1. Implementation of the TAIEX Instrument in the Neighbouring Countries
Twinning Launching Workshop
Implementation of the TAIEX Instrument in the Neighbouring Countries
Olivier Vanhoenacker, Multi-Country Programmes
Tbilisi, 29th & 30th November 2007

2. Extension Of TAIEX To The NC
Set up in 1996 by the European Commission to support the faster implementation of the EU acquis in the Candidate Countries – compulsory transposition
2006: Gradual extension to the Neighbourhood Countries (NC – Directive 2006/62/EC, ) to foster the EU acquis approximation – voluntary shared norms
Extension supported by a TAIEX National Contact Point (NCP) within the Programme Administration Office (PAO – wherever it exists) also NCP for Twinning

3. PAOs Are Set Up In 11 NC: NCPs For Twinning & NCPs For TAIEX
PAOs: experience of the implementation of the Twinning Projects in ENP Countries
in close collaboration with the EC Delegations and the Unit AIDCO/A6 (Twinning & TAIEX)
already financed by the EC
PAOs become NCPs for the TAIEX instrument
In the countries with no PAO, TAIEX NCP is designated by the National Coordinator

4. TAIEX NCPs within the PAOs – East
Armenia Mr Hrayr Gyonjyan
Azerbaijan Mr Asgar Alakbarov
Georgia Mr Roman Kakulia
Moldova Mrs Tatiana Udrea
Russia Mrs Elena Kolerova
Ukraine Mr Andriy Vyshnevsky

5. TAIEX NCPs within the PAOs – South
Egypt Mrs Injie Kotb
Israel Mr Raphael Morav
Jordan Mr Marwan Al-Refai
Lebanon Mrs Maha Siblini
Morocco Mr Mohamed Doubi-Kadmiri
Tunisia Mrs Nawele Ben Romdhane Dhrif

6. What Is TAIEX? Technical Assistance Information Exchange
On the basis of requests from the Beneficiary Countries (BC)
TAIEX provides
short-term assistance
Duration of TAIEX missions: usually 1 to 5 days maximum
reactive assistance
Simple procedures allow to have the requested services in place in 5 to 6 weeks minimum

7. TAIEX Synergies
TAIEX is an instrument for Institution Building, additional and complementary
to Technical Assistance (short, medium or long-term private assistance)
to Twinning Projects (long-term public expertise assistance)
TAIEX: short-term public assistance is used to deal with accurate, focused and targeted requests

8. TAIEX Beneficiaries Public Administration Public Agencies
Private sector Associations
Social Partners

9. TAIEX Specificities
TAIEX missions are financed through a centralised budget
– TAIEX missions are NOT financed by a bilateral budget
TAIEX missions are implemented by an EC-recruited provider: GTZ
– TAIEX missions are NOT implemented by BC or by ECD

10. Types Of The NC-TAIEX Assistance
Expert missions in BC
To provide guidance on legislative projects and on the functioning of the administrative process, to advise on legislative acts and on their implementation, to explain the EU acquis, to present examples of good practices...
Workshops – Seminars in BC
To present and explain EU acquis-related issues to a large audience (selected by the BC) within the same country or to several countries concerning the same issues
Study visits in MS
To allow Officials from a BC to understand how Member States deal with practical issues related to the implementation and enforcement of the EU acquis

11. Examples Of TAIEX Events from Georgia
requested by on
dates
location
audience
(Spanish) Expert Mission
Ministry of Environmental Protection & Natural Resources
Combating Land Degradation & Desertification
Tbilisi
MEPNR of Georgia,
NGOs
(Regional) Workshop
National Security Council of Georgia
Drug Trafficking & Terrorism
attendees from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Israel and Turkey
Study Visit
Parliament of Georgia
EU Legislation on Migration Policy
January 2008
(request currently under assessment)
Member State
to be confirmed
Committee of European Integration of Georgia

12. Types Of The NC-TAIEX Assistance
Expert missions in BC (max. 1-week duration)
– Limited to maximum 1-2 TAIEX experts
– TAIEX covers all logistic costs for the experts (transportation, accommodation…)
Study visits in MS (max. 1-week duration)
– Limited to maximum 3 TAIEX beneficiaries
– TAIEX covers all logistic costs for the beneficiaries (transportation, accommodation…)
– TAIEX does not cover costs for the host institution*

13. Origin Of TAIEX Requests
Requests of TAIEX missions are originated
by Public Administrations of Beneficiary Countries
or are proposed
by Services of the European Commission

14. Nb of TAIEX requests originated by NC&R or initiated by EC-DGs: 2006-07 (31.10.2007)

15. Nb of invitations for NC&R to TAIEX events: 2006-07 (31.10.2007)

16. Sectors of TAIEX requests from NC&R: 2006-07 (31.10.2007)

17. Types of TAIEX requests from NC&R: 2006-07 (31.10.2007)

18. TAIEX Requests
TAIEX requests are sent to the TAIEX NCP: PAO or NCP appointed by the National Coordinator
examines content and provides further information
transmits requests to the ECD-Contact Person for visa
forwards requests to the EC:
at the same time to ELARG/D4 and AIDCO/A6
– from the TAIEX Website – where the on-line application forms can be found
– by fax on headed-paper: (or to send the on-line application forms)
– by to:

19. Reception Of TAIEX Requests
ELARG/D4 (TAIEX Unit) & AIDCO/A6
receive the TAIEX requests at the same time
verify that the requests come from the TAIEX NCP with the EC Delegation Contact Person visa

20. Reception Of TAIEX Requests: Important Remarks
In case TAIEX requests do NOT come from the PAO, ELARG/D4 & AIDCO/A6 send them back to the TAIEX NCP for agreement
In case the TAIEX request is an EC suggestion, TAIEX NCP in PAO and CP in ECD have to verify that the request is a result of a previous coordination with the relevant Public Administration in the BC

21. Assessment Of TAIEX Requests
Each TAIEX request previously approved by the TAIEX NCP and the ECD-CP
is then analysed, within 1 to 2 weeks, by:
ELARG/D4 for feasibility and coherence with the EU-acquis
AIDCO/A6 for coherence with Action Plans or National Indicative Programmes (NIP)

22. Decisions On TAIEX Requests
If the outcome is negative, ELARG/D4
– informs the TAIEX NCP explaining the refusal
If the decision is positive, ELARG/D4
– informs the TAIEX NCP
– inserts a specific event into the TAIEX database
– attributes a specific TAIEX code number to this event

23. TAIEX Rejections NC&R 2006-2007
16% of the assessed TAIEX requests
(Study Visits: 53%)
Overlapping with Twinning Projects (matter, timing)
Too weak relation with the acquis
Private technical assistance
Batch of applications
Redundancy of TAIEX requests (same issue, different types)
Call for a TAIEX financing to join non-TAIEX events

24. Internal TAIEX Consultation
If ELARG/D4 & AIDCO/A6 agree with the request
ELARG/D4 launches its 5 working days consultation
towards DG RELEX (External Relations)
towards competent line DG(s)
During the consultation stage, AIDCO/A6 provides any necessary contributions

25. Preparation & Launching Of The TAIEX Event
In the absence of negative comments, the Delegated Entity (GTZ) executes mandate from ELARG/D4 and ensures the event takes place according to instructions
ELARG/D4 is responsible for the content of the TAIEX event in close collaboration with AIDCO/A6: invitations, agenda including location and venue identification of experts, contacts with the beneficiary
GTZ is responsible for all logistic arrangements: catering, interpretation, equipment, venue requirements, flights, accommodation…
During the preparation and launching stages, AIDCO/A6 provides any necessary contributions

26. TAIEX Experts Selection
TAIEX experts are selected by ELARG/D4
– Civil servants (active or retired) from Member States Public Administration
– EC-Officials (active or retired)
In the framework of its request, the BC could suggest some experts to fulfil the TAIEX mission in order to constitute networks and to reinforce cooperation with Member States

27. Payment Of TAIEX Experts
On TAIEX centralised budget
TAIEX experts, MS civil servants, receive DSA + FAA
+ DSA: Daily Subsistence Allowance per-diem minus cost of hotel accommodation and breakfast
+ FAA: Fixed Additional Allowance per working and travel day (250 €*)
+ Travel costs are covered by TAIEX
– Active EC-Officials are not paid from the TAIEX budget
– Under special circumstances, accommodation costs could be covered for TAIEX participants in BC
– TAIEX NCPs are not paid from the TAIEX budget

28. Evaluation Of TAIEX Events
Each BC participant makes an evaluation of the TAIEX event through a questionnaire systematically distributed by ELARG/D4
One of the TAIEX experts evaluates the interventions of the other TAIEX experts
Evaluation is made by ELARG/D4 to improve the TAIEX instrument

29. NC-TAIEX Project Cycle
Agreed between DGs AIDCO, ELARG & RELEX
Managed by the Units AIDCO/A6 & ELARG/D4
To implement the TAIEX instrument in the Neighbourhood Countries and in Russia
To achieve objectives defined by the BC
An adapted procedure in BC and within the EC for requesting TAIEX in Neighbourhood Countries
To guarantee synergies with the other activities
To avoid overlapping
In the respect of the priorities defined by BC (approximation)

30. TAIEX & Twinning in NC&R (Public Expertise)
TAIEX could be used:
To improve the public administration
To approximate the EU acquis
To achieve the priorities of the NC&R
To identify issues for Twinning Projects
To reinforce networks between NC&R and EU-Member States
To strengthen the network of the NCPs

31. Twinning Launching Workshop Tbilisi, 29th & 30th November 2007
European Commission
Twinning Launching Workshop
in Georgia
Tbilisi, 29th & 30th November 2007