1. 1 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion EU Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 8 December 2011 DG REGIO I2 ‘Bulgaria’

2. 2 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Components effectiveness cohesion policy Alignment of cohesion policy with Europe 2020 Reinforced strategic programming Thematic concentration Conditionality Stronger focus on results Streamlined delivery system

3. 3 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion

4. 4 Thematic Objectives to Deliver Europe 2020 1.Research, technological development & innovation 2.Information & communication technologies 3.Competitiveness SMEs 4.Low-carbon economy 5.Climate change adaptation, risk prevention & management 6.Environment protection & resource efficiency 7.Sustainable transport & removing transport network bottlenecks 8.Employment & labour mobility 9.Social inclusion & combating poverty 10.Education, skills & lifelong learning 11.Institutional capacity & efficient public administration

5. 5 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Thematic Objectives & Investment priorities Common Strategic Framework  Thematic objectives Thematic objective  Investment priorities (Fund-specific) Link Cohesion policy actions to a thematic objective Less developed Member States/ regions may focus on a larger number of thematic objectives and/or investment priorities Example  Thematic objective: Promoting climate change adaptation, risk prevention and management  Investment priorities (ERDF): –supporting dedicated investment for adaptation to climate change –promoting investment to address specific risks, ensuring disaster resilience and developing disaster management systems

6. 6 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Application of ex-ante conditionality Regulation: Thematic and horizontal ex-ante conditionality set out in the Regulation Preparation of programming documents: Self-assessment by Member States and/or regions whether conditionality has been met. Results included in draft programmes and commitments synthesised in Partnership Contract Conditionality fulfilled: Draft programmes describe that no further action needs to taken Not fulfilled: Draft programmes lay down commitments for fulfilment Partially fulfilled: Draft programmes lay down commitments for fulfilment Negotiation and agreement on commitments: The commitments are laid down in the programmes and synthesised in the Partnership Contract

7. 7 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Thematic ex ante road & rail Comprehensive national transport plan covering core and comprehensive TEN-T Rail: investments cover mobile assets, interoperability and capcity building Criteria for fulfillment: Prioritisation investments contributing to mobility, sustainability, reduction GHG, single EU transport area Realistic/mature project pipeline (timetable, budget, …) SEA Measures strengthening capacity beneficiaries to deliver projects

8. 8 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion THE COMMON STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK ERDF, ESF, CF, EAFRD, EMFF THE PARTNERSHIP CONTRACT ERDF, ESF, CF, EAFRD, EMFF National or regional level Operational Programmes for ERDF Rural development programmes (EAFRD) Operational Programmes for ESF Operational Programmes for CF EU level National level Multifund Operational Programmes for ERDF, ESF, CF Operational Programmes for (EMFF)

9. 9 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Partnership Contract Prepared at national level with close involvement of partners Agreed between the Commission and Member State, includes: –Contribution CSF Funds achieving thematic objectives Europe 2020 –Main results expected –An integrated approach for territorial development supported by the CSF Funds –Effective implementation: involvement of partners, ex-ante conditionalities, performance framework, additionality –Arrangements for efficient implementation: administrative capacity, administrative burden reduction

10. 10 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Programming Integrated programme approach Possibility multifund programmes combining ERDF, ESF and the Cohesion Fund Priority Axis Main unit for management and reporting, budget, co- financing rate Corresponding to only one thematic objective. Corresponding to one or more investment priorities. Mono–fund (although OPs can be multi-fund)

11. 11 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Reduction of travel time Specific objective: Enhancing mobility between small towns and big cities and towards international border crossing points Investment priority Enhancing regional mobility through connecting secondary and tertiary nodes to TEN-T infrastructure Description of actions needed Enhancing the capacity of roads A and B Building multi-level intersections in areas x and y Connecting railway track A to track B Km of road upgraded Km of new railway line + No of intersections constructed Categories of intervention Railways (TEN-T comprehensive) Secondary road links to TEN-T road network and nodes Other national and regional roads

12. 12 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Multi annual Financial Framework & EU Cohesion Policy Budget limited in size: commitment level 2013 x 7 years = 1025 billion in 2011 prices = 1.05 % of EU GNI Cohesion policy: EUR 336 mln (2007-13 EUR 355 mln) Less developed regions: NUTS 2 GDP/head < 75% EU 27 average (all of Bulgaria) Most recent data July 2006 Total allocation EUR 162.6 billion over 64 regions with 119 million inhabitants Cohesion Fund: EUR 68.7 billion (< 90% GNI/head) Less developed regions 162.6 (transition regions 39, more developed regions 53.1, cooperation 11.7 Connecting Europe facility 40.0

13. 13 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Maximum support level - capping Maximum level transfer Funds (ERDF, CF, ESF) to MS = 2.5% GDP (now 4% GDP) Lower: absorption problems, national co-financing Yet share new MS (EU12) increases 51%  57% or EYR 249 to EUR 264 cap/year 25% ESF less developed regions (BG now 27%) >= 50% ERDF to energy efficiency and renewable energy, research & innovation, competitiveness SMEs

14. 14 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Cohesion Fund investments Focus on sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures, by: supporting a multi-modal Single European Transport Area by investing in TEN-T; developing environment-friendly and low- carbon transport systems including promoting sustainable urban mobility; developing comprehensive, high quality and interoperable railway systems; and strengthening institutional capacity and raising efficiency of public administrations and public services implementing the Cohesion Fund.

15. 15 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion New TEN-T Guidelines Core and comprehensive networks To be completed by 2050 (comprehensive) and 2030 (core). Core network: nodes, connections with neighbouring countries' transport infrastructure networks. Intelligent transport systems, bridging missing links and removing bottlenecks, notably in cross-border sections, removing administrative and technical barriers (interoperability, competition), integration transport modes. Low-carbon transport (rail and urban public transport), facilitating interconnections between transport modes such as rail, air, inland waterway, road and maritime infrastructure. Railway transport infrastructure: high-speed and conventional railway lines, freight terminals and logistic platforms, ITS and ERTMS.

16. 16 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion TEN-T Comprehensive & Core: Roads, ports, rail-road terminals, airports

17. 17 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Railways, ports & rail-road terminals

18. 18 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Budget, time, policy and capacity constraints: negotiation priorities Budget: BG government estimates EUR 9 billion. Time: only 7-9 years in a programming period. Core TEN-T 2030, comprehensive 2050. Other sources of financing to realise transport agenda: national budget, EIB and public-private partnerships. Policy perspective: new programming period favours investments rail & multi-modal transfer nodes. BG will have to reduce ambitions regarding financing road construction

19. 19 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Timeline Jan 2012: EC Communication on Common Strategic Framework Jan – March 2012: Public consultation on Communication June 2012: Commission proposal for CSF 2012-2013: Dialogue COM-MS on Partnership Contracts and OPs Adoption legislative package, immediate entry into force + 3 months: COM adopts CSF + 6 months: MS to transmit Partnership Contracts and OPs (incl. ex-ante evaluations); COM to make observations within 3 months, adoption within 6 months; PC to be adopted before OPs. + 9 months: ETC programmes to be submitted to COM PCs can already be adopted before 2014

20. 20 European Union Regional Policy – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Further information Available on DG REGIO website at: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.cfm