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Making it happen: How the Structural Funds are implementedESF, the new French case

Lorraine de Bouchony

StatementManaging authorities are used to sub-delegate part of the funding measures under the frame of Structural funds programmes.

Most often, such partnerships have been developed between the state and the local authorities (regional and county councils)

New trendAfter having experienced partnerships with private organisations (only non-profit) in 2000/2006 for small measures, 2007/2013 offers new formal procedures

Global grants schemeIntermediate bodies

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Apart for small budgets delegated to non-profit organisations in some regions (ESF), a new initiative is born :

A call for projects has been published for the ESF

OCTROI D’UNE SUBVENTION GLOBALEAU TITRE DU PROGRAMME OPERATIONNEL DU FONDS SOCIAL EUROPEEN

« COMPETITIVITE REGIONALE ET EMPLOI » 2007/2013 Volet national en faveur d’actions innovantes transnationales

Deadline for submission : October 5 2007Welcomeurope, partner of ECAS – European Citizen Action Service

Why?

How it works?

Who is targeted?

What will be the responsabilities?

Opinion

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Why?Based on ESF articles 3 to 8 « l’innovation, le partenariat, la transnationalité devront faire partie intégrante des programmes opérationnels ; les autorités de gestion doivent déterminer les modalités les plus adéquates ainsi que les thématiques les plus appropriées de mise en œuvre ».

= The state recognises the lack of competences at internal level, taking into account the experience of EQUAL initiative: rules of projects management and expertise required for transnational cooperations.

MA have to find the

best way to implement

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How it works?

3 categories of financed actions

Transnational projects (beneficiaires) = core of the programme

Leadership of the all process / mechanism

Technical assistance (project building and reporting procedures)

!! Of course, it can not be itself beneficiary of grants under the 1st activity !!

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Who is targeted?

Any public or private body

Organisation acting at national level = French coverage and recognition

Able to mobilise different potential operators and qualitative ones = large communication tools

Able to make them work together = networking

Able to assist them in the designing and implementation of transnational projects = used to European dimension and benefiting from internal competent human resources

Used to lead innovative initiatives and partnerships

sector orientedEmployment

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What will be the responsabilities?

The publishing of the calls for projects (1st semester 2008)All supports dedicated to projects leadersThe procedure for preparing applications (instruction des dossiers)Selection of the projects (on prior selection by National programming committee)The convention agreement processThe management and the monitoring of operationsThe first level controls (also in situ)The archivage storageIts own control on its monitoring and control systemsAnnual reports on financed actions and on controls.

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Opinion

Recognition by the state itself of its own incapability?

An independent intermediate body instead of a technical secretariat… why?

Is it a way to select public bodies while respecting competition law?

Very few private non-profit organisations able to answer such eligibility criteria but it makes sense to promote the non-profit organisations to be recognised as such potential bodies!

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o Thank you for your attention

o Questions?

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