TNC Overview
Transnational Cooperation
Transnational and inter-territorial cooperation have become increasingly important for rural stakeholders in the European Union. Substantial experience has been gathered during LEADER II (1994-1999) and LEADER+ (2000-2006) to demonstrate that cooperation is an effective mechanism for helping EU rural areas to jointly develop new solutions to common issues (the added value of cooperation). In a nutshell, cooperation projects help all parts of rural Europe to grow together.
Various sources of complementary EU support are available for cooperation activity. These include aspects of the European Social Fund (ESF), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Fisheries Fund (EFF). Other sources are also available and each TNC programme has its own set of priorities and procedures. For the purposes of this guide, the text will concentrate on information relevant to cooperation supported by RDPs using the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).