development Plan 2007 – 2013

14. Management Bodies of the National Network • Constituent Assembly – all members of the Network • Managing Board, which votes for its Chairperson

15. Consultative Bodies of the National Network • 3 Consultative Groups • Consultative Council

16. National Network – management structure National Rural Development Network – registered as a legal entity (Constituent Assembly) Consultative Group under Priority 1of the NPARD, comprised of members of the National Network Consultative Council, which consists of Network members an representatives of various external indtitutions Managing Board Consultative Group under Priority 2of the NPARD, comprised of members of the National Network Operational Office of the National Rural Development Network Consultative Group under Priority 3of the NPARD, comprised of members of the National Network

17. National Network – Functional Structure National Rural Development Network – registered as a legal entity (Constituent Assembly) Consultative Bodies Managing Board Operational Office of the National Rural Development Network Thematic Expert Coresfor rural development Thematic Expert Coresfor rural development Thematic Expert Coresfor rural development Thematic Expert Coresfor rural development Thematic Expert Coresfor rural development

18. Horizontal Principles of membership in the National Network The Three Consultative Groupsthematically correspond to the three priority objectives in the National strategic Plan for the Development of Agriculture and Rural regions 2007 – 2013: • “Developing a competitive agricultural and forestry sectors as well as a based-on-innovations food processing sector”; • “Protecting the natural recourses and protecting the environment in rural areas”; • “Improving the quality of life in rural areas”.

19. Consultative Council • The Consultative Councilof the National Network will consist of representatives of each of the three Consultative Groups as well as of representatives ofexternal to the National Network Institutions – ministries, state bodies, academic structures involved in the process of sustainable rural development

20. Operation Office of the National Network • The Operational Network has the aim of providing overall technical and information support to the members of the Network, of coordinating the interaction between the Managing Board, the Consultative Bodies and the Consultative Council as well as of organizing the provision of services to the members of the Network

21. Operational Office The Managing Board of the network may choose its Operational Office through which the provision of services to the members of the Network will be ensured, according to the Rules of Procedures and the National Network Action Plan

22. Operational Office • The Managing Board of the National Network may choose the rules, procedures and criteria according to which to select on the basis of competition its the Operational Office • This can be and already existing non-governmental organization with experience and capacity, with a nationally recognized prestige, which as won the trust of various institutions and organizations working for sustainable local and regional development

23. Expert Cores of the National Network • The National Network may create its thematic expert cores, which can support the provision of consultancy and expert services to members of the Network • The selection of these expert cores will be carried out on the basis of competition by the Managing board of the National Network, as the expert resource within the frame of the Network members will be predominantly used

24. Membership in the National Network Possible approaches: • Each member of the National Network shall pay an affiliation fee through which they shall contribute to increasing the quality and diversification of the provided services or... • At the moment of establishment and in the process of strengthening the National Network, the member organizations shall mot be obliged to pay a membership fee

25. Services provided by the National Network Information • Providing information and access to good European and national practices in the field of sustainable rural development • Webpage of the National Network

26. Services provided by the National Network Training seminars and expert assistance for improving the capacity of the National Network members • Training seminars • Consultations

27. Services provided by the National Network Expert assistance for establishing and enhancing local action groups • Expert assistance if the development of the strategies for local action groups’ development; • Sharing good practices and encouraging partnerships between local action groups in the country and on the territory of the EU

28. Services provided by the National Network • Implementing advocacy campaigns оn key issues related to rural development and consolidating and presenting the position of Network members on national and EU level

29. Funding the National Network • According to Council Regulation on support for rural development 2007 – 2013, 4% of the total budget have been envisaged for rural development programs, as out of these 4% 1,5% have to be envisaged for targeted funding for establishing and enhancing the National Network in Bulgaria

30. Funding the National Network What does that mean for Bulgaria? • According to preliminary estimates 1,5% of the total budget for rural development programs amounts to 1 401 000 EURO for the period 2007 – 2013

31. Forthcoming Steps • Discussions and additions to the Concept for Establishing and strengthening a National Network – not later than December 2005 • Establishing an Action Group for building and strengthening the National Network – not later that February 2006

32. Forthcoming Steps • National Conferencewith representatives of stakeholders in the field of rural development which shall plan specific steps for the establishment and institutionalization of the National Rural Development Network – not later than May 2006

33. Forthcoming Steps • Establishment, institutionalization and registration of the National Network – not later that July 2006

34. Forthcoming Steps • The Managing Committee of the Network shall select an Operational Office of the National Rural Development Network not later than October 2006. The selection shall be made on the basis of competition according to previously developed criteria and procedural rules.

35. Forthcoming Steps • Up to March 2007 the Operational Office has to develop an Action Plan for the National Network, which has to be adopted by the Network’s Constituent Assembly and which has to outline the operative steps, tasks and services that will be provided to the members of the Network

36. Forthcoming Steps • In the short-term the identification of opportunities for funding of the National Network in the process of its establishment in the period before Bulgaria’s accession to the EU is of essential importance • Synergy and gathering together the contribution of various donor organization working in this priority field

37. Contribution of Stakeholders What is your opinion as regards the propped: • Objectives of the national Network • Criteria and Principle for membership in the National Network • Status of the National Network • Management Structure • Functional Structure • Forthcoming steps needed for the establishment of the National Network

38. Contribution of Stakeholders • The full text of the Conceptfor establishment and strengthening of a National Rural Development Network in Bulgaria can be read on the webpage of Foundation for Local Government Reform : www.flgr.bg • Your opinions, additions and commentaries will be expected after the end of the present discussion through the already prepared questionnairewhich has also been published on the above-mentioned webpage