PART TWOCOMMON PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO THE ESI FUNDS

TITLE IIIPROGRAMMING

CHAPTER IICommunity-led local development

Article 33Community-led local development strategies

1

A community-led local development strategy shall contain at least the following elements:

a

the definition of the area and population covered by the strategy;

b

an analysis of the development needs and potential of the area, including an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats;

c

a description of the strategy and its objectives, a description of the integrated and innovative features of the strategy and a hierarchy of objectives, including measurable targets for outputs or results. In relation to results, targets may be expressed in quantitative or qualitative terms. The strategy shall be consistent with the relevant programmes of all the ESI Funds concerned that are involved;

d

a description of the community involvement process in the development of the strategy;

e

an action plan demonstrating how objectives are translated into actions;

f

a description of the management and monitoring arrangements of the strategy, demonstrating the capacity of the local action group to implement the strategy and a description of specific arrangements for evaluation;

g

the financial plan for the strategy, including the planned allocation from each of the ESI Funds concerned.

2

Member States shall define criteria for the selection of community-led local development strategies.

3

Community-led local development strategies shall be selected by a committee set up for that purpose by the managing authority or authorities responsible and approved by the managing authority or authorities responsible.

4

The first round of selection of community-led local development strategies shall be completed within two years of the date of the approval of the Partnership Agreement. Member States may select additional community-led local development strategies after that date but no later than 31 December 2017.

5

The decision approving a community-led local development strategy shall set out the allocations of each of the ESI Funds concerned. The decision shall also set out the responsibilities for the management and control tasks under the programme or programmes in relation to the community-led local development strategy.

6

The population of the area referred to in point (a) of paragraph 1 shall be not less than 10 000 and not more than 150 000 inhabitants. However, in duly justified cases and X1on the basis of a proposal by a Member State, the Commission may adopt or amend those population limits in its decision under Article 16(2) or (4) to approve or amend respectively the Partnership Agreement in the case of that Member State, in order to take account of sparsely or densely populated areas or in order to ensure the territorial coherence of areas covered by the community-led local development strategies.