Presentation WG 2

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Republic of Albania Ministry of European
Integration (MEI)

• Presentation WG 2
• Managing EU Funds on the Regional Level

Regional Conference EU Perspectives and Current
Standing of the Countries in the Region in the
SAP Belgrade, 7-8th December 2005
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I. Neighbourhood Programmesin Albania (An
Overview)
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• Cross-border programmes (strand A)
• Greece Albania
• Italy Adriatic (Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina,
  Serbia Montenegro, Albania)
• Italy - Albania
• Transnational programmes (strand B)
• CADSES (Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Czech
  Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Slovak
  Republic, Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina,
  Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine,
  Serbia Montenegro, former Yugoslav Republic of
  Macedonia)

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Greece-Albania
Funding (2000-2006) EUR 90m ERDF EUR 6,6m
CARDS EC approval of NP 24 February 2005
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Greece-Albania Cross-border Programme

• PRIORITIES
• Transport Infrastructure road and port
  infrastructure, customs facilities border
  control and security installations
• Economic Development Promotion of Employment
  measures to encourage cooperation between SMEs,
  universities, protect and improve the natural
  environment, the quality of public health
  services and promotion of new employment
  opportunities by introducing new technologies

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Italy-Adriatic
Funding (2000-2006) EUR 50,5m ERDF EUR 6m
CARDS EC approval of NP 22 December 2004
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Italy-Adriatic Cross-border Programme

• PRIORITIES
• Protection, promotion and exploitation of
  environment, culture Infrastructure of the
  cross border territory
• Economic Integration of the cross-border
  Productive systems interventions of
  predominantly private interest, competitiveness
  strengthening of the SME industry, handicraft,
  tourism, agriculture and fishing
• Actions to strengthen cooperation intervention
  of systems to strengthen the institutions,
  harmonisation of systems, promotion of democracy,
  employment, security, social integration human
  resources

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Italy-Albania
Funding (2000-2006) EUR 33,2m ERDF EUR 3m
CARDS NP not approved yet by EC
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Italy-Albania Cross-border Programme

• PRIORITIES
• Transport, Communication Security improvement
  of infrastructures, security systems and social
  assistance services
• Environment Health care protection, and
  management of marine aquatic sensitive
  ecosystems, sustainable development of natural
  protected areas
• Economic development Employment SMEs,
  cooperation between universities research
  centres and in the agriculture sector
• Tourism, Cultural heritage Institutional
  cooperation

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CADSES
Funding (2000-2006) EUR 161m ERDF EUR 4,8m
CARDS EUR 5m TACIS 8m PHARE EC approval of NP
17 December 2004
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CADSES Transnational Programme

• PRIORITIES
• Promotion of Spatial Development approaches
  actions for Social Economic cohesion
• Efficient sustainable Transport systems
  Access to the Information Society
• Promotion management of Landscape, Natural
  Cultural heritage
• Environment protection, Resource management
  Risk prevention

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II. Institutional aspects/ Management
structures/ Programme Implementation
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Neighbourhood ProgrammesINTERREG Cards

• NP Responsible Authorities
• EU Member States Managing Authority (Greece and
  Italy)
• CARDS Programme Co-ordination Unit (Ministry of
  European Integration), Contracting Authority (EC
  Delegation)

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Neighbourhood ProgrammesINTERREG - Cards

• NP Management Structures
• Joint programmes, joint management structures
• Joint Monitoring Committee
• Joint Selection Committee
• Joint Technical Secretariat

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Neighbourhood ProgrammesINTERREG - Cards

• Implementing Rules
• Neighbourhood Programme 2004-06 Implementing
  Guidelines for INTERREG-CARDS/TACIS borders
  issued by the Commission on 11 June 2004
• Single call for projects, single application,
  single selection process, joint projects
• Formal contracting process remains separate for
  internal and external elements

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III. Managing EU Funds on the Regional Level in
Albania Problematic
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• Main Objective Ensure widespread involvement at
  local level/ building of ownership
• What has been done?
• Set up of national structures in central level
  and TA requested for strengthening this structure
  and supporting them in their role.
• Dissemination of information through Info-Days,
  web site in the Ministry of EI, materials in
  written etc.
• Establishment of a database on potential project
  partners
• Assistance upon request to the interested
  beneficiaries

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• Problems faced
• Lack of knowledge on project development in
  general and specifically on these programmes
  procedures (complexity etc)
• Insufficient number of personnel working on
  national (coordination) and local level.
• Lack of necessary infrastructure for establishing
  networking and communication
• Lack of information during application phase
• Lack of continuous exchange of information among
  the national structures in the respective
  participant countries

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• Recommendations
• More intensive assistance with regard to select
  credible, effective, genuine cross-border and
  transnational co-operation projects
• Strengthening of the structures with regard to
  training, personnel, infrastructure etc.
• Establishment of an effective collaboration
  between the partner countries (management
  structures) on organisational, functioning and
  information on Programme implementation
• Better coordination between sources of financing
  (state budget and other donors)