Annual meeting with ETC programmes

22-23 April 2013 | Brussels

Harmonised Tools for ETC Financial Management

HIT Financial Package, including:HIT Financial Package, including:

• Eligibility of expenditure: budget line fact sheets

• FLC Checklist and Certificate

• State aid and ETC

• Tools for Audit Authorities

• …

ETC can best contribute to EU 2020, if:

1) ETC eligibility rules are based on a common, well–defined set of rules

2) State aid rules are adapted / clarified to make them work in a multi-country ETC context

ETC eligibility rules should be based on a common, well–defined set of rules•5 fact sheets for 5 budget lines (staff costs, office and administration, external services and experts, travel and accommodation, equipment and investment) •Eligible and ineligible costs, examples of programme-specific rules, etc. •Harmonised approach to calculating eligible cost, simplified cost options, etc. •Matching FLC report and checklist

ETC Eligibility rules

To make this work:• We hope for all provision in a Delegated act • Additional programme-specific provisions in ETC

programme rules• National rules for ETC should be adapted to EU and

programme rules (few exceptions, eg: public procurement)

ETC eligibility rules should be based on a common, well–defined set of rules

ETC Eligibility rules

ETC fears State aid control

State aid and ETC

Of the ETC programmes that responded to the survey  (33 TN+CBC):In the current period •About 50% of the ETC programmes do NOT allow SMEs as project partners. •Of these 40% explicitly mention state aid as a main reason. Only 1 programme clearly said the reason is not related to state aid.   

7

State aid and ETC

INTERACT Survey: Involvement of SMEs in ETC

In the future period: •All programmes currently involving SMEs also consider SMEs for the next period. •Many consider allowing SMEs for the first time. •Among the programmes having experience with SME involvement, at least 65% consider state aid as a main issue to be solved.   

INTERACT Survey: Involvement of SMEs in ETC

8

State aid and ETC

• Yes• Guidance needed:

• What is state aid, what is not?• How can the rules work in a multi-country

context (e.g., one country registering / notifying aid for other countries, de minimis)?

• What are best practices of ETC programmes?

Can ETC learn how to function better within the current state aid framework?

State aid and ETC

Can the red SME receive de minimis from the ETC programme?

Is de minimis EU-wide or national?

10

Country 1/ MA Country 2Has reached the de minimis limit in its country

SME

SME

Has NOT reached the de minimis limit in its

country ?

State aid and ETC

“State aid rules were made for the national context and work well in the national context. Why not make them work for cooperation?”

11

State aid and ETC

ETC is hoping for provision specifically for ETC  in one or more of the state aid instruments

A tool that:allows the same co-financing rates for all countries, types of partners and types of activities within ETCdoes not require excessive analyses in all participating countries leads to attractive co-financing rates that take the additional burden of cooperation into account

Provision specifically for ETC

State aid and ETC

To make it work for ETC additional consideration are necessary: •The scope should be extended to cover all cooperation activities not just those related to ‘investments’.•The aid ceilings should be based on easy to assess criteria such as the total partner budget outlined in the application form rather than the highest investment or eligible costs.•?Are there also solutions for programmes not covering regional aid map areas? Eg, Possible solutions in other categories of aid?

Article 78 of the draft RAG A single aid ceiling for all cooperation

partners

State aid and ETC

• Repsond to the consultations!• Contact your national state aid experts and make them respond,

too!• Let your opinion be heard!

Your support is needed!!!

14

Sign up for: http://groupspaces.com/INTERACTFinanceManagementto receive information about public consultations: de minimis and GBER

State aid and ETC

ETC loves State aid controlState aid and ETC