Selection of Project Applications for EU Funds in the Programming Period 2007-2013

1. Selection of Project Applications for EU Funds in the Programming Period 2007-2013 Linda BarbaraDeputy Head of EU Funds Legal Division, EU Funds and International Affairs Department, Ministry of Finance 8 November 2007, Riga Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

2. Contents • Legal framework for selection of project applications for EU Funds in 2007-2013 • Elaboration, coordination and approval of project application appraisal criteria • Types of project application appraisal criteria • Selection of project applications for EU Funds • Peculiarities of selection and approval of large-scale project applications Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

3. Legal Framework of the European Union • Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 of 11 July 2006 laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No1260/1999, Article 65 –the Monitoring Committee shall consider and approve the criteria for selecting the operations financed within six months of the approval of the operational programme Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

4. National Legal Framework • European Union Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund Management Law (in effect as of 1 March 2007) • Cabinet Regulation of 26 June 2007 No 419 “Procedure in which Institutions Involved in the Management of Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund Ensure the Preparation of Programming Documents and Implementation of these Funds” • Approximately 130 Cabinet Regulations on activity implementation according to delegation under the EU SF and CF Management Law, Section 18, Paragraph 10 (the regulations for implementation of the activity shall be issued by 31 December 2010) Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

5. Elaboration, Coordination and Approval of Project Application appraisal Criteria • Project application appraisal criteria shall be elaborated by the Responsible Body • The Responsible Body shall publish the appraisal criteria on its Web site in the Internet • The Responsible Body shall facilitate the public discussion of the appraisal criteria • Prior to the Monitoring Committee the Responsible Body shall send the Managing Authority a draft of the appraisal criteria for review • The appraisal criteria shall be approved by the Monitoring Committee • The approved appraisal criteria shall be included in the Cabinet Regulation on activity implementation Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

6. Public Discusion of Project Application appraisal Criteria • Informācija būs vēlāk no Sandas Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

7. Types of Project Application appraisal Criteria • Quality criteria • Eligibility criteria • Administrative criteria Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

8. Types of Project Application appraisal Criteria • Quality criteria • The appraisal provides an indication of the efficiency with which the project reaches the objectives of the activity • Appraisal by giving score • The minimum score to be reached by each appraisal of the criteria and/or sum of appraisal has to be set (if not reached, the project application is rejected) • The appraisal scores should also include priority ranking of the project applications Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

9. Examples of Quality Criteria • Net present value of a project (the higher the value, the higher the score) • Quality benefits, e.g. thermal energy saved per each EUR/LVL invested • Efficiency of the offered solution (to what extent the offered solution will allow improving traffic safety) • To what extent does the project ensures provision of services to the respective target groups • Education, experience of the personnel engaged in the project • Level of innovation that would be ensured through implementation of the project Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

10. Quality Criteria: Horizontal Priorities • The horizontal priorities stated in the NSRF: • Balanced territorial development • International competitiveness of Rīga • Infomation society • Equal opportunities • Macroeconomic stability • Sustainable development • Should implementation of the project provide for reaching the goals of the horizontal priorities, the project application receives bonus points Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

11. Quality Criteria: Horizontal Priorities Examples • Equal opportunities: Are at least 3% of the computer hardware acquired in the framework of the project suited for use by people with special needs? • Balanced territorial development: Preference is given to project applicants - local governments with lower development index. • Sustainable development: Partial or complete transfer to renewable energy resources is done as a result of project implementation. • Macroeconomic stability: The requested support intensity is reduced by more than 5 percentage points from the maximum support intensity allowed for a project. Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

12. Types of Project Application appraisal Criteria • Eligibility criteria • The appraisal provides an indication whether the implementation of the project should be permited by the nature of it • Evaluated with “YES” or “NO” Examples: • The project applicant meets the requirements set forth by the Cabinet Regulations • The estimated costs do not exceed the limit set forth by the Cabinet Regulations • The indicators planned in the project are clearly defined and quantifiable Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

13. Types of Project Application appraisal Criteria • Administrative criteria • The appraisal provides an indication whether the format of the project application is according to the requirements set forth • Evaluated with “YES” or “NO” Examples: • The required attachments are enclosed with the project application • The project application is submitted in the required number of copies • The project application is stitch-bound Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

14. Categories of Project Application appraisal Criteria • There are 2 categories of project application appraisal criteria: • The criteria that, if evaluated negatively, cause the project application to be rejected • The criteria that, if evaluated negatively, cause the project application to receive conditional approval Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

15. Administrative Requirements for Project Applications • A project application shall not be evaluated if at least one of the following conditions is true: • exceeded submission deadline; • not submitted in PC printed format; • not submitted in Latvian; • not invited to submit a project application (applicable only for restricted selection of project applications) Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

16. Types of Selection of Project Applications for European Union Funds Open selection of project applications for EU Funds Projects to be supported are selected based on competitive principles. The project applicants compete for approval of their project application and allocation of funding from the EU Funds. Support is granted to projects that receive the highest score according to the appraisal criteria for quality of the project applications. 16 Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

17. Types of Selection of Project Applications for European Union Funds Restricted selection of project applications for EU Funds There is a pre-selected list of project applicants for EU Funds invited to submit their project applications The government has approved the sectoral development strategy setting forth the priority projects to be implemented or a limited scope of beneficiaries The potential beneficiaries are listed in the Operational Programmes Thus the resources of both the project applicants and the evaluators are saved Approval and funding provided to project applications for EU Funds that meet the appraisal criteria for EU Funds project applications 17 Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

18. Open Selection of Project Applications for EU Funds • CONDITIONAL APPROVAL • The project applicant meets the deadline • for activities required by RB/CB • if complies – agreement or contract signed • if not – no agreement or • contract signed REJECTION If project application does not meet the appraisal criteria, it is rejected and agreement or contract is not signed Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

19. Restricted Selection of Project Applications for EU Funds • CONDITIONAL APPROVAL • The project applicant meets the deadline • for activities required by RB/CB • if complies – agreement or contract signed • if not – no agreement or • contract signed REJECTED If project application does not meet the appraisal criteria, it is rejected and agreement or contract is not signed Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

20. Peculiarities of Selection and Approval of Large-scale Project Applications Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance

21. Thank you! Managing Authority of EU Funds – Ministry of Finance