EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

BSS Laboratory group findings & suggestions

Ms. Riitta Ahdan IP Turku

8 July 2009 | Brussels

Laboratory Group on EU Strategy for Baltic Sea Region

Outline for the presentationÞ The task & the preambleÞ Working means Þ The foreseen structureÞ The 4 key questionsÞ Facilitation and needsÞ Suggestions for programmesÞ Working with International Funding

Institutions

Laboratory Group on EU Strategy for Baltic Sea Region

PreambleÞ support the overall coordination

aim of the strategy Þ define the implications on

programmes already adopted Þ to seek operative solutions

to identified points Þ to identify consequences

on programme management

Working means• Group represents operational programmes in the region• Continuous briefing on the development by DG Regio• 4 meetings from 5 February to 11 June 2009

• Written responses to 4 key questions• Workshops to analyse and suggest an

approach • 13 members representing:

ETC programmes (CBC and Transnationals)Convergence and Competitiveness Objective programmesENPI programme representationEU/DG RegioSwedish Agency for Economic and Regional GrowthInternational Funding Institutions

Laboratory Group on EU Strategy for Baltic Sea Region

EUROPEAN COUNCIL

EUROPEAN COMMISSIONTASK FORCE (4)Core within DG REGIO

HIGH LEVEL WORKING GROUP (10-15)National coordinatorsTechnical secretariat

outside the commission (existing organisation ???)

Organising stakeholder ConferencesLiaison with the ground

15 Priority Areas Coordinators70 Flagship Projects / LeadersProgrammes => Annual report on implementation / Reporting to DG REGIO

Finan-cial

Expert Group“IFIs”

Laboratory Group on EU Strategy for Baltic Sea Region

The foreseen structure for future work with the Strategy

Responses to 4 key questions• How does the Baltic Sea Strategy affect respective programmes?

• How could programme work be organised to facilitate implementation of the strategy?

• What necessary steps need to be taken concerning application procedures etc?

• How could cooperation with other financial instruments be organised in order to implement actions mentioned in the strategy?

Laboratory Group on EU Strategy for Baltic Sea Region

Raise Awareness of MA/JTS/AA/CA/MC/SC

Change Attitudes, campaigns

How to Facilitate

To identify Flagship projects and to find partnership to stimulate project

developments and support

Laboratory Group on EU Strategy for Baltic Sea Region

Raise Awareness MA/JTS/AA/CA/MC/SC

Labelling ”BSS” by linking regional activities to Flagship projects

Change Attitudes campaigns

Review selection process in line with BSS (Joint Understanding?)

How to Facilitat

e

To identify projects to fit into Flagship projects and to stimulate project development and support

Laboratory Group on EU Strategy for Baltic Sea Region

Coordination and training needs for programmes

• Joint workshops and trainings for beneficiaries in the region

• Coordination of assessors to reach a joint understanding &

Training of assessors to apply jointly agreed criteria

• Joint calls vs. targeted calls

• Joint evaluation and monitoring at Flagship level(quality, political, strategic)

Laboratory Group on EU Strategy for Baltic Sea Region

Address the leader country of Priority Area or the Flagship (leader / labelling

role)

Each programme to identify parts of the strategy they would like to be part of

Asking DG REGIO for Advice and completing the financial plan (via

geodesk or taskforce)

Laboratory Group on EU Strategy for Baltic Sea Region

Developing a joint partner search tool for the Baltic Sea Region

Working together with the Financial Expert Group

How to work with International Financial Institutions• Arrange information activities to explain how IFI:s can be

involved and what the basic requirements are in order for projects to be “bankable”

• Ask projects to prepare “roadmaps for financing” already in the application & implementation phase

• Initialise a sector related “pilot workshop“ in e.g. transport including IFI:s to identify bankable projects

• JTS will analyse potential for bankable projects• IFIs follows projects during implementation (Expert Group)• Disseminate “success stories”

Laboratory Group on EU Strategy for Baltic Sea Region

How to work with International Financing Institutions• Information activities to explain how IFIs can be involved and what are the basic requirements for projects to be “bankable”

• Ask projects to prepare “roadmaps for financing” already in the application & implementation planning phase

• Initialise a sector related “pilot workshop“ in e.g. transport sector including IFI:s to identify bankable projects• JTS will analyse potential for bankable projects• IFIs follow projects during implementation

(Experts) • Disseminate “success stories”

Laboratory Group on EU Strategy for Baltic Sea Region

Programme Perspective

Identify parts of the

Strategy

Address the

leaders

Joint tools for Flagship partnership

Financial Expert Group

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Laboratory Group on EU Strategy for Baltic Sea Region