Preparing the ground for EU funds:Creating a pipeline of project ideas for Croatia’s less developed areas

Zagreb, January 20, 2014

1. The context

2. About the project

The context

• UNDP Croatia Local Development programme present in the most underdeveloped counties for 8 years – over 400 different projects implemented

• Aware of the problems in accessing pre-accession funding at local level – may multiply when accessing Structural and Investment Funds

• Anticipate the problems that the Government will face – systemic, staff, financing, capacity to plan (integrated approach!) and implement at local and regional level

• the niche – where UNDP can actually make a difference with its own resources

The Project

Background info:• Started in August 2013• Duration: 15 months• 3 counties (underdeveloped)• Focus on ERDF, other Funds to be considered in an

“integrated” approach • Total budget: USD 600,000 (1/3 UNDP, 2/3 Government)• UNDP’s existing LD team + close co-operation with

County development agencies + synegy with other UNDP Croatiaportfolios: Green and Social inclusion + outsourcing only when necessary

The Project

Activities:• individual meetings with all possible stakeholders

from all sectors → assessment of the existing project ideas and proposals

• Analysis of the existing strategic and programming documents → setting the framework: developing more precise “strategic guidelines”

• Information workshops – general and specific → developing new ideas

• “Project clinics” → shaping the new ideas into projects

The Project

Outputs:• “Strategic guidelines” for programming the

Structural and investment funds for each of the 3 counties

• A catalogue of at least 2 bigger projects with regional impact (> 3m€) and 3 “packages” of at least 5 smaller projects per county

• Pre-feasibility studies and basic project documentation for projects with regional impact

• Documented methodology of work + templates

The Project

Early results – examples of project ideas that need further development:

• Lika-Senj county: 4 nature and national parks → a “package” of projects that should create more benefits for the local community: community infrastructure, upgrading tourism infrastructure and offer, branding and marketing of local products, etc..

• Sisak-Moslavina county: Energy efficiency measures in public buildings; Commercial and community utilization of thermal water springs; etc..

• Karlovac county: Innovation centre for metal processing industry; Kupa river basin tourism potentials; etc..

THANK YOU!

nenad.kocmur@undp.org