Katarina Ivanković Knežević, Assistant Minister

Ministry of Labour and Pension System, Republic of Croatia

European Parliament, Bruxelles, 7 April 2016

GDP p.c. in 2012:

Adriatic Croatia = 62,1% EU - 27

Continental Croatia = 64,1%

EU-27

Total ESI Funds= 10,7 billion EUR

Croatia joined EU in July 2013

In order to use ESI funds 2007-2013 (allocation for 6 months) negotiations and adoption of OP’s was undertaken in period 2012-2013

Accreditation for 2007-2013 acquired in 2014

New procedures and changes of institutional set-up (new MIS)

Late start of tendering procedures led to a delay in implementation

2016 – crucial year for absorption of ESI funds 2007-2013

Absorption rate until 29.2.2016.

= 58%

Programme Date of approval

PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT between Croatia and the European

Commission for the period 2014-2020

30.10.2014.

Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Cohesion 13.12.2014.

Operational Programme Efficient Human Resources 18.12.2014.

Rural Development Programme 26.5.2015.

Operational Programme for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries 6.11.2015.

5 cross-border cooperation programmes

4 transnational cooperation programmes

4 interregional cooperation programmes

2007-2013

(million €)

2014-2020

(million €)

EFRR (2007-2013)/ ERDF (2014-2020) 424.7 4.321

ESF 152.4 1.516

Cohesion Fund 281 2.559

TOTAL Cohesion 858.3 8.397

EAFRD* - 2.026

EMFF 8.7 252.6

Number of OP’s 5 4

Number of cohesion regions 2 2

* 2007-2013 IPARD allocation = 136,8 M EUR

General ex-ante conditionalities (6) Thematic ex-ante conditionalities (17)

6 unfulfilled 14 unfulfilled

Antidiscrimination

Gender equality

Disabilities

Public procurement

State Aid

Environmetal sub legislation

Research and innovation

Infrastructure for research and innovation

Digital growth

Infrastructure for next generation networks

Small Business Act

Water sector

Waste sector

Transport

Railway

Other modes of transport

Health

Lifelong learning

National strategic policy framework for VET

Public administration

Operational Programme 2017. 2018.

Efficient Human Resources 158 million € 222 million €

Competitiveness and Cohesion 378.3 million €

851 million €

EAFRD+EMFF

/ 518 million €

Operational Programme

Efficient Human Resources

Priority axes

Contracted Payed (31 March 2016)

1. Employment 180.287.144,00 0

2. Social inclusion 12.000.000,00 0

3. Education 20.121.643,44 1.952.907,37

4. Good governance 0 0

5. Technical Assistance 41.009.636,21

0

TOTAL 253.418.423,65 1.952.907,37

REGULATION (EU) 2015/779 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 20 May 2015 amending Regulation (EU) No 1304/2013, as regards an additional initial pre-financing amount paid to operational programmes supported by the Youth Employment Initiative

Additional pre-financing for Croatia - 19.191.371,76 €

Interim payment application - by 23 May 2016

Operations under YEI contracted - end 2015

Implementation and verifications ongoing – target in May 2016 - 9.595.685,88 €

Accreditation as a precondition for submission of payment request!

Accreditation ongoing for all OP’s

Management information system in place (collection of micro-data required for ESF related to the eligibility of participants and eligibility of costs – additional micro-data IT system at the level of ESF MA)

Simplification – still a lot of misunderstanding at the level of MS’s on Simplified cost options (especially on direct implementation of Regulation and the role and principles of delegated acts)

Change of procedures in order to speed up all phases of the implementation of operations

Administrative capacities (sufficient number, qualified, continued education and trainings)

ESI funds as a support to reform processes in EU MS’s

Close link to European semester and fulfillment of CSR’s

More efforts to themes of a common interest Transnational cooperation

Integrated territorial investments

Simplified cost options