Additionality of Structural Funds (CPR Article 86, Annex III)

Additionality principle in Contributions from the Structural Funds shall not replace public or equivalent structural expenditure by a Member State. Article 15 of Regulation (EC) 1083/2006 Level of public or equivalent structural expenditure to be maintained in by the Member State is set down in the National Strategic Reference Framework. Three stages of verification: ex-ante, mid-term (2011), ex- post (2016) Verification only in the Convergence Objective (including phasing-out)

What is the problem? Results are not fully reliable and comparable across Member States. Ad-hoc verification requires significant resources both in Member States and the Commission. No automatic provision to adjust commitments made on additionality to fluctuations of the economic cycle. System is not aligned with the macroeconomic governance cycle of the EU.

What are the proposed changes for ? Use the information submitted by Member States in their Stability and Convergence Programmes (SCPs) for the verification of additionality. SCPs contain information on the main macroeconomic indicators and their prospects as well as on the main indicators related to public expenditure. Main indicator of public investment in SCPs will be used to verify additionality: Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF), mainly for ERDF/CF Article 86 and Annex III of CPR

Main advantages GFCF which covers capital investments in all functions of government will be used as a proxy for expenditure eligible under the Structural Funds. Direct link between additionality and the Stability and Growth Pact Possible trade-off between additionality and public deficit will be tackled in a transparent and public framework. Simple and comparable verification system compared to

Where will the new approach be implemented? In Member States where 70% or more of the population lives in less developed and transition regions, additionality will be verified at national level. Where this share is between 15% and 70%, additionality will be verified at national and regional level. Additionality will not be verified in Member States where the share is below 15%.

Who will be covered? Additionality will be verified in 20 countries in No verification in DK, IE, CY, LU, NL, AT, FI, SE. Changes: Austria (no verification in ) and Croatia (verification in only) BEBGCZDKDEEEIEELESFRITCYLVLTLUHUMTNLATPLPTROSISKFISEUKHR vvv x vv x vvvv x vv x vv x vvvvvv xx v x vvv x vv x vvvv x vv x vv xx vvvvv xx vv

Which information will have to be provided? All MS where additionality applies will provide information at national level. Eight MS (BE, DE, EL, ES, FR, IT, SI, UK) will have to provide information at regional level as well. BEBGCZDEEEELESFRITLVLTHUMTPLPTROSISKUKHR National vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv Regional v xx v x vvvv xxxxxxx v x v x

How will the new approach work in practice? Three stages of verification: Ex-ante: negotiation of the Partnership Agreement Mid-term: 2018 Ex-post: 2022 Level of public expenditure (GFCF) to be maintained in will be agreed between Commission and Member State. Reference to average level of public expenditure in Macroeconomic conditions, exceptional circumstances and significant changes in the national allocations from the Structural Funds will be taken into account.

How will the new approach work in practice? 8 MS will also have to submit information on the level of public expenditure at regional level to verify that this expenditure is actually targeting the less developed and transition regions. Following the mid-term verification, the level of public expenditure can be revised if the economic situation of the Member State has significantly changed. Ex-post verification: Additionality principle is respected if the annual average of public expenditure in is equal or higher than the one set out in the Partnership Agreement.

Financial correction Commission can decide to carry out a financial correction following the ex-post verification if the difference between the reference level of public expenditure in the Partnership Agreement and the level achieved is more than 3%. The financial correction shall not exceed 5% of the Funds allocation to the Member State concerned for the less developed and transition regions for the full programming period.

Non-transferability of resources (CPR Article 85)

Non-transferability of resources As a general rule the allocation to each category of region within an MS is non-transferable As a derogation from this general rule and in duly justified circumstances linked to the implementation of concrete thematic objectives, the COM may accept a transfer up to 2% of the total appropriation for a category of regions to other categories of regions This transfer will be based on the proposal of the MS at the initial submission of the Partnership Agreement No transfers between categories of region later during the programming period The transferred funds are subject to the rules applicable to the category of region for the benefit of which the funding is used.

Modulation of co-financing rates (CPR Article 111)

Modulation of co-financing rates Maximum co-financing rates established in Article 110 Possibility ("may") for modulation provided in Article 111 Largely based on current provisions for the period (Article 52 of Council Regulation 1083/2006) Provides a rationale for the modulation of co-financing rates at a national and regional level

Regional Policy Common indicators in Fund-specific regulations ( ERDF Article 6/Annex, ESF Article 5/ Annex, CF Article 4/Annex, ETC article 15/Annex) 16 Cohesion Policy

Regional Policy 17 Common indicators Objectives: To aggregate information across programmes To streamline the list of indicators currently used Should be complemented with programme- specific indicators, where appropriate Name of indicators: In annexes to Fund-specific regulations Definitions: In draft guidance papers by DG EMPL and REGIO Cohesion Policy

Regional Policy 18 Discussion with Member States Commission has presented to and discussed with Member States draft indicators and definitions in dedicated working groups and evaluation partnership/network Commission can provide list of comments and record of discussion Cohesion Policy

Regional Policy 19 Baselines and targets for common indicators ERDF, CF, and ESF output indicators: Baselines zero ESF result indicators with targets : Baselines using latest available data ERDF, ESF and CF: Cumulative target values for 2022 Cohesion Policy

Regional Policy 20 Definitions for common indicators Definitions in draft guidance papers ERDF & CF valuations/guidance_en.cfm#1 ESF ngId=en Cohesion Policy

Regional Policy Technical assistance (CPR Articles and 109, ETC Article 16) 21

Regional Policy Technical assistance Technical assistance: Does not fall under any of the thematic objectives set out in Article 9 of CPR Is excluded from the calculations pertaining to thematic concentration (revised Article 16) Technical assistance programmes are subject to certain exceptions under Article 24 and the Council has proposed specific content for technical assistance priority axes under cohesion policy (revised Article 87)

Regional Policy Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission (Article 51) The scope of support remains similar to that in the period Reinforced focus on preparation of operations (incl. financial instruments, major projects, joint actions plans e.g. JASPERS)

Regional Policy Technical assistance of the Member State (Article 52) Art 52 sets out actions that can be supported - Fund specific rules may complement or restrict this list Clarification of issues raised in It is clearly allowed to support: Reinforcement of the administrative capacity of beneficiaries (e.g. training); Reduction of administrative burden incl. the development of electronic data exchange systems (e-cohesion); Actions pertaining to programmes of preceding and subsequent programming periods (e.g. activities related to the closure of previous programmes, or preparations for the following programming period). Support to applicants is also possible ("Preparation")

Regional Policy Technical assistance of the Member State (Article 109 CPR, Article 16 ETC) Investment in growth and Jobs Up to 4% of Funds allocated to programmes under each category of region. Flexibility within a MS across programmes in the same category of region. Each Fund can finance TA operations eligible under (=linked to) other Funds – only 1 mono-fund priority axis or OP needed for TA, even in case of multi-fund programmes At least 90% of the allocation from each Fund should be used to support thematic objectives: allocation to TA limited to 10% per Fund within a category of region ETC Up to 6% of the total ERDF allocation to an operational programme, but not less than EUR

Regional Policy Information and Communication ( CPR Articles 105 – 107, Annex V)

Regional Policy Information and Communication Continuation Simplification More Transparency Clearer rules and responsibilities 27

Regional Policy Continuation 7 year Communication strategy List of Operations Programme launch event Major annual information activity Billboards & Plaques (>EUR 500,000) 28

Regional Policy Simplification Information and communication rules now part of main regulation, implementing act covers EU logos, sample templates for billboards & plaques 7 year communication strategy with yearly updates (no Commission approval, but Monitoring Committee adoption) Easier use of Technical Assistance in case of joint communication activities (e.g. national ESF & ERDF/CF campaigns) (Art. 109) 29

Regional Policy Increased transparency List of operations with clearer, more detailed and more comparable information Single website (or portal) for all EU Regional policy programmes in a Member State Better visibility: projects to acknowledge EU funding on website; use of posters for all projects 30

Regional Policy Clarification of existing rules Better definition of communication responsibilities of Managing Authority and beneficiary Communication officers network strengthened and clearer role for national information officer (Responsible for the co-ordination of communication actions at national level in the Member State and the single Regional policy website or portal) 31

Regional Policy Corrigendum Examples of operations in two languages In Annex V, e) the word "also" is missing: … giving examples of operations, by operational programme, on the single website or on the operational programme's website that is accessible through the single website portal; the examples should also be in a widely spoken official language of the European Union other than the official language or languages of the Member State concerned; 32

Regional Policy 33 Thank you !