Antti-Jussi Oikarinen, Director General of the Finnish Food Authority, assessed the upcoming funding period at a meeting of Southern Ostrobothnia Leader groups in Ilmajoki: There are cuts ahead, investments in climate action and less bureaucracy.
The period for regulating Leader funding from 2021 onwards is currently being prepared. The Director General of the Finnish Food Authority visited Ilmajoki for a meeting of Leader groups. He brought with him both good and bad news:
– With Brexit, there will be a 15 percent cut in funding. The situation is worrying for rural development, especially in Finland, where the program has worked well, Oikarinen laments.
In the field, this may be reflected in the fact that Leader groups will in future have a smaller pot to distribute to projects of local people and entrepreneurs.
Almost half of the funding for climate action
A significant change is also coming to where funding is directed. In the future, up to 40 percent of the entire agricultural policy must be climate-related.
– The environment is emerging as a strong issue in the EU's policy. Somehow, an answer must be found for this, Oikarinen emphasizes.
However, it is not yet known how the climate issue will be seen at the grassroots level. The national debate on the topic is yet to come.
“Out or out”
Reducing project bureaucracy has been talked about for a long time. Oikarinen promises that this can also be achieved in the new funding period.
– In the future, the EU will no longer intervene minutely in all matters, leaving more power to the member states. If, despite this, we are unable to promote the demand for administrative simplification in Finland, I have failed as a leader. It is a result or out, Oikarinen says.
The status of Leader activities is good.
Despite the cuts, Oikarinen's message to the Leader groups was encouraging.
– Now that I have traveled the Eurozone more, I have noticed how strong the status of Leader activities is. Regardless of the member state, the image is really good.
The future of Leader activities is therefore guaranteed. However, it remains to be seen whether all of Finland will be covered by Leader groups and what their number will be, now that there is less money available.