1 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND Preparing an INTERREG IVC application: Project Activity Benoît DALBERT, Project Officer, INTERREG IVC JTS Lead Applicant Seminar, Katowice, Poland

2 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland Summary 1. INTERREG IVC main features Eligible Area & Objective Thematic Priorities Types of Interventions 2.Insight into the FAQs 3.Points of attention to applicants

3 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland 1.INTERREG IVC main features

4 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland 1 Programme for 27 Member States + CH + NOR INTERREG IVC 1. Programmes main features

5 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland 1. Programmes main features Overall Objective Improve the effectiveness of regional development policies Contribute to economic modernisation and increased competitiveness of Europe … by… Enabling the exchange of experiences and knowledge Matching less experienced with more advanced regions Ensuring the transfer of identified good practice into mainstream programmes

6 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland Programme Priorities Innovation, Research & Technology Development Entrepreneurship and SMEs Information Society Employment, Human Resources and Education Priority 1 (Lisbon strategy): Innovation and Knowledge Economy (ERDF 177 M) Priority 2 (Gothenburg strategy): Environment and Risk Prevention (ERDF 125 M) Natural and Technological Risks (incl. Climate Change) Water Management & Waste Prevention/Management Biodiversity and Preservation of Natural Heritage (incl. Air Quality) Energy and Sustainable Transport Cultural Heritage and Landscape 1. Programmes main features

7 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland Regional Initiative Projects Exchange of experience dedicated to the identification, analysis, dissemination and possible transfer of good practices Intensity of cooperation Capitalisation Projects, including Fast Track Projects Exchange of experience dedicated to the transfer of good practices already identified into SF mainstream programmes Final outcome: Action Plan for each participating regions Fast Track projects: Capitalisation Projects benefiting from specific European Commission assistance and expertise in order to contribute to the Regions for Economic Change initiative Types of Interventions 1. Programmes main features

8 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland Type 1 Regional Initiative Projects Overview of Recommendations Size of the partnership Depends on the level of intensity of cooperation - Basic level: min of 8 to max of 20 partners - Medium level: max of 10 to 15 partners - High level (mini-programmes): partnership must not exceed 8 partners Duration 36 months (up to 48 months for mini-programmes) Budget Min ERDF: EUR 500,000 Max ERDF: EUR 5 million (only in exceptional case) 1. Programmes main features

9 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland Type 2 Capitalisation Projects Overview of Recommendations Size of the partnership Min n° of countries represented: 6 Max n° of countries represented: 10 Duration 24 months Budget Min ERDF: EUR 300,000 Max ERDF: EUR 3 million 1. Programmes main features

10 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland 2.Frequently Asked Questions on IVC

11 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland What is meant by integrated approach? 2. Programme FAQs Even if projects need to have a clear focus on one of the programmes sub-themes, it is appreciated when the way they tackle this sub-theme has side effects on other themes covered by the programme Example: exchange of experiences on eco-construction cluster - Sub-priority addressed: Entrepreneurship and SMEs - Also related to Gothenburg strategy and more precisely on the Energy and Sustainable Transport sub-priority Integrated approach does not mean that projects should address at the same time different sub-themes of the programme

12 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland Who is eligible? 2. Programme FAQs Regional and local authorities as main target group In justified cases, also bodies governed by public law acc. to Directive 2004/18/EC on public procurement rules, Art. 1: (a) Meeting needs in general interest, no industrial or commercial character (b) Having legal personality (c) - Financed for the most part by the State, regional or local authorities or other bodies governed by public law or - Subject to management supervision of these bodies or - Having administrative, managerial or supervisory board more than half of whose members are appointed by these bodies In case of doubts, each MS is responsible for confirming the legal status of partners based on their territory

13 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland What are the criteria for a Norwegian organisation to be the Lead Partner? 2. Programme FAQs No specific criteria set by the programme Possible justifications could include: - this organisation has an deep experience in the policy field tackled by the project - this organisation is the first financial contributor to the projects

14 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland What is meant by contributing partners? 2. Programme FAQs Only three options to be involved in a IVC project: If the organisation is eligible and contributes, it can directly be involved as a partner and appear in the Application Form (see Section of the Programme Manual) The organisation can intervene as external expert under the conditions that public procurement rules are respected (this organisation is then fully paid by one of the partners on the basis of a contract and invoices) The organisation participates at its own costs Sub-partners or observers are not possible under IVC

15 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland Financial size of the Components? 2. Programme FAQs No specific recommendation except for Component 1 whose costs should not exceed 20% of total costs Components 2 and 3 are core Components but their financial size will depend on the approach proposed by each project

16 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland Mini-programme: not a priority Focus on IVC thematic priorities Project limited to a maximum of to 8 partners and 12 sub-projects No private involvement Sub-projects in line with IVC rationale (exchange of experience) Transparent and open calls for proposals for sub-projects selection RFOs: priority of the programme Broad approach possible No fixed limit in terms of partnership and project number Possible involvement of private participants in sub-projects Possible implementation oriented sub-projects Transparent and open calls for proposals for sub-projects selection INTERREG IVC mini-programmesINTERREG IIIC RFOs Main differences & similarities between IIIC RFOs and IVC mini-programmes? 2. Programme FAQs

17 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland Capitalisation Projects 2. Programme FAQs How should the MA be involved? - ideally the MA should be partner in the project (deep delegation) - if not, its involvement needs to be precisely described in the AF Does the OP of each region have to be modified to ensure that it can finance the good practices? No, two scenarios: - it already includes a priority or a measure on Regions for Economic Change (RfEC) which can support the good practice - it is very likely that an existing measure of the OP would correspond to the theme of the good practices to be financed

18 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland 3.Points of attention to applicants

19 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland General advice 3. Points of attention To always keep in mind the programmes rationale Strategic objective of the programme: improvement of regional policies INTERREG IVC = capitalisation programme Interregional cooperation cross-border cooperation Interregional cooperation transnational cooperation Capitalisation:process of optimising the results achieved in a specific domain of regional policy. Capitalisation activities consist of the collection, analysis, dissemination and transfer of good practices in a certain policy area.

20 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland General advice 3. Points of attention Key elements derives from this programmes rationale: Local & regional authorities = natural target group of IVC Other bodies may be involved only if their link with regional and local policies is clearly demonstrated Exchange of experiences = core activities of all IVC projects; Pilot actions / experimentations possible only under very strict conditions - closely related to the exchange of experiences

21 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland General advice 3. Points of attention Proposed activities have to respect 3 fundamental conditions: Relevance to the programme Activities have to be clearly in line with the overall objective of the programme (i.e. contribute to the improvement of policies) Interregionality Activities should be interregional. Example for pilot experimentation: - transfer from one region to another - pilot experimentation benefiting all the partners Additionality Activities would not be supported without the INTERREG support

22 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland Specific advice 3. Points of attention January June 2009 Activities - Steering group meeting - Activity report & financial claim OutputsSC minutes To be as precise as possible in the Application Form Example of weak description

23 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland 3. Points of attention January June 2009 Activities The LP will sign the subsidy contract and appoint a project co- ordinator and organise internal financial management. This Project Secretariat (PS) will be in place in March It will make the arrangements for the project's initial meeting in April 2009 in Livorno and liase for simultaneous translation into/from Italian. At this meeting, the project's International Management Group (IMG) will be convened, with one representative from each region. The IMG will agree upon the working and financial arrangements, laid out in the Co-operation Agreement, a draft version of which will be introduced at the meeting. The PS will develop a set of guidelines for the partners, to aid the smooth running of the project. Outputs 1 subsidy contract signed; 1 partnership agreement signed; 1 IMG meeting; 1 set of guidelines produced Example of good description Specific advice

24 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland New context of INTERREG IVC 3. Points of attention Increased competition: Similar budget to INTERREG IIIC (around ERDF 300 M) Two new Member States (Bulgaria and Romania) Longer operational period (6.5 years vs. 9 years) Higher co-financing rates (75%-85% instead of 50%-75%) Mechanically, less projects will be approved!

25 10/12/ 2007 – Katowice, Poland Reference Documents - Operational Programme - Programme Manual - Application Pack - FAQ List Additional Information Thank you for your attention!