Time

Subject

Acquis references

EC Speaker

Monday 11 September 2006 – General provisions  ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund

09.00 – 09.15

Welcome and introductory remarks

Introductory remarks

Chairman

(DG Enlargement)

+ (DG REGIO, DG EMPL)

9.15 – 12.30

General provisions  ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund - Part I – general principles, programming, monitoring and evaluation (Türkçe)

Council regulation laying down general provisions of the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docoffic/

official/regulation/newregl0713_en.htm

9.15 – 9.50

General introduction to legal framework and objectives of Cohesion Policy

Treaty of the European Union: ??? Art. 158 (reduction of disparities) and Art. 3 (growth and employment)

Council regulation laying down general provisions of the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund

A. Bougas, DG REGIO B2

9.50 – 10.30

General principles of Cohesion Policy 2007-2013

Council regulation laying down general provisions of the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund

Art. 3-4: Overview 3 objectives

Art. 5-8: Geographic eligibility

Art. 9-17: Programming, partnership, additionality,  shared management

N. de Michelis, DG REGIO B2

10.30 - 10.45

Time for questions

10.45 – 11.00

Coffee Break

11.00 - 11.40

Programming

Council regulation laying down general provisions of the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund

Art. 25-28: NSRF content; preparation and adoption; strategic reporting

Art. 32-46: Operation programmes,  preparation, adoption and revision; major projects; global grants

J. Torrebadella and B. Nadler, DG REGIO B2

11.40 - 12.15

Monitoring and Evaluation

Council regulation laying down general provisions of the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund

Art. 47-51: ex-ante, on-going and ex-post evaluation; reserves

Art. 63-68: Monitoring Committee; annual report

Art. 40 and 55: Cost-benefit-analysis

A. Mairate, DG REGIO C2

12.15 – 12.30

Time for questions

12.30 – 14.00

Lunch Break

14.00 – 17.30

General provisions  ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund – Part II – management, control and audit, financial management and financial corrections (Türkçe)

14.00 – 14.40

Management

Council regulation laying down general provisions of the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund

Art. 59-63: general principles, designation/description of authorities

C. Le Foll, DG REGIO B3

14.40 – 15.20

Financial management

Council regulation laying down general provisions of the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund

Art. 75-97: eligibility of expenditure; revenue-generating projects; budget commitments; automatic de-commitments;  common rules for payment: pre-financing, interim and final balance payments; interruption and suspension of payments; contribution of funds; closure

C. de Lassus, DG REGIO A

15.20 – 15.40

Time for questions

15.40 – 16.00

Coffee Break

16.20 – 16.40

Control and audit

Council regulation laying down general provisions of the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund

Art. 60-62 and 70-73: responsibilities of different authorities with regard to financial control and audit

A. Wicha, DG REGIO I 2

16.40 - 17.00

Financial corrections

Council regulation laying down general provisions of the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund

Art. 99 – 102: financial corrections by the Member State and by the Commission

17.00 – 17.30

Time for questions

17.30

Closure Day 1

12 September 2006 – ERDF, ESF, EGCC and Cohesion Fund Regulations

9.15 – 11.00

ERDF and Cohesion Fund Regulations

9.15 – 9.55

ERDF regulation

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Regional Development Fund

Art. 3-6: thematic priorities

Art. 8-11: treatment of particular territorial features

Art. 12-21: territorial cooperation objective 

B. Nadler, DG REGIO B2

9.55 – 10.30

Cohesion Fund regulation

Council regulation establishing a Cohesion Fund

Art. 2: thematic priorities

Art. 4: conditionality 

R. Lopez Sanchez, DG REGIO B2

10.30 - 10.45

Time for questions 

10.45 – 11.00

Coffee Break 

11.00 – 12.30

ESF and EGCC Regulations

11.00 - 11.50

ESF regulation

 (Türkçe)

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Social Fund

Art. 3: Scope of the assistance (thematic priorities)

Art 4: Consistency and concentration of support (link with Community priorities) 

A. Chapman, DG EMPL A1

11.50 - 12.15

EGCC regulation

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a European grouping of cross-border co-operation (EGCC) 

D. Peters, DG REGIO B3

12.15 – 12.30

Time for questions 

12.30 – 14.00

Lunch Break 

14.00 – 17.30

Negotiation Framework/Structure: review of key acquis requirements

 For each subject: short introduction + questions/answers

14.00 – 14.15

Territorial framework

DG REGIO/ DG EMPL / DG ELARG

14.15 – 14.35

Legal framework

Budget planning and implementation mechanisms at national and local level

Co-financing mechanisms at national and local level

Specific financial control legal provisions

Compliance with Community policies

Territorial organisation

DG REGIO/ DG EMPL / DG ELARG

14.35 – 15.10

Institutional framework

Designation of bodies / authorities responsible for the preparation and implementation of Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund

Setting up of the implementation system, definition of tasks and responsibilities of the bodies or authorities involved in the preparation and implementation of the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund

Inter-ministerial co-ordination, Partnership

DG REGIO/ DG EMPL / DG ELARG

15.10 - 15.30

Administrative capacity

Establishing and implementing organisational development strategies, recruitment and training plans

Recruiting and retaining high quality staff

DG REGIO/ DG EMPL / DG ELARG

15.30 – 15.50

Coffee Break 

15.50 – 16.20

Programming

Preparation of programming documents: NSRF, Operational Programmes

Effective partnership

Project Pipeline

DG REGIO/ DG EMPL / DG ELARG

16.20 – 16.45

Monitoring and Evaluation

Establishing evaluation capacity and process

Set up and implementation of a Management Information System (MIS)

DG REGIO/ DG EMPL / DG ELARG

16.45 - 17.15

Financial Management and Control

Designation of the bodies or authorities responsible for the implementation of the specific financial management, control and audit provisions

Setting up of the implementation system, definition of tasks and responsibilities

DG REGIO/ DG EMPL / DG ELARG

17.15 – 17.25

AOB

Sources of information

DG REGIO/ DG EMPL / DG ELARG

17.25-17.30

Closing remarks and conclusions Day 2 

 DG ENLARGEMENT