Joint Operational Programme Romania-Ukraine-Moldova 2007-2013

1. Ministry of Development, Public Works and Housing in Romania Directorate for International Territorial Co-operation Joint Operational Programme Romania-Ukraine-Moldova 2007-2013

2. Content • General information about the programme -programme aim, priorities and measures, potential beneficiaries, budget, area of the programme etc) • Programme implementation and financial arrangements • Application form

3. Programme Aim • The aim of the programme is to improve the economic, social and environmental situation in the programme area, in the context of safe and secure borders, through increased contact of partners on both sides of the border.

4. Programme Budget • The Community overall financial contribution to the programme will be 126.718067 million EURO. • The partner countries shall contribute from own resources with an amount of at least 10% of the EU contribution, minus the amount of technical assistance financed from Community contribution.

5. Core Area • ·In Romania, the counties of Suceava, Botosani, Iasi, Vaslui, Galati and Tulcea. • ·In Ukraine, the oblasts of Odesska and Chernivetska • ·In Moldova, the whole country.

6. Adjoining Regions • ·In Romania, the county of Braila • ·In Ukraine, the oblasts of Ivano-Frankivska, and Vinnytska plus ten districts of Khmelnytska Oblast and the twelve districts in the oblast of Ternopilska.

7. Potential beneficiaries • For each priority, the main typologies of potential beneficiaries are specified, according to the variety and complexity of the activities to be carried out, and the list includes, inter alia, public bodies and local, regional and central administrations, universities, NGOs, chambers of commerce.

8. Eligibility criteria for applicants • Existence of a partner on the other side of the border • At least one partner must have Romanian nationality and the other must have Ukrainian/Moldavian nationality. Projects between partners from Ukraine and Moldova only, will not be accepted. The Lead Partner and the partners must have the headquarters in the eligible area of the programme.

9. The management and administration of the programme • organised according to the Commission Regulation (EC) No 951/5007 laying down the implementing rules for ENPI CBC, and consist of the following joint structures: • Joint Monitoring Committee • Joint Managing Authority • Joint Technical Secretariat • Audit Authority

10. Joint Structures

11. National Authorities • Are counterparts of the Managing Authority in the programme preparation period, responsible for co-ordination of programming process in partner countries. • The National Authorities of participating neighbouring countries will sign the Financing Agreement with the European Commission regulating the responsibilities between the participating countries.

12. National Authorities

13. PRIORITIES AND MEASURES OF THE PROGRAMME .

14. Priority 1: Towards a more competitive border economy • The aim of the Priority 1 is to improve the economic performance of the border area through the diversification and modernisation in a sustainable manner, of the border economy. • Measures underpinning this priority will be: • 1.1 Improving the productivity and competitiveness of the region’s urban and rural areas by working across borders • 1.2 Cross-border initiatives in transport, border infrastructure and energy

15. Priority 2: Environmental challenges and emergency preparedness • The aim of the priority will be to develop long term solutions to the environmental problems faced by the border areas, particularly those associated with water and sewerage management systems as well asenvironmental emergencies, where a co-ordinated approach is essential

16. Priority 2: Environmental challenges and emergency preparedness Measures underpinning this priority will be: • 2.1 Addressing strategic cross-border environmental challenges including emergency preparedness. • 2.2 Water supply, sewerage and waste management

17. Priority 3: People to People Co-operation • The aim of this priority is to promote greater interaction between people and communities living in the border areas. • Measures underpinning this priority will be: • 3.1 Local and regional governance, support to civil society and local communities. 3.2 Educational, social and cultural exchanges.

18. PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION AND FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS .

19. Nature of the projects • o      Integrated projects, where partners carry out part of the activities of the joint project for their respective side of the border; • o      Symmetrical projects, where similar activities are carried out in parallel on both sides of the border; • o      Simple projects with a cross-border effect, taking place mainly or entirely on one side of the border but for the benefit of all or some of the partners involved in the programme on both sides of the border.

20. Nature of the projects • The grant cannot have the purpose or effect of producing a profit for the beneficiary or its partners.

21. The grant beneficiary (lead partner) • For each operation, a project beneficiary that will act as a lead partner shall be appointed by the partners among themselves. • The project will be presented by the beneficiary (lead partner) who will act as the only direct contact between the project and the joint management bodies of the programme

22. The beneficiary (lead partner) shall assume the following responsibilities: - shall sign the partnership agreement and declarations. - it shall submit the project application - it shall sign the contract with the Joint Managing Authority for the whole project budget. - it shall be responsible for ensuring the implementation of the entire operation; In this respect it shall ensure the project management and overall co-ordination of the project activities.

23. The beneficiary (lead partner) shall assume the following responsibilities: - it shall ensure the monitoring and reporting about progress of the whole project in the framework of the agreed monitoring system. In this respect it shall collect information about all project components implemented by all partners.   - it shall ensure that the expenditure presented by the partners participating in the operation has been validated as according to Practical Guide to contract procedures for EC external actions; It shall submit the payment claims to the JTS on the basis of the grant contract;

24. The beneficiary (lead partner) shall assume the following responsibilities: - it shall repay the JMA for the amounts unduly paid for the project. • - it shall facilitate the audit trail by all relevant EC and national authorities, which also includes keeping of documents

25. The partner in a project • The partner in a project shall assume the following responsibilities: • a) it shall be responsible for ensuring the implementation of the part of the project under its responsibility, according to the project plan and to the partnership agreement signed with the lead partner • b) it shall cooperate with the beneficiary in the implementation of the project, reporting and monitoring • c) it shall assume responsibility in the event of any irregularity in its own declared expenditures, and must repay the beneficiary (lead partner) the amounts unduly paid.

26. Eligibility of costs • The following direct costs of the Beneficiary and his partners shall be eligible: - the cost of staff assigned to the Action, corresponding to actual salaries plus social security charges and other remuneration-related costs;

27. Eligibility of costs - travel and subsistence costs for staff and other persons taking part in the Action, provided they do not exceed those normally borne by the Beneficiary or his partners, as the case may be.

28. Eligibility of costs - purchase or rental costs for equipment and supplies (new or used) specifically for the purposes of the Action, and costs of services, provided they correspond to market rates; – costs of consumables; – subcontracting expenditure;

29. Eligibility of costs - costs deriving directly from the requirements of the Contract (dissemination of information, evaluation specific to the Action, audits, translation, reproduction, insurance, etc.) including financial service costs (in particular the cost of transfers and financial guarantees).

30. Co-financing rules • Beneficiaries and their partners should contribute to the project budget with an amount equivalent to 10% of the EU contribution to the project.

31. Size of projects • The thresholds for the project size are between 30.000 – 2 million Euros as a rule, while the projects of a larger value will be encouraged. • The specific size will be set up at the priority/measure level, before the call for proposals, subject to the JMC decision.

32. Use of languages • The official language used in the Programme is English. • The call for proposal will be launched in the national language of each country, but the applications must be submitted in English.

33. Provisional indicative timetable • Estimation for Launching the first call of proposals: semester II of the year 2008

34. Application Form .

35. Application Form A. Concept Note 1.Relevance of the Action 2.Description of the action and its effectiveness 3.Sustainability of the action B. Full Application Form I. The Action II. The Applicant III. Partners of the Applicant Participating in the Action IV. Associates of the Applicant Participating in the Action V. Checklist VI. Declaration by the Applicant VII. Assessment Grid –used by the Joint Managing Authority

36. Application Form Concept Note -does not exceed 4 full pages -drafted as clearly as possible to facilitate its assessment -is the first step of the evaluation

37. Concept Note 1.  Relevance of the Action  Provide a general presentation and analysis of the problems and their interrelation at all levels.  Identify clearly specific problems to be addressed by the action.  Include a brief description of the target groups and final beneficiaries. •  Demonstrate the relevance of the proposal to the needs and constraints in general of the target country(ies) or region(s) and to the target groups/final beneficiary groups in particular. •  Demonstrate the relevance of the proposal to the priorities and requirements presented in the Guidelines.

38. Concept Note 2. Description of the action and its effectiveness •  Provide a description of the proposed action including, where relevant, background information that led to the presentation of this proposal. This should include:  a description of the overall objective of the action, outputs and expected results;  a description of the proposed activities and their effectiveness;

39. .Concept Note •  involvement of implementing partners, their role and relationship to the applicant, if applicable, and the applicant's relationship with them;  other possible stakeholders (national, local government, private sector, etc.), their anticipated role and/or potential attitudes towards the project.

40. Concept Note • 3.   Sustainability of the action •  Provide an initial risk analysis and eventual contingency plans. This should include at minimum a list of risks associated for each action proposed accompanied by a relevant mitigation measures. A good risk analysis would include a range of risk types including physical, environmental, political, economic and social risks.

41. Concept Note  Give the main preconditions and assumptions during and after the implementation phase. •  Explain how sustainability will be secured after completion of the action. This can include aspects of necessary follow-up activities, built-in strategies, ownership etc., if any.

42. Application Form Full Application Form - the action - the applicant (experience!) • partners of the applicant participating in the action( Description of the partners and partnership statement) • Associates of the applicant participating in the action • Declaration by the applicant (declares that has the sources of financing and professional competence and qualifications to develop the project)

43. Useful links www.ro-ua-md.net www.mdlpl.ro www.infocooperare.ro PRAG: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/work/procedures/implementation/practical_guide/index_en.htm Grant annexes: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/work/procedures/implementation/grants/annexes_standard_documents/index_en.htm