ELARD is an international non-profit association set up to improve the quality of life in rural areas and to maintain their population through sustainable, integrated local development. The distinctive feature of ELARD is that it brings together Local Action Groups committed to involving all stakeholders in rural development at a local level. The European LEADER Association joins together almost 2600 Local Action Groups and Fisheries Local Action Groups from 29 countries, including from countries that are not members of the European Union but have adopted and are implementing the LEADER methodology:

Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Republic of Moldova, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

In the booklet “A LEADER Journey through Rural Europe”, published in 2019, ELARD members present themselves and what LEADER is about in their countries. The leaflet presents ELARD and its goals. The video was created in the context of the 20 years anniversary of ELARD in 2019.

Click on the images to read and watch:

Please find here ELARD’s Statutes in English and in French.