DG Enlargement

1
Linking EU objectivesand country sector
strategies in the programming of
assistance European CommissionDG Enlargement
DG Enlargement Effective Support for
Enlargement Conference, Brussels 19 October 2009
2
IPA Programming framework
Enlargement strategy
IPA/EP
SAA/EP
Economic Dialogue
MIPD
Rural development
Economic and Social cohesion
Institution Building
Adoption ofEU policiesand legislation
IPARD progr
SCF/Op. progr
Economic Fiscal Programme
NPAA
National Development PlanCountry strategies
3
Sector Approaches

• Sector approach
• programme based approach for a given sector
• Key features
• Leadership by partner country
• Single comprehensive sector programme and budget
  framework
• Formalised process of donor coordination and
  harmonisation of donor procedures for reporting,
  budgeting, financial management and procurement
• Efforts to increase the use of local systems for
  programme design and implementation, financial
  management, monitoring and evaluation (including
  through the adoption of DIS in enlargement
  countries)

4
Core elements of a sector programme

• Three core elements
• Sector policy and strategy
• Sector budget and its medium-term expenditure
  perspective
• Sector coordination framework through which the
  strategy, development plans and budget are
  reviewed and updated.

5
Sector Policy and Strategy

• Developed and owned by the partner country
  needs clear Ministerial lead
• Forms part of National Development Plan (or
  equivalent)
• Coherent with EU integration agenda and
  EU/Accession Partnership Objectives
• Action
• Countries to identify one or two key sectors
  where such sector strategies exist or can be
  developed.
• Countries and donors to agree a set of clear
  benchmarks
• Training needs? / Best practice available?

6
Sector budget and its medium-term expenditure
perspective

• Sets out the budgetary needs for the sector
  programme for the coming years
• Should include national public funds,
  complemented by planned assistance
• Action
• Partner countries to develop coherent budget
  planning in sector(s) identified
• Donors to work with countries to ensure
  predictability of aid
• Adjusting budgetary cycles where necessary
• Multi-annual approach and forward planning

7
Sector coordination framework

• Country ownership
• Framework consists of two elements
• Coordination of stakeholders including
  governmental (central agencies and other
  concerned ministries and agencies) and
  non-governmental actors
• Coordination with and amongst donors
• Action
• Partner countries to enhance existing
  coordination structures where they exist or to
  set up new structures where necessary
• Donor community to nominate and agree upon sector
  lead donors following conclusions of earlier
  conferences

8
Concept of lead donors

• Use of lead donors in a limited number of key
  sectors aims to
• Increase the effectiveness and efficiency of
  assistance through enhanced coordination between
  donors and harmonisation of efforts
• Reduce transaction costs in donor support
• Reduce number of missions/meetings with partner
  countries
• Role should therefore be to
• Bring donors together to support the partner
  countrys development of sector strategy
• Ensure donor support aligned to country sector
  strategy
• Work to enhance coordination and reduce
  transaction costs in donor support
• Represent donors in meetings with partner country

9
Lead donors who?

• Sector donor lead should have a comparative
  advantage and value added
• Needs sufficient human resources capacity with
  relevant expertise
• EC comparative advantage clear in a number of
  sectors
• Where there is a high volume of alignment with
  the acquis necessary (e.g. justice and home
  affairs)
• Where countries need to prepare for structural
  and rural funds upon accession (i.e. transport,
  regional competitiveness, environment,
  employment, agriculture)
• Other lead donors needed for areas with little
  acquis (e.g. health, education)

10
Working towards a programme based approach -
Commission

• Improvement of IPA programming to reflect sector
  strategies
• Mid-term review
• Revision of MIPD guidance
• Development of tools for monitoring and
  improvement of future programming
• With other donors ensure that joint training is
  available and lessons learned from other parts of
  the Commission are taken into account

11
Update on multi-annual indicative planning
documents

• Assessment of latest MIPDs (2009-2011) underway
• Consultation stakeholders Nov/Dec 2009
• Discussed in IPA Committee March 2010
• Amended only if needs and priorities have changed
  
• Comprehensive revision of MIPDs 2011-2013
• Review and improvement of current guidelines
• Revised MIPDs will clearly reflect planned
  assistance at sector level where sector
  strategies are in place
• Aim to have clear budgetary indication to
  specified sectors over three year period

12
Next steps?

• Make it operational - Workshop(s) to
• share best practices on sector wide approaches
• develop working methods for sector coordination
  and donor lead
• define benchmarks for reviewing progress on aid
  effectiveness
• Report on progress
• At next conference in Autumn 2010