1. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Technical Assistance and Environment A good practice from Italy “Italian Evaluation Units Open Days” Uval, Roma 5 July 2006 Aldo Ravazzi Douvan Italian Ministry for Environment & Territory Environmental Authority (for EU Structural Funds) Coordinator

2. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs a)The National Operational Programme (NOP) Technical Assistance (TA) and the Environment b)The Task-Force of experts for TA c)The Environmental Authorities (EAs) d)The Italian Network (Rete) of Managing Authorities (MAs) & Environmental Authorities e)The Working Groups and the Products of the Rete f)International Products: GrDP – ENEA – Twinnings g)Recognitions h)Preparing the National Strategic Framework (NSF) 2007-2013 CONTENTS

3. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs a)The National Operational Programme (NOP) for Technical Assistance (TA) and the Environment A tool to improve capacity building

4. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs NOP Technical Assistance Financial breakdown of the 1.2 Measure among its 12 Sector Operational Projects environment Millions of Euros

5. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Financial breakdown, at central, regional and horizontal level, of the Sustainable Development Operational Project Millions of Euros

6. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs EU Structural Funds in Italian Ob. 1 Regions: Three tools for environmental integration in the CSF I. Environmental Authorities (EAs), both central and regional II. The Network of EAs and Managing Authorities for Structural Funds 2000-2006 III. An environmental Task-Force for strengthening EAs and the APAT/ARPA system (Env. Agencies) towards the NOP TA Cooperation with Managing Authorities Member of Monitoring Committees

7. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs b) The Task-Force of experts into the Environment and Sustainable Development Operational Project of the NOP TA

8. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Price, Waterhouse & Coopers study for the EC, 1999 says: “ Only 0,7 units per region dedicated to environmental integration in Structural Funds” and “Central and Regional EAs’ structures need to be reinforced. Dedicated central and regional task-forces should be created” CSF 2000-2006 consequentely

9. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs through CSF 2000-2006 The major project of Technical Assistance (Environment & Sustainable Development) includes ≈ 150 experts : ≈ 60 for the Regional Environmental Authorities Obj.1 ≈ 50 for the Regional Environmental Protection Agencies for data and monitoring (ARPAs) Obj.1 ≈ 40 for the Central Environmental Authority (Ministry for En- vironment & Territory) (of which 20 for the Ecological Network)

10. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs CAMPANIA 10 junior 7 junior 1 senior National Environmental Authority 27 junior 15 senior MOLISE 6 junior 4 junior 1 senior BASILICATA 6 junior 4 junior 1 senior PUGLIA 9 junior 1 senior CALABRIA 8 junior 6 junior 1 senior SICILIA 10 junior 8 junior 1 senior SARDEGNA 7 junior 8 junior 1 senior Environmental Authorities Environment Protection Regional Agencies Tasks force composition

11. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs An open and highly competitive public competition: 130 “junior” experts out of 6.000 applicants 20 “senior” experts out of 500 applicants An “equal opportunity” selection: 2/3 of women among juniors 1/2 of women among seniors A multidisciplinary selection: 1/3 from economics/law/politics 1/3 from statistics/architecture/engineering 1/3 from natural sc./biology/environment sc.

12. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs The role of training: 3 months of high level training in the Center of the National Training Agency for the Obj.1 Regions 9 months of “training on the job” with reorientation seminars Planned continuous update and training: with 3-monthly Workshops experts website community forum exchange of best practices and methodologies

13. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Useful characteristics: environment Task-Force coming from multiple backgrounds building the necessary interdisciplinary teams common training to build a common background highly motivated shock and support for Public Administration people

14. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs c) The Environmental Authorities

15. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs The environmental Task-Force has given the Environmental Authorities the possibility to play an effective role for the first time in the history of Structural Funds But what are they doing in practice?

16. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Tasks at regional level * supporting the Regional EAs in all SFs activities drafting the POCS for ROPs preparing the ROP Monitoring Committee proposing environmental elements (criteria, indicators, funds) in ROP’s Measures’ bids working out environmental analysis of PITs helping to draft Water Plans, Parks Plans,Waste Plans, Contaminated Sites Plans drawing out State of the Environment Reports preparing the new Operational Programmes 2007-2013 preparing the SEA for the new programmes … * the role of the Central Environmental Authority is similar

17. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs d) The Italian Network of EAs & MAs (Rete)

18. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs “RETE” MEMBERSHIP: established during the late 1994-99 programming period, becoming significant in the 2000-06 period 1 Environmental Authority of CSF + 7 NOPs (Min. of Environment & Territory) 1 Managing Authority of CSF (Ministry of Economy & Finance) 2 European Commission (DG-Env, DG-Regio) 7 Managing Authorities of NOPs (i.e. Ministries) 7 Managing Authorities of ROPs (South Regions - Objective 1) 7 Environmental Authorities of ROPs (South Regions - Objective 1) 14 Managing Authorities of Docup (North Regions – Ob.2) 14 Environmental Authorities of Docup (North Regions – Ob.2) 1 National Statistics Agency (Istat) 1 National Environmental Agency (Apat) 21 Regional Environmental Agency (Arpa) often accompanied informally by the experts of the different institutions

19. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs In the RETE there are no: NGOs Producers Associations Consumers Associations Workers Unions Stakeholders of any kind The RETE is the Network of Public Officers, the experts of Public Administration working together to find the best solutions to serve their role of public service Participation of stakeholders (NGOs, Producers, Consumers, Unions, etc.) in the Italian SFs system is guaranteed and works in the Steering Committees of: -the CSF -the 7 National OPs -The 7 Regional OPs

20. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Instrument for spreading information and best practices, to develop and agree methodologies and assessment Developing tools of investigation of institutional, technical and procedural issues (specific Working Groups) An innovative pattern of cooperation among institutions - Systematic Cooperation Operational Plans (POCS) one to one between Environmental & Managing Authorities -and work all together within the RETE)

21. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs e) The Working Groups and the Products of the Rete

22. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs 1.WG Operational Plan of Systematic Cooperation between EAs and Managing Authorities (POCS) 2.WG Methodological and technical guidelines for the evaluation of Operational Programmes (NOPs & ROPs) 3.WG Methodological and technical guidelines for the environmental evaluation of Territorial Integrated Projects (PIT) 4.WG Evaluation of the implementation of the PPP within the CSF (Polluter-Pays-Principle) The Methodological Working Groups

23. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs 1.WG Evaluation of the implementation of the PPP into the the CSF (Polluter-Pays-Principle) 2.WG Evaluation of State aid schemes for enterprises for environmental aims (Raita) 3.WG Environmental sustainability into the Urban Areas 4.Working Group on guidelines for SEA for 2007-13 The Thematic Working Groups

24. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs 1.Working Group on Waste 2.Working Group on Water 3.Working Group on Ecological Network 4.Working Group on Contaminated Sites 5.Working Group on Environmental Monitoring 6.Working Group Energy 7.Working Group Rural Development The Sectorial Working Group

25. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs 1.Methodological and technical guidelines for Operational Plan of Systematic Cooperation between EAs and Managing Authorities (POCS) 2.Methodological and technical guidelines for the evaluation of Operational Programmes (NOPs & ROPs) 3.Methodological and technical guidelines for the environmental evaluation of Territorial Integrated Projects (PIT) 4.Update of the Ex ante Environmental Evaluation of CSF, NOPs, ROPs 5.Evaluation of the implementation of the PPP into the CSF (Polluter-Pays-Principle) 6.Evaluation of State aid schemes for enterprises for environmental aims (Raita) 7.Sectorial Reports on waste, water, monitoring,….. Some examples of the WG’s products

26. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs f) The International Products of the Rete ENEA – GrDP - TWINNINGS

27. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Structure: Interreg IIIc Project promoted by the English Environment Agency and by the Spanish and Italian Networks of EAs & MAs 16 legal partners at the beginning, 40 including associated partners now Structure open to old/new MCs, Eas/Mas/Devpt Agencies, Nat/Reg/Loc Aims: Exchange of experiences, experts, best practices From greening SFS to greening Regional Dvpt Programmes (are SFs a best practice?) Orientate the new cycle 2007-13 towards a better integration of environment and sustainable development Rete of EAs &MAs - International Products GrDP “Greening regional Development Programs”

28. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Products: Handbook on SEA for Cohesion Policy 2007-2013 GRDP Partners Declaration Handbook on Partnerships Guidance Greening Projects (ongoing) Methodology for Greening regional Development Programs (ongoing) GrDP Charter planned at the end Patras - 4° Technical Workshop – 6-8 November 2006 La Rioja - Final Conference – 18-19 April 2007 www.grdp.org Rete of EAs &MAs - International Products GrDP “Greening regional Development Programs”

29. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Exchange of experiences, sharing information, critical issues and developments, between Environmental Authorities and with the European Commission ENEA 1, Sep. 04  ENEA 5 Spain Jun.06 – ENEA 6 Roma Oct.06 A Network -guided by the European Commission – DG Environment; -with the participation of other DGs (Regio, Empl, Tren, etc.); -and of other significant actors (EEA, REC, GrDP, NGOs); -encouraged by the English, Spanish and Italian EAs & Networks Rete of EAs &MAs - International Products ENEA “European Network of Environmental Authorities”

30. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs 5 Working Groups in the year 2005-06 Positive & Negative Impact of SFs/CF on the Environment Capacity Building SEA/EAE (Ex Ante Evaluation) in SFs Water Framework Directive: financing through SFs The 3° pillar of the CF: sustainable energy & transport http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/structural_funds_en.htm New Working Groups in preparation Risk Prevention (new priority) Lisbon ear-marking and Goteborg Strategy (Sustainable Development) Biodiversity and Natura 2000 Effectiveness of the use of SEA in the preparation of NSRFs and OPs … Rete of EAs &MAs - International Products ENEA “European Network of Environmental Authorities”

31. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Need for capacity building to support environment and sustainability in CP Need to prepare capacity in time well before the beginning of the Programmes Need to have specific technical tools (programs-projects) Need to have strong, motivated, long- lasting leadership Conclusions - Lessons to be drawn from the Italian OP TA

32. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs g) Recognitions

33. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs “A 6y project (Env. Operational Project) implemented by MATT and financed by EU Structural Funds seeks to provide local administrations in Southern Italy with skilled environmental staff. Some 150 experts advise the Env. Auth. and the ARPAs on how to assess the environmental implications of the CSF, as well as those of national and regional operational programs. This is a very innovative capacity building project” OECD, Environmental Performance Review of Italy, 2002 Quoted also in the Recommendations as a best practice to be diffused The Task Force of Environmental Authorities

34. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs “ Initiatives towards the strengthening of the environmental aspect of sustainable development should be stressed: by means of skilled staff, they have concurred to the strengthening of the integration of environmental issues and the effective operativity of Environmental and Managing Authorities Network. Appreciated and important results have been obtained regarding the integration of environmental concerns in the programming documents, through some important guide-line documents on the modalities of cooperation between Environmental Authority and Managing Authority and on the methodological aspects of the environmental evaluation of the OPs. The activities carried out by the Network constitute an important added value for our administrations and are appreciated by the European Commission as excellence praxis to be diffused to other Countries.” Italian Ministry of Economy & Finance, CSF Managing Authority PON ATAS 2002 Annual Report, June 2003 The Task Force of Environmental Authorities

35. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Italy – The Task Force of Environmental Authorities “During the evaluation of the programme period up to 1993-1999 it was shown that only 0,7 percent per region were dedicated to environmental integration in Structural Funds. This leads to the conclusion that dedicated central and regional task forces should be created. An innovative capacity building project was created: An expert group with about 160 members was established, two thirds of them working in environmental authorities to support programming and in environmental agencies to provide support for data collection and monitoring. Another third was employed at the national Ministry of Environment and Territory. Based on this structure, guidelines on indicators, on evaluation and on technical directives for the implementation of the Operational Programmes were developed. Two years after establishing the system, all sides have learned: The acceptance of the experts has increased and they are seen more and more as a support, rather than as creator of additional work and expenditure.” “Environmental and Social Audit”, Report on behalf of the European Parliament, Committee on Budgetary Control, 2004 The Task Force of Environmental Authorities

36. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Environment in the Process the “preparatory table” on environment the horizontal document on environmental integration to the other 7 “preparatory tables” the transfer in the draft NSF … Preparing the NSF 2007-2013 (1)

37. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs f) Preparing the National Strategic Framework (NSF) 2007-2013

38. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Environment and Sustainable Development as a Priority The role of SEA Preparing the NSF 2007-2013 (2)

39. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Environmental strategic approach of the NSF 2007-2013

40. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs STRATEGIC COHESION POLICIES GUIDELINES NATIONAL STRATEGIES LISBON STRATEGY STRATEGIC RURAL DEVOLOPMENT GUIDELINES THEMATIC SEMINARS CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIONS REGIONAL ADMINISTRATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PARTNERS REGIONAL LOCAL AUTHORITIES ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PARTNERS REGIONAL LOCAL AUTHORITIES PRELIMINARY NATIONAL STRATEGIC DOCUMENT STRATEGIC DOCUMENT MEZZOGIORNO PRELIMINARY REGIONAL STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS NATIONAL STRATEGIC DOCUMENT NATIONAL STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK PROCESS OF DEFINITION

41. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs NATIONAL STRATEGIC DOCUMENT NEGOTIATIONS WITH EUROPEAN COMMISSION SERVICES NSF STRATEGIC PART OPERATIONAL PART CONVERGENCE COMPETITIVENESSCOOPERATION P.O. FERS P.O. FSE P.O. FERS P.O. FSE P.O. FERS

42. Ministry for Environment & Territory – Italian Environmental Authority for SFs Programming 2007/2013 definition on the basic of agreement between State/Regions/Authonomies of 3.2.2005 8 Thematic tables Centre – Regions – Economic and Social Partners 8 Thematic tables Centre – Regions – Economic and Social Partners 10 Centre- Regions Technical working Group 10 Centre- Regions Technical working Group Proposal for National Strategic Framework Strategic Document Mezzogiorno Central Administrations Committee MEF/MoL/Mezzogiorno Regions REGIONS NEGOTIATIONS CENTRE - REGIONS NEGOTIATIONS CENTRE - REGIONS Table I Education Territorial Dimension Table II Research, innovation, Banks, State Aids Table III Environment Cultural Resources, Market, Services Table IV Social Services, Inclusion Security, Legality Table V Networks and (links), Territorial Dimension Table VI Local Development Drafting Group Table VII Cities, Economy Table VIII International Dimension Investment Promotion Table I Education Territorial Dimension Table II Research, innovation, Banks, State Aids Table III Environment Cultural Resources, Market, Services Table IV Social Services, Inclusion Security, Legality Table V Networks and (links), Territorial Dimension Table VI Local Development Drafting Group Table VII Cities, Economy Table VIII International Dimension Investment Promotion WG Single Programming process FAS/FS WG Economic and Social Partnership WG Cooperation WG Public Service objectives WG Evaluation WG Capacity Building, incentives WG Monitoring and Control WG Financial circuit and Project Design WG Links with other EC Policies WG Internal Market and Competition WG Single Programming process FAS/FS WG Economic and Social Partnership WG Cooperation WG Public Service objectives WG Evaluation WG Capacity Building, incentives WG Monitoring and Control WG Financial circuit and Project Design WG Links with other EC Policies WG Internal Market and Competition Thematic Priorities Implementation Conditions NSF - QSN Regional Strategic Documents Preliminary National Strategic Document