INTERREG IVA 2 Mers Seas Zeen Crossborder Cooperation
INTERREG IVA 2 Mers Seas Zeeën Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007 -2013 Part-financed by the ERDF Introduction to the INTERREG IVA 2 Seas Programme JTS INTERREG IVA 2 Seas Lead Applicant Seminar Medway 20 May 2009 1
The European Union and the Regions Part-financed by the ERDF The Regional policy 2007 -2013 347 billion euro for 2007 -2013 (1/3 of the European Union budget) 3 objectives Convergence (81, 54 %) Regional competitiveness and employment (15, 95 %) Territorial cooperation (2, 52 %) = INTERREG IV 2
European Territorial Cooperation - INTERREG Part-financed by the ERDF The European Territorial Co-operation objective will strengthen cross-border cooperation through joint local and regional initiatives, trans-national co-operation aiming at integrated territorial development, and interregional co-operation and exchange of experience. 3 strands: Strand A: cross-border cooperation (€ 5. 4 billion – 52 programmes) v Filling the gaps and solve together problems crossing the border v Adjacent zones or countries whose sea border is less than or equal to 150 km v Objective: do away with the border as an obstacle to socio-economic development Strand B: trans-national cooperation (€ 1. 8 billion – 13 programmes) v Extra European dimension to regional development v larger groups of European regions v Objective: better territorial integration into the Union Strand C: interregional cooperation (€ 0. 4 billion – 1 programme) v Building networks to develop good practice and facilitate the exchange and transfer of experience by successful regions v EU 27 + Norway + Switzerland v Objective: improving policy and regional development tools’ effectiveness 3
Cross border cooperation Part-financed by the ERDF 52 programmes but 6 common issues: • Encouraging entrepreneurship, especially the development of SMEs, tourism, culture and cross-border trade; • Improving joint management of natural resources; • Supporting links between urban and rural areas; • Improving access to transport and communication networks; • Developing joint use of infrastructure; • Administrative, employment and equal opportunities work. 4
Eligible areas Interreg IVA 2 Seas Part-financed by the ERDF 5
Eligible areas for Channel and 2 Seas Programmes Part-financed by the ERDF 6
The 2 Seas Programme in a nutshell OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME CONTEXT S T E P 1 S T E P 2 S T E P 3 Community Strategic Guidelines for Cohesion Policy 2007 -2013 4 NSRF : -UK - France - Flanders - The Netherlands Lisbon and Gothenburg Strategies General developments and trends Part-financed by the ERDF ANALYSIS + Socio-economic diagnosis SWOT Analysis Lessons from previous experiences Perspectives and challenges of the Programme area = PROGRAMME STRATEGY Priority 1 Priority 2 Priority 3 Priority 4 Creating an economically competitive, attractive and accessible area Promoting and enhancing a safe and healthy environment Improving quality of life Common priority with the France(Channel)-England programme Specific target group Priority 2 Specific target group Priority 3 Specific target group Priority 4 Specific target group Priority 1 C O M M O N T A R G E T G R O U P S 7
Interreg IVA 2 Seas: Priorities Part-financed by the ERDF Priority 1: Creating an economically competitive, attractive and accessible area Priority 2: Promoting and enhancing a safe and healthy environment Priority 3 : Improving quality of life Priority 4: Common Priority with the France (Channel) England programme 8
Interreg IVA 2 Seas: Programme Budget Part-financed by the ERDF The total budget of the Programme: 167 millions euros ERDF 9
Interreg IVA 2 Seas: Potential partners Part-financed by the ERDF Legal status - public body - body governed by public law - private body (micro, small, medium enterprises) - not-for-profit-organisations Who is not eligible as a partner? • Sub partners/umbrella partners • Bodies without budget and not requesting ERDF from the programme • Private companies exceeding the limits set for micro and SMEs 10
Interreg IVA 2 Seas: Partnership Part-financed by the ERDF Partnership requirements: Priority 1, 2, 3 q minimum 2 partners from different MS q minimum 1 English partner q In case a Lead Partner is in adjacent area, at least one partner must be in the eligible area Partnership requirements: Priority 4 q q q minimum 3 partners minimum 1 English partner 1 partner from the French area of the France-Manche Programme 1 partner from the “Two Seas Programme” (continental) In case a Lead Partner is in adjacent area, at least one partner must be in the eligible area 11
Interreg IVA 2 Seas: how to be involved? Part-financed by the ERDF • Develop a project idea • • • Set up a partnership Draft a budget Make sure you have the necessary match funding (at least 50%) Collect the letters of intent Fill out the application form Check that you meet all the eligibility criteria Submit the application form to the JTS 3 calls for proposals/year check the calendar of the calls 12
What’s going on once the application submitted? Part-financed by the ERDF 1. An appraisal of the application is performed by the JTS and the 4 Member States: q Eligibility check q Quality check 2. The Steering Committee (made up of representatives from programme partners authorities) does decide which project will be supported. A project can be either: Approved: well done! Referred back: the project has potential, but needs to be redrafted and is advised to resubmit in a future call Rejected: the project does not fit with the programme requirements OR has to be completely revised to be acceptable 3. The JTS informs the applicants about the decisions and signs Subsidy Contract with approved projects 13
The project Lifecycle Post-project activities, use of results, follow-up Closure Part-financed by the ERDF Idea generation & partnership development Partner search, elaboration of the idea, needs analysis Coordination of activities, reporting, monitoring, adjustments, financial management Project development & application Implementation Strategy & content, responsibilities, application requirements Kick-off, detailed planning, contracts & agreements Contracting & start-up 14
Cross-border success Part-financed by the ERDF What is a good cross-border project? It entails 4 elements: joint development, implementation, staffing and financing Is in line with the objectives and priorities of the Operational Programme Demonstrates the need for cooperation in tackling a common issue relevant to the 2 Seas area Delivering sustainable economic growth Produces lasting, measurable benefits for the programme area Focussed and of sufficient added-value WIN/WIN: involves close cooperation of the partners at all stages of the project Ideally produces valuable results in a wider European context Is additional to the regular tasks of organisations 15
Creating the project budget Part-financed by the ERDF It is vital that projects start to consider financial issues and the project budget from the very beginning ! Project budgeting Resource planning Cost estimating Cost budgeting TIPS: ü ERDF grant = maximum 50% of your total project budget ü The partnership should keep budget estimates as accurate as possible. ü Think carefully about how you spread your budget over the project’s lifetime. ü Read the Programme guidance on Eligibility ü Look at the different budget lines in the AF to build up your budget as precisely as possible: BL 1 BL 2 BL 3 BL 4 BL 5 BL 6 BL 7 Partner staff costs Administration costs (direct and indirect general costs) External consultants and suppliers Travel and accommodation Equipment Investment Validation of expenditure 16
After approval: Payment Process Part-financed by the ERDF General principles Payments will be made retrospectively against actual expenditure paid out Payments will be made in EUR Co-financing should be secured Applications for payments should be sent to the JTS with the six-monthly progress reports/final report 5 -Step process Step 1 – Partners report to the Lead Partner Step 2 – Lead Partner reports to the JTS Step 3 – Reports are checked by the JTS and Certifying Authority Step 4 – Payment is made by the Certifying Authority to the Lead Partner Step 5 – Funding is distributed by the Lead Partners to the other partners 17
After approval: Communication Part-financed by the ERDF MANDATORY requirements: • Beneficiaries must inform the general public of the role played by the EU in regional development • Each approved project must design a communication plan and nominate a communication manager • Breaches of publicity rules a common problem spotted in Commission audit – particularly but not only failure to put proper logos on publications • A breach in publicity rules will result in the reduction of the project budget (flat rate) 18
The Lead Partner Principle Part-financed by the ERDF Development & application – Coordinates partner input – Drafts and submits the application Co-financing – Secures Lead Partner co-financing – Ensures that partners have letters of commitment for co-financing Contracts – Signs contract with the programme – Draws up Partnership Agreement incl. provisions for sound financial management and recovery of amounts unduly paid Implementation – Overall responsibility for ensuring implementation Finance & reporting – Checks that partner spending has been validated by approved controllers – Ensures that spending has been incurred on agreed activities only Payments – Receives programme payments and transfers them to partners Irregularities – Pays back the programme immediately for any irregularity detected in partner expenditure. – Recovers funds directly from the project partner concerned 19
Interreg IV 2 Seas: Authorities Part-financed by the ERDF Managing Authority: Nord-Pas de Calais Region Has the main operational responsibility for the Programme Certifying Authority: Caisse des dépôts et Consignations Receives funds from European Commission and makes payments to the Lead Partner Single payment organisation for the entire programme whatever the nationality of the lead partner Audit Authority: Commission Interministérielle de Coordination des Contrôles (CICC) Drawing up an audit strategy for the programme and ensuring that international audit standards are met National Authorities: 20
Where to find us? Part-financed by the ERDF www. interreg 4 a-2 mers. eu Contacts Thank you! Dries Debruyne Provincie West-Vlaanderen Koning Leopold III-laan 41 8200 Sint-Andries BELGÏE Telefoon: +32 (0)50 40 33 73 @ dries. debruyne@west-vlaanderen. be Amandine Dupont Hôtel du Département 39 rue d’Amiens 62000 ARRAS FRANCE Tél : 03 21 21 92 05 (Secrétariat) e-mail: dupont. amandine@cg 62. fr Nienke Ensing Province Zeeland Abdij 6 4331 BK MIDDELBURG NEDERLAND Telefoon: +31 (0)118631096 @ j. ensing@zeeland. nl Marie-Pierre Richard Conseil régional Direction Europe 51 bd Président Hoover 59000 LILLE FRANCE Tél: 03 28 82 70 79 e-mail: mp. richard@cr-npdc. fr Séverine Ernest Maison du Département Route de la Trésorerie BP 20 62126 WIMILLE FRANCE Tél: 03 21 91 06 04 e-mail: ernest. severine@cg 62. fr 21
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