“Place Based” Rural Development: Hungarian Experiences Concerning the Rural Development Plan and the LEADER Program

Rural development, namely the LEADER program, plays an important role in reducing regional disparities in catching up backward regions not only in Hungary but also in Romania. The study, or the lecture, is going to focus on those essential elements in which member States have wide competence and the different decision making options basically affect and even determine the success of the implementation. In case of the LEADER program, the definition of the demarcation criteria of geographic coverage, size, form of organization, planning, staff procedures, and various community programs can be regarded as such element. The presentation and knowledge of the Hungarian experience can contribute to a more successful implementation of the Romanian LEADER or rural development program and to avoiding the errors that have occurred in the Hungarian program.