The MPs adopted a bill on Local Action Groups (LAGs) after being given a second, final reading. The document covers such actions as the constitution, activity, reorganization and liquidation of Local Action Groups. These are intersectoral partnerships consisting of representatives of the public, entrepreneurial and civic sectors, IPN reports.

Currently, the LAGs are not registered as legal entities in the absence of regulations on the special organizational structure in Moldova’s legislation. The proposed bill comes as a solution for the registration and regulation of the activity of LAGs.

The bill was drafted by the Government as a result of the amendments made to the law on the principles of subsidization in agriculture and rural areas. These refer to the institution of the state program LEADER that is financed with public funds of up to 5% of the National Fund for Agriculture and Rural Development.

The goals pursued by the implementation of the LEADER Program and financing of LAGs are to improve and adjust the state policies on agriculture and rural development to the local needs for guaranteeing efficient and sustainable development in rural areas.

LEADER is an EU initiative, a method and program instrument to support locally-driven rural development interventions to reinvent rural areas and create local jobs, this being implemented both in the member states and in the associated countries.