1. Monitoring Committee Valmiera (Lv) 10/5/2017 Arturo Polese (DG REGIO)
Open Data Platform and new approach to communication of the Cohesion policy
Monitoring Committee
Valmiera (Lv) 10/5/2017
Arturo Polese (DG REGIO)

2. New challenges of communication of the Cohesion Policy
Need to demonstrate the added value of cohesion policy especially when key decisions about its future will be taken
Europe is facing unprecedented challenges (Brexit, slow economic growth, unemployment, migrant crisis, globalisation and technological change, etc.)

3. New challenges of communication: clear need to show that the EU is able to respond to the expectations of its citizens, that everyone, everywhere in the EU, is able to benefit from the gains linked to the Union and has access to the same opportunities.
We need to demonstrate and communicate the benefits being generated by the Cohesion Policy and we need to have strong arguments and very visible examples to communicate this to the EU citizens in all Member States.
This is a common challenge for Member States and the Commission

4. Practices to be promoted and shared Available tools:
Summary:
Practices to be promoted and shared
Available tools:
Open data portal
Regional competitiveness index – EU Regional social progress index
ex post evaluation
Progress report: requirements and potentialities

5. Practices to be promoted and shared
Increase communication efforts about projects which have a direct impact on citizens
Encourage beneficiaries to make testimonial
Projects/beneficiaries could be shared on social media (and made known to DG REGIO)
Our twitter account:

6. Available tools: 1. OPEN DATA PORTAL
Makes available online the information reported by all Member States
Ensures correctness of the programme data reported
Allows benchmarks
Guarantees transparency and diffusion of information

7. https://cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu/
Public data platform for the programming period
Four ESI DGs: AGRI, EMPL, MARE, and REGIO
Launched in December 2015; data from November 2015

8. Steps:
Mid-2016: Visualization of operational programmes.
End-2016: Financing and indicators corresponding to selected operations.
End-2017 onwards: Data on selected and completed operations.
Moving toward automatic updating of financial tables and indicator values.

9. Links ESIF ODP: https://cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu/
VIDEO:
Q+A:
=> 9

12. Available tools: 3. 2007-2013 Ex post evaluation
See DG EMPL presentation on the ESF ex post evaluation
In November MC Regio presented the ERDF and CF ex post evaluation

13. Progress report

14. Progress report – background
CPR 52(1): MS progress report by (2019) on the implementation of the PA as at end of preceding year
CPR 52(3): admission
2 months for COM to request additional information if "incomplete or unclear in a manner which significantly affects the quality and reliability of the assessment concerned"
3 months for MS to requested provide information and revise where appropriate
CPR 53(2): basis for COM strategic report by end 2017 (2019) – little time for preparation – kind request for timely submission of both AIR/PR
Model of the progress report in Annex I of CIR 2015/207 of 20 January 2015 – to be implemented in SFC

15. Progress report – general
PA vs AIR level reporting: more narrative, less quantitative information
Template: often generous free text character limits
concise drafting, include key messages
to be as concrete as possible - clear assessment of progress and implementation issues (e.g. separate progress and challenges!)
Structure text with regard to questions in template (often one field but several questions in the template)
to group and clearly identify positive and negative examples where description of main changes/main messages is requested by the template
July 2017: COM can provide national structured data submitted in AIR by OPs – MS to request it

16. Progress report – outline
PART I – Information and assessment for all the ESIF
1. Changes in development needs: general assessment of changes (ESIF contribution in section 2)
2. Progress towards Union strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, Fund-specific missions; ESIF contribution: limited timeframe for implementation so far – try to highlight ESIF contribution to early progress, MS expectations; cover ESIF contribution also to existing relevant CSRs (not just new – CPR 4(1)), EU2020 and Fund-specific objectives; cover progress to deliver climate action. Reflect on how ESIFs addressed any changes (positive/challenges); any need or plan for significant reprogramming in future.

17. Progress report – outline 2
3. Actions taken to fulfil the applicable ex ante conditionalities: assessment about ExACs in the PA not fulfilled at the adoption of the PA (vs. AIR – adoption of programme) 4. Coordination between the ESI Funds/other Union/national instruments and with the EIB: reflect on mechanisms laid down in the PA and any new mechanisms – cover H2020, CEF, EFSI, … 5. Integrated approach to territorial development: CLLD; ITI; macro-regional/sea-basin strategies…

18. Progress report – outline 3
6. Reinforcing the capacity of the MS authorities and beneficiaries…
7.Reducing the administrative burden on beneficiaries…
8. Role of the partners…
9. Application of the horizontal principles: reflect on actions foreseen also in the PA
PART II – Information and assessment of the YEI
PART III – Option provided by CPR 111(4) to include certain elements of the AIR
PART IV-V – Only relevant for 2019 (YEI, AIR elements)

19. Thank you !