Partners and cross-border cooperation

1. Partners and cross-border cooperation Annual Conference and Contact Forum “Strategic Cooperation - United by Borders” Estonia-Latvia-Russia ENPI CBC Programme 2007-2013 St-Petersburg, 16 November 2011

2. Why a partnership? • Address common challenges jointly (example: cross-border pollution) • Jointly develop opportunities (example: cross-border tourism) • Share experience and good practice on issues of common interest (example: regional development)

3. Working together is what defines ENPI CBC • ENPI CBC aims at unifying different actors from EU and Russia in a partnership around shared needs • Different views on the same subject means also a higher potential for stronger and more strategically relevant results • ENPI CBC projects: • Can’t just be built on contents but also on the quality of partnerships needed to implement them • Should integrate the right partners in order to secure that key stakeholders’ interests are taken on board

4. What makes a good partnership • Quality vs quantity: the question of being a successful partnership is not “how many” but “which” partners • The partnership should: • Have a sufficient, balanced, cross-border dimension • Be promoted horizontally, as relevant (among different socio economic and policy actors: administration, business associations, universities, etc.) • Include organisations not only from one sector (e.g. universities) but also from other sectors affected by the project (key stakeholders) • Include partners that can provide added value to the project (e.g. a media partner if you need to raise awareness)

5. Role of partners • Beneficiary (Lead Partner): • Applicant • Signs the Grant Contract • Responsible for overall project implementation • Partners • Partnership Statement in application • Partnership Agreement with Beneficiary • Implement jointly the Action

6. Capacity of partners • Beneficiary should have: • Appropriate project management experience • Sufficient financial capacity (transfer of funds…) • Appropriate human resources • Both Beneficiary and partners should have: • Capacity to receive and properly use funds • Management capacity (qualified staff, equipment) • Sufficient sources of finance to implement activities • Capacity to ensure results are sustained and project records are kept (for 7 years after receiving the last payment)

7. Who else may be involved in the project? • Associates • Do not need to meet the eligibility criteria • Must be described and justified in the application form • May not receive funding (except per diem and travel) • May play a real role in the action • Subcontractors • Contracted specifically for some works, supplies, services • Names must NOT be mentioned in the application form (tendering procedure) • Limited portion of the Action

8. Building partnerships and moving forward The clock is ticking! Let’s look at the steps for preparing ENPI CBC project proposals