Estonian National CAP Network

 The Estonian National CAP Network covers the whole territory of Estonia and since 1^st January 2023 is the Rural Network Service department of Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge (METK) which is a state institute working under Estonian Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture.

• The Estonian CAP Network has 7 employees (as if september 2023). Find more information and contacts of Estonian CAP Network staff HERE.

• The Rural Network mission is to add value to the implementation of the CAP Strategic Plan.

•  The Rural Network aims to facilitate flexible, open-minded and gradual development, with bottom-up initiatives based on needs and developed through cooperative activity among rural actors.

• The membership is open and unformal but involves bodies representing programme beneficiaries, organizations and authorities engaged in rural development including CAP Strategic Plan implementation.

Main tasks of Estonian CAP Network:

• Promoting transnational cooperation, incl. exchanging information with European Network (EU CAP Network);

• Providing LEADER support activities for Local Action Groups (LAGs) and coordinating information exchange;

• Collecting and disseminating project examples that have received support from RDP support programme;

• Promoting the formation of new thematic innovations and new networks.

Main activities of Estonian CAP Network in 2023:

• Sharing information through our website: collecting and disseminating the information about events; collecting, translating and disseminating different media publications; establishing and updating different databases;

• Publishing e-newsletters (overall rural newsletter "Võrgukiri", LEADER newsletter, local food issues newsletter); compiling and publishing different publications and information materials eg. exhibitions on wheels (e.g Enterprising Rural Youth" (in 2022);

• Promoting our activities actively in Social Media channels - Instagram and Facebook;

• Running public photo bank in Facebook - Rural Photo Bank

• Making podcast "Rural Talks" (only in Estonian)

• Organizing and co-organizing information days, seminars, thematic events and conferences - many of them are broadcasted online and recorded!

• Organizing and welcoming international study trips (e.g foreign delegations studytrip to Open day of Estonian farms in 2023, visiting Finnish Lähiruoakapäivä in 2023); providing technical assistance for participating at events organized by EU CAP Network and other National CAP Networks in EU;

• Compiling, conducting and ordering questionnaires and researches.

Active topics in 2023 include: LEADER in new period (2023-2027), women in rural areas, rural reputation, smart villages, green issues, rural pact, rural youth and innovation, silver economy.

The structure of Rural Network includes:

• Estonian National CAP Network

• The Cooperation Chamber of Rural Network (up to 30 organizations)

• Permanent working-groups of Rural Network (LEADER, short supply chain, innovation etc)i

The Estonian CAP Network is advised by Network’s Cooperation Chamber. The Network Cooperation Chamber involves relevant rural actors is responsible for ensuring cooperation between bodies representing ERDP beneficiaries and those involved in implementation.

It provides advice to the Estonian CAP Network regarding network activities, annual Action Plan, Network Cooperation Chamber Leader thematic group, and the thematic group. Estonian CAP Network in cooperation with the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture will choose potential themes for Cooperation Chamber selection. The Cooperation Chamber has 2 annual meetings per year.

What National CAP Networks are?

According to European Union legalization, all European Union member-states have established National CAP Networks.  European Union CAP Network is a rural network established on European level.

National Networks have a key role in steering and driving forward policy as well as promoting stakeholder engagement, knowledge sharing and capacity building for EU Member States and other actors. They work towards meeting the shared networking objectives, contributing in particular to providing information to the public and potential beneficiaries about the CAP and its funding opportunities.