Target Group
The seminar is aimed at all economic actors in the Structural Funds policy-making and implementation process, including Managing authorities, national, regional and local officials or representatives, agencies with an economic development role (such as regional development agencies), educational and training establishments, and other local partners, including NGOs and community associations.
Description
This seminar is a two-day event and will be dedicated to key issues relating to the current operational programmes and will flag up the proposed changes to the Structural Funds regulations for 2014-2020. It will include detailed sessions on the present programming and financial rules and indicate how these can expect to change. We will highlight financial management, financial control and audit procedures, examine evaluation and monitoring requirements, and consider the grant calculation for revenue generating projects. It will also look at the task of measuring progress and success at the priority level (programme indicators) and the need to strengthen the project pipeline.
Method
The seminar will consist of a series of illustrated presentations given by European Commission officials, regional practitioners and expert consultants. Ample time will be left for question and answer sessions, discussions and exchanges of experience. A special roundtable discussion with experts and a practical workshop on indicators will also take place.
Objectives
At the end of the seminar, participants should have a clear understanding of how to implement the current regulations and what changes are being proposed for the new programming period. This will include detailed management procedures and best practices for implementation, as well as the use of tools to measure the effects of interventions.
Wednesday 7 March 2012
Opening of the seminar
Marco Lopriore, Senior Lecturer, EIPA
Key issues and challenges for implementing the Structural Funds regulations in 2007-2013 and proposals for 2014-2020
• categorising the issues: programming and earmarking, programme management, programme finance and the role of the Funds, financial control and audit
• simplification and the amending regulations
• elaborating the proposed new regulations
• the state of the project pipeline
Robin Smail,Visiting Expert, EIPA; Independent Consultant in Structural and Cohesion Policy, Edinburgh
Programme Finance and Financial Management
• the structure of programme finance and financing plans
• dealing with financial flows and SFC 2007
• commitments, advances and intermediate payments
• eligibility of expenditure, forecasts
Michael Hill, Principal Administrator, Budget and Financial Management Unit, DG Regional Policy, European Commission, Brussels
Lunch
Guided tour of historical Maastricht
Evaluation and Monitoring requirements for Operational Programmes
• overview of the evaluation/monitoring cycle
• the essentials of ongoing programme evaluations
• major project applications
• calculating the grant for revenue generating projects
• indicators for priority axes; the new performance frameworks
Robin Smail
Workshop on generating indicators
Robin Smail
Buffet reception at EIPA’s restaurant
Thursday 8 March 2012
Management Challenges for Member States
• new programme priorities: financial engineering instruments, the urban dimension, housing, energy efficiency and renewable energies
• programme challenges: revenue-generating projects, durability, major projects, cross-financing, site visits
• financial management and control challenges: national rules for eligible expenditure, in-kind contributions, management of automatic decommitment (n+2 / n+3)
Sheila Maxwell, Consultant, former Director, Welsh European Funding Office, Welsh Assembly Government, UK, and Resident Twinning Advisor, Poland and Romania
Financial Control and Audit
• management verifications and supervision of intermediate bodies – room for improvement
• audit of systems and operations
• public procurement
• irregularities and corrections
Piotr Skiba, Principal Administrator, Audit Directorate, DG Regional Policy, European Commission, Brussels
Round-table discussion on the developing Financial Management architecture
Michael Hill, Piotr Skiba and Sheila Maxwell
Lunch
Workshop on automatic decommitment, n+2 / n+3
Sheila Maxwell
Feedback, Evaluation, Conclusion of the Seminar
Close of Seminar
Programme
The programme will commence on Wednesday at 09.00 and will finish on Thursday at 16.30.
Course Venue
The course will take place in the Green Conference Room (1.45) of the European Institute of Public Administration, O.L. Vrouweplein 22, NL-6211 HE Maastricht, tel.: +31 43 3296222, fax: +31 43 3296296.
Working language
The course will be conducted in English.
Fee
The participation fee is € 875 and includes documentation, 2 lunches, 1 buffet reception and refreshments. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration. EIPA offers its members a reduction of 10% of the registration fee. For details, please click here.
Hotel reservations
The European Institute of Public Administration will be pleased to make hotel reservations for you at a hotel in Maastricht. We have made a block booking at two hotels in Maastricht, at Hotel Mabi**** (www.hotel-mabi.nl), at a rate of € 95 p.p.p.n. (incl. breakfast, excl. tourist tax) and at Hotel Beaumont**** (www.beaumont.nl), at a rate of € 96.50 p.p.p.n. (incl. breakfast, excl. tourist tax). Should you wish to make use of this possibility, please indicate the name of the hotel and the dates of arrival and departure on the registration form. Payment is to be made directly and personally to the hotel on checking out. Please note that if you register after the closing date, hotel reservations cannot be guaranteed.
Meals
The lunches and the buffet reception will be served at the Institute’s restaurant. Should you require a special menu (e.g. vegetarian, diabetic), please inform the Programme Organiser so that this can be arranged.
Registration
Kindly complete the registration form and return it before 15 February 2012.
Your name and address will be part of EIPA's database for our mailing purpose only. If you do not want to be included in our mailing database, please tick the box in the registration form.
Confirmation
Confirmation of registration will be forwarded to participants on receipt of the completed registration form.
Payment
Prior payment is a condition for participation. Please indicate the method of payment on the registration form. For cancellations received within 15 days before the activity begins, we will have to charge an administration fee of € 150 unless a replacement participant is found.
Cancellation policy
EIPA reserves the right to cancel the seminar up to 2 weeks before the starting date. EIPA accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred (travel, hotel, etc.). For EIPA's cancellation policy, please visit our website.
Seminars
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