annual meeting of ispa partners - 2003, centre borschette (ccab), brussels, 9-10 april 20031 from...

Annual Meeting of ISPA Partners - 2003, Centre Borschette (CCAB), Brussels, 9-10 April 2003

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From ISPA to Cohesion and Structural Funds

DG Regio - Ispa

Closing Remarks by Director Lluis Riera

Regional Policy DG, Directorate F ISPA and Pre-Accession Measures

Brussels, 9-10 April 2003


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Programming (1)DG Regio - Ispa

• Do not forget ISPA

Contracting

Tendering

Significant increase for Bulgaria and Romania (2004-06)

• Building-up Cohesion Fund project pipeline now

• Strategic approach

• Synergy between programmes


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Programming (2)DG Regio - Ispa

• Focus on reduced numbers of priorities clearly defined

answering most urgent needs

with tested implementing capacities

• Preparing projects in the field

• N+2 rule

• State aids

• Co-financing requirements


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Monitoring Chapter 21DG Regio - Ispa

• 30 April 2003:Deadline for replies to the questionnaire

• July 2003:Commission to adopt Monitoring Report on the progress made by the acceding countries as regards Chapter 21

•October 2003:Commissioner Barnier meets the acceding countries’ Ministers responsible for Cohesion policy interventions:Conclusions to be drawn from the Report


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Special Focus on implementation arrangements:

•Management arrangements, based on the responsibilities of the Managing and Paying Authorities:

description of tasks performed at each level of the implementation structure

administrative of contractual arrangements with ‘intermediate bodies’

arrangements for ensuring compliance with Community policies

• Current and planned levels of qualified staffing, training and recruitment plans in all bodies concerned


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Special Focus on (continued):

• EDIS as an indicator of readiness to implementSF and CF

• Financial management:Efficiency of financial flows and procedures envisaged for EU and national co-financing

• Financial control and internal audit arrangements


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Programming timetableDG Regio - Ispa

• Early 2003:Official submission of Plans, draft OPs and draft SPDs, and Cohesion Fund ‘Reference Framework’

• Within 15 working days from “d” (“d” = date of submission): ‘Lead DG’ signals whether the document is ‘admissible’

• Within 3 months from “d” - Commission sends its comments on the Plan/draft SPD (key messages and detailed ‘negotiation mandate’)


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• Detailed comments on the draft OPs to be communicated by the ‘Lead DG’ after the finalisation of the negotiation mandate on the Plan.

• At least two negotiation rounds with acceding country, preparation of the draft CSF and revision or further elaboration of SPDs and OPs

•Within 6 - 7 months from “d” (depending on progress made during negotiations):Conclusion of negotiations on draft CSF


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• Until 31/12/2003:(depending on progress made during negotiations)Conclusion of negotiations on SPDs and OPs - Finalisation of the Cohesion Fund ‘Reference Framework’

• 01/01 to 30/04 April 2004:Acceding countries can start pre-financing projects under the Structural and Cohesion Funds, subject to fulfilling all the applicable Community rules and the eligibility criteria related to the relevant SPD or OP and Fund.


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• 1st May 2004: Accession

• By 31 May 2004: Consultation of the four Committees referred to under

Title VI of Council Regulation 1260/1999 on the CSF and SPDs

Commission decision on first CF projects (depending on project submissions).

• June 2004:Commission Decision on the CSF/SPD and OPs

• June/July 2004:First payment on account (10 %) to the Paying Authority for SF assistance


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All conference presentations and papers will be available as of this afternoon on:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/sources/docconf/conf_en.htm

and eventually also on the Ispa web pages:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/funds/ispa/ispa_en.htm

annual meeting of ispa partners - 2003, centre borschette (ccab), brussels, 9-10 april 20031 from...

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