Brian Liggett Human Resources Manager Special EU Programmes Body

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Brian LiggettHuman Resources ManagerSpecial EU
Programmes Body
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Special EU Programmes Body
A Case ExampleNorthern Ireland/Ireland
Cross-Border and Transnational Co-Operation for
Local Employment Development

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CASE STUDY

• What is the SEUPB?
• Role of the SEUPB
• Rationale for the creation of the SEUPB
• Opportunities
• Barriers
• Value added
• Transferable lessons

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THE SEUPB
The Special EU Programmes Body was created as one
of six cross border bodies to improve North/South
co-operation under the Good Friday Agreement,
signed in 1998.
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BACKGROUND

• Belfast
• (Good Friday)
• Agreement

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What is the SEUPB?

• A public body created as a result of a treaty
  between two Member States - The Belfast (Good
  Friday) Agreement.
• A statutory body incorporated by joint
  legislation by two Member States - The British
  and Irish Government Act 1999.
• A managing Authority and Paying Authority for EU
  Programmes in Northern Ireland and part of
  Ireland (border counties).

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Role of SEUPB

• Managing Authority for -
• PEACE II EURO 862 million
• INTERREG IIIA EURO 182 million
• Responsible for cross border dimensions of other
  Community initiatives
• Paying Authority
• Responsible for common chapter - NDP (Ireland)
  and CSF (Northern Ireland)
• Advises two Member States on future funding

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PROGRAMMES
NDP/CSF Ireland
Common Chapter
CSF NI
PEACE II
7 Operational Programmes
BSP
Community Initiatives

• INTERREG IIIA
• Leader
• Equal
• Urban

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PEACE II and INTERREG IIIA Ireland/Northern
Ireland Eligible Area

• Population 2,095,895
• Size 25,691 sq Km
• All 6 Northern Counties and the
• 6 Border Counties

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Rationale for the creation of SEUPB

• Part of a comprehensive approach to resolving
  conflict on the island of Ireland
• Recent conflict lasting over 30 years
• Longer term historic division
• Tackles the problem of division -
• Between the two national administrations
• Between local authorities and communities along
  the border
• Between the two communities in Northern Ireland
  and Border counties
• Provides a neutral, transparent and fair way to
  manage EU Funds for the benefit of all sides
• Addresses the visible and invisible legacy of the
  conflict in Northern Ireland and the Border
  counties in Ireland

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Opportunities

• CROSS BORDER
• Cross Border Projects not only bring the two
  communities together, they help both communities
  to benefit from the experience of the other.

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Opportunities

• EU funding provides a unique opportunity to build
  relations between the divided communities
  emerging from conflict
• Opportunity to help two regions that have
  traditionally looked away from each other to turn
  and face each other and co-operate
• Build self help capacity in communities
• Tackle pressing local and regional development
  needs
• Build trust at local and regional level
• Contribute to reconciliation on the island of
  Ireland

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Barriers at a national level

• History and culture have served to divide and
  build prejudices
• Lack of trust based on lack of knowledge
• Violence and the fear it causes
• Tackling the trauma of the victims while at the
  same time reintegrating ex-prisoners
• Lack of structures within communities and of
  cross border partnerships

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Barriers at a local level

• Social and cultural factors
• Economic factors such as tax and social security
  systems, pension rights
• Recognition of skills and qualifications
• Accessibility and transparency of information
• Different levels of service provision and quality
  of transport links

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Jack OConnorDirector of Community
InitiativesSpecial EU Programmes Body
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PEACE IINorthern Ireland/Ireland
Cross-Border and Transnational Co-Operation for
Local Employment Development

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PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES
to address the legacy of the conflict
Roads closed along the Border was one consequence
of the years of conflict.
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PEACE II OBJECTIVES
to reinforce progress towards a peaceful and
stable society and to promote reconciliation
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Some Lessons from PEACE II

• The visible and invisible legacy of the conflict
• The value of partnerships
• Importance of building community capacity to
  absorb opportunities
• Build awareness of opportunities and break down
  barriers to co-operation
• A long journey
• Positive Steps taken - many more to go

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INTERREG IIIANorthern Ireland/Ireland
Cross-Border and Transnational Co-Operation for
Local Employment Development

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INTERREG IIIA Ireland/Northern Ireland Programme
Objectives

• Overcome Border problems - social, economic and
  environmental
• Cross border networks
• Economic development
• Infrastructure development
• Civic and community networking

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CHALLENGES

• Key Employment Challenges for Projects
• Educational qualifications
• Legislation
• Physical access

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MEETING THE CHALLENGES

• Meeting the challenges through
• Lead partner status
• Contractual Letter of Offer
• Secondment Policy
• Dual Accreditation

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Strengths of INTERREG IIIA Ireland/Northern
Ireland Programme

• Local problems identified by local communities
• Partnership approach at all levels (Cross border
  Partnerships)
• Transparent/accountable/equitable
• Every decision is based on cross border agreement
• Builds networks/confidence on cross border basis
• Independence of Managing Authority
• Clear identification of what constitutes cross
  border
• Innovative implementation mechanisms
• Inclusive

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SEUPB - Value Added

• Of the 6,000 projects funded under the PEACE
  Programme 83 are cross community
• Attitudes surveys show increase in trust by those
  who participated in the Programme
• INTERREG has built lasting cross border
  partnerships between local authorities, social
  partners and communities

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Value Added

• SEUPB has created a centre of excellence in the
  management of EU funds
• Government departments, state agencies, regional
  and local authorities now co-operate with each
  other across the border in a manner that never
  happened before
• Common chapter approach is spreading to areas
  such as spatial planning, waste management,
  housing, infrastructure planning

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Transferable Lessons

• Creation of a transnational body capable of
  acting on behalf of two sovereign states in the
  management and disbursement of public and EU
  expenditure
• How to build partnership in regions emerging from
  conflict and/or handling deep divisions within
  their society
• Bottom-up planning and implementation through
  the creation of cross border partnerships
• Capacity building in communities with weak
  infrastructure

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Questions