government of the republic of macedonia secretariat for european affairs conference "effective...

Government of the Republic of MacedoniaSecretariat for European Affairs

Conference "Effective Support for Enlargement", Brussels 19.10.2009

Effective Support for Enlargement

Panel II: Adequate capacity for absorbing

financial assistance

-setting the decentralised management in the candidate countries-



Absorption capacity (main elements) -Macedonian case-

• Macroeconomic absorption capacity (as % of GDP)

• Financial absorption capacity (ability to co-finance)

• Administrative absorption capacity (demand side-to generate projects, supply side-to manage the funds)

• Not a constraint in the pre-accession period

• The intention to increase the co-financing rate beyond the thresholds

• Supply and demand of mature and ready-to-go projects, to cope with reporting requirements, to supervise implementation, and to avoid irregularities,– Structures,– Human resources,– Tools



Overall status

• Programming

• Implementation

• Monitoring

• Evaluation

• Relevant experience accumulated

• Conferral of management ongoing

• Shadow phase introduced

• Country Interim evaluation Programme introduced



Implementation



Structures

Operating structures established per component in line with WLA and act of Systematizations and rule book of working post adopted accordingly:

• IPA component 1 – 166 employees • IPA component 2 – 28 employees • IPA component 3 – 46 employees• IPA component 4 – 40 employees• IPA component 5 – 120 employees



Capacity Building

Conducted trainings thus far:

• monitoring and evaluation, procurement, grant schemes, financial management, risk management, irregularities, work load analysis, techniques of writing PFs and ToR, and soft skills for less than 2000 civil servants

• Training of Trainers



Procedures

Written procedures prepared:

• Programming manuals, NAO, CFCD and NF Internal procedure Manuals, SPO manual of procedures, Monitoring and evaluation manuals, Communication guide, Decrees, Project Implementation manual, etc )



Component III Regional Development -status and main challenges-

• Programming

• Conferral of Management

• OP revision

• Implementation

• Donors, IFIs and CSOs consultation

• 2 major projects prepared, implementation to follow

• 24 July 2009, FA entered into force on 18 September 2009,

• Ongoing • First installment transferred,

procurement process ongoing

• Regular consultation process is ensured




Component IV Human Resources Development-status and main challenges-

• ProgrammingProgramming

• Conferral of Conferral of ManagementManagement

• OP revisionOP revision

• ImplementationImplementation

• Donors, CSOs, social Donors, CSOs, social partners consultationspartners consultations

• Envisaged projects in three priority axes

• 16 October 2009 Commission Decision, FA signing in procedure

• Expected at the beginning of 2010 with launching of first calls for applications

• Regular consultation process established



Component V Rural Development-status and main challenges-

• Unique structure

• Programming

• Conferral of Management

• IPARD campaign

• Implementation

• MA and IPARD established

• IPARD Programme approved

• Accreditation package submitted, CoM expected in November 2009

• Launching - end of October 2009

• Beginning of 2010



Component I Transition Assistance and Institution Building

– status and main challenges-

• Programming • Conferral of

Management

• Implementation

• Annual Programmes up to 2009, programming 2010 ongoing

• Expected first quarter 2010• Lessons learned applied• Co-financing and ownership

increased

• CPs, CAs and MBs coordination mechanism established

• ToRs prepared during programming process

• Revision of threshold of MIPD per priority axes



COMPONENT II Cross Border Cooperation – status and main challenges-

• Programming

• Implementation

• Co-financing

• Partnerships

• Info campaign

• 4 CBC OPs approved, CBC OP with northern border to be initiated

• Centralized management ongoing, DIS structure to be established

• Fiscal Decentralisation versus Co-financing arrangements

• Promotion of sustainable partnerships

• Info days and partner matching events organised



Monitoring and Evaluation Schemes

• Monitoring

• Evaluation

• Procedures established • Transitional phase ongoing,

Operating structures to take over the responsibility to perform monitoring activities

• Clear segregation of responsibilities between NIPAC office and CFCD

• Capacity building for Interim evaluation



Wider environmental framework

• PIFC

• Public Procurement

• Internal Budgetary procedures

• Internal audit units established in 49 public sector entities on central level and 39 on local level. (121 internal auditors employed)

• Strategy for development of the system for public procurement, aimed for strengthening of capacity and system of public procurement is ongoing

• Co-financing obligation incorporated in the budgetary procedure.

• Further harmonization of relevant acquis



• To finalise the conferral of management processes in the 1 quarter of 2010;

• Retention policy of civil servants;• Capacity Building and increase of number of

employees as per WLA;• Increase capacities of the potential beneficiaries

outside administration;• OPs revisions• Increase of number of participation in the CPs

and CAs

IMMEDIATE CHALLENGES AHEAD –



Mid-term and long term steps

• Maintaining of the conferral of management powers

• Minimize the staff turnover

• Institution building of new IA’s

• Absorption capacity (building) for Structural and Cohesion Funds… from 2014? or earlier?

government of the republic of macedonia secretariat for european affairs conference "effective...

Documents

implementation slide

enlargement panel

employees ipa component

tools slide

financial management

programming manuals

candidate countries

risk management