Strategic programming: Cohesion policy 2014-2020

1. Strategic programming: Cohesion policy 2014-2020

2. Agenda • General approach to strategic programming • Thematic objectives and investment priorities • Common Strategic Framework • Partnership Contract • Principles of programming and examples of operational programmes • Construction of priority axes • Joint action plans • Performance framework, review and reserve

3. General approach

4. The general approach • Evolution of the present arrangements that already include: • Community Strategic Guidelines at EU level • National Strategic Reference Frameworks • Operational programmes, with objectives, targets, a description of actions and indicators • Possibility for a performance reserve at national level • Monitoring and evaluation Aim for 2014-2020: alignment with EU2020 with enhanced result orientation, making the best use of tools available to ensure effectiveness

6. Thematic Objectives to Deliver Europe 2020 • Strengthening research, technological development and innovation • Enhancing access to, and use and quality of, information and communication technologies • Enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises, the agricultural sector (for the EAFRD) and the fisheries and aquaculture sector (for the EMFF) • Supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors • Promoting climate change adaptation, risk prevention and management • Protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency • Promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures • Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility • Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty • Investing in education, skills and lifelong learning • Enhancing institutional capacity and an efficient public administration

8. Thematic Objectives Thematic objectives constitute the basis for the Common Strategic Framework, which shall outline key actions for each thematic objective In the case of Cohesion Policyevery action financed must be linked to a particular thematic objective Reporting (on financial progress, indicators etc.) can also be linked back to particular thematic objectives Technical assistance is the exception – TA is not linked to any of the thematic objectives

9. Investment priorities Each thematic objective is translated into “investment priorities” (in Fund-specific regulations) The list of investment priorities is exhaustive Investment priorities are also objectives, not types of intervention leaving flexibility to design the optimal mix of actions

10. Investment priorities Example Thematic objective: Promoting climate change adaptation, risk prevention and management Investment priorities (ERDF): supporting dedicated investment for adaptation to climate change promoting investment to address specific risks, ensuring disaster resilience and developing disaster management systems

11. Investment priorities Example Thematic objective Investing in education, skills and life-long learning Investment priorities (ESF): Reducing early school-leaving and promoting equal access to goodqualityearly-childhood, primary and secondary education Improving the quality, efficiency and openness of tertiary andequivalent education with a view to increasing participation andattainment levels Enhancing access to lifelong learning, upgrading the skills andcompetences of the workforce and increasing the labour marketrelevance of education and training systems

12. Investment priorities Example Thematic objective: Protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency: Investment priorities (Cohesion Fund) addressing the significant needs for investment in the waste sector to meet the requirements of the Union's environmental acquis addressing the significant needs for investment in the water sector to meet the requirements of the Union's environmental acquis protecting and restoring biodiversity, including through green infrastructures improving the urban environment, including regeneration of brownfield sites and reduction of air pollution

13. The structure of strategic programming

14. THE COMMON STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK ERDF, ESF, CF, EAFRD, EMFF EU level National level THE PARTNERSHIP CONTRACT ERDF, ESF, CF, EAFRD, EMFF Operational Programmes for ERDF Rural development programmes (EAFRD) Operational Programmes for (EMFF) Operational Programmes for ESF National or regional level Operational Programmes for CF Multifund Operational Programmes for ERDF, ESF, CF

15. Strengthening the Strategic Approach Common Strategic Framework Partnership contract Operational Programmes

16. Timeline • November-December 2011: Communication from the Commission – Common Strategic Framework • January – March 2012: Public consultation on Communication • June 2012: Commission proposal for Common Strategic Framework • During 2012-2013: Dialogue between COM and MS on Partnership contracts and operational programmes • Adoption of legislative package, immediate entry into force + 3 months: COM adopts CSF by delegated act + 6 months: MS to transmit Partnership contracts and programmes (incl. ex-ante evaluations); COM to make observations within 3 months, adoption within 6 months; PC to be adopted before OPs + 9 months: ETC programmes to be submitted to COM • PCs can already be adopted before 2014

17. The Common Strategic Framework

18. The Common Strategic Framework COORDINATION AND COOPERATION TERRITORIAL PILLAR KEY TERRITORIAL CHALLENGES THEMATIC PILLAR KEY ACTIONS FOR EACH THEMATIC OBJECTIVE HORIZONTAL PRINCIPLES AND POLICY OBJECTIVES

19. Common Strategic Framework The added value of the CSF: • Coordination starts from the top – common framework replaces sectoral Community Strategic Guidelines • Facilitates coordination with other EU funding instruments e.g. Horizon 2020, Life+ etc. • Provides an understanding of the key actions required to achieve EU2020 objectives and maps the contribution of each of the CSF Funds in this regard: strategic guidance for planning at national and regional level • Establishes priority areas for cooperation activities (for all CSF Funds, not only ETC) • Ensures better coherence and consistency with the National Reform Programmes

20. Common Strategic Framework The Common Strategic Framework shall establish: for each thematic objective, the key actions to be supported by each CSF Fund; the key territorial challenges for urban, rural, coastal and fisheries areas, as wellas for areas with particular territorial features referred to in Articles 174 and 349of the Treaty, to be addressed by the CSF Funds; horizontal principles and policy objectives for the implementation of the CSFFunds; priority areas for cooperation activities for each of the CSF Funds, whereappropriate, taking account of macro-regional and sea basin strategies; coordination mechanisms among the CSF Funds, and with other relevant Unionpolicies and instruments, including external instruments for cooperation; mechanisms for ensuring the coherence and consistency of the programming ofthe CSF Funds with the country-specific recommendations under Article 121(2)of the Treaty and the relevant Council recommendations adopted under 148(4)of the Treaty.

21. Adoption and review Commission will prepare a communication on the CSF towards the end of 2011 - this will be followed by a public consultation in 2012 (indicative timing: January-March) The results of this public consultation, along with a proposal for the CSF by the Commission should be available by mid- 2012 The aim of this exercise is to provide strategic direction for planning in due time, as formal adoption can only take place after the adoption of the CPR CSF shall be officially adopted by the Commission within 3 months of the adoption of the CPR CSF can be reviewed and revised, if there are major changes to the Union strategy of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth If this takes place, MS should review their PCs and operational programmes to establish whether they are still consistent with the CSF and whether changes are needed Where necessary, MS should submit proposals for amendment of the PC and the operational programmes

22. The Partnership Contract

23. Partnership Contract • Prepared at national level with close involvement of partners • Agreed between the Commission and Member State, includes: • The contribution of the CSF Funds towards the achievement of thematic objectives, translating Europe 2020 priorities in a national and/or regional context • Summary of the main results expected • The main priority areas for cooperation • An integrated approach for territorial development supported by the CSF Funds • Arrangements for effective implementation: involvement of partners, ex-ante conditionalities, performance framework, additionality • Arrangements for efficient implementation: administrative capacity, administrative burden reduction

24. Partnership Contract • Added value of the Partnership Contract • Coordination between CSF Funds at national level • Framework for thematic concentration • Demonstrating overall contribution to EU 2020 • A coherent approach to territorial development at Member State level • Framework for all cooperation activities • Overview of all commitments taken at regional and national level

25. Partnership Contract • The institutional and constitutional arrangements of each Member States shall be respected • Three possible processes for ensuring coherence between EU, national and regional objectives: • Centralised arrangements: PC as the strategic basis for the preparation of operational programmes (top down process) • Mixed arrangements: iterative process between strategic development and the preparation of operational programmes (parallel process) • Federal arrangements: PC is built on commitments taken under regional and national operational programmes (bottom-up process)

26. Adoption and amendment of the partnership contract The Commission shall assess the consistency of the Partnership Contract withtheCPR, with the Common Strategic Framework, and the country-specificrecommendations under Article 121(2) of the Treaty and the Councilrecommendations adopted under 148(4) of the Treaty, taking account of theex ante evaluations of the programmes The Commission shall adopt a decision approving the Partnership Contract within 6 months of its submission If the Common Strategic Framework is revised, the Member Statesshall propose amendments, where necessary, to their Partnership Contract andprogrammes to ensure their consistency with the revised Common Strategic Framework

27. Operational programmes

28. Reinforcing Integrated Programming Integrated programme approach The Common Strategic Framework at EU level and the Partnership Contract at national level covering all the CSF Funds Possibility for Member States to prepare and implement multifund programmes combining ERDF, ESF and the Cohesion Fund Possibility for Member States to establish "multi-category" operational programmes which cover less developed, transition, and more developed regions or any combination of these. ETC programmes are financed only from ERDF

29. Provisions in the regulation • Common provisions for CSF Funds on preparation, adoption and amendment, as well as on the shared elements of the content • Specific provisions on the content of operational programmes under cohesion policy: • Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth • Description of priority axes incl. specific objectives, actions to be financed, indicators, categories of intervention. • Contribution to territorial development • Arrangements to ensure effective implementation • Financing plan • Implementing provisions • Specific actions (related to horizontal principles) • Operational programmes submitted shall be accompanied by the ex-ante evaluation

30. Principles of programming Operational programmes willconstitute the main management and monitoring unit under cohesion policy Member States will have the flexibility to choose the appropriate level of programming. As a general rule, operational programmes under ERDF and ESF should drawn up at the appropriate geographical level and at least at NUTS level 2, in accordance with the institutional system specific to the Member State. Operational programmes can be established both at regional and at national level. Where appropriate, the Member State may reach an agreement with the Commission to prepare operational programmes covering smaller regions than NUTS 2. Operational programmes with support from the Cohesion Fund shall be drawn up at national level.

31. Adoption and amendment of operational programmes The Commission shall assess the consistency of programmes with this Regulation, the Fund-specific rules, their effective contribution to the thematic objectives and the Union priorities specific to each CSF Fund, the Common Strategic Framework, the Partnership Contract, the country-specific recommendations under Article 121(2) of the Treaty and the Council recommendations adopted under 148(4) of the Treaty, taking account of the ex ante evaluation. The Commission shall adopt a decision approving the operational programmes within 6 months of its submission Any amendment to an operational programme shall be duly substantiated and shall set out the expected impact of the amendment. Where necessary the Commission will amend the Partnership Contract at the same time with the amendment of the operational programme

32. Inside the operational programme

33. Programming logic REGULATORY STRUCTURE OP Priority axis Categories of intervention OBJECTIVES Thematic objectives Specific objectives corresponding to investment priorities Actions INDICATORS EU 2020 headline targets, GDP, employment rate Result indicators Output indicators

34. Flexibility

35. Structure of operational programmes The main unit for management and reporting within an operational programme shall continue to be a priority axis: financial tables within operational programmes shall reflect the budget at the level of the priority axis co-financing rate shall be applied to the priority axis The definition of priority axis will however be more standardised than is the case in 2007-2013.

36. Structure of priority axes Each priority axis must correspond to only one thematic objective defined in Article 9 of CPR. A priority axis must correspond to one or more investment priorities defined in the Fund specific regulations falling under the same thematic objective. Therefore it is possible that there will be several priority axes contributing to one thematic objective. Priority axes are mono – fund, even where operational programmes are multi-fund As a general rule not be possible to combine investment priorities under different thematic objectives into a single axis (exception for ESF) The design of priority axes should be proportionate to the amount of funding available

37. Investment priority 1 Priority axis 1 Thematic objective 1 Investment priority 2 Priority axis 2 Investment priority 1 Thematic objective 2 Priority axis 3 Investment priority 2

38. Investment priority 1 Thematic objective 1 Investment priority 2 Priority axis 1 Investment priority 1 Thematic objective 2 Investment priority 2

39. Less developed region:OP for environment

40. IP:Promoting the production and distribution of renewable energy sources. Priority axis 1 Thematic objective 1: supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors IP:Supporting energy efficiency and renewable energy use in public infrastructures and in the housing sector Priority axis 2 IP:Addressing the significant needs for investment in the waste sector to meet the requirements of the environmental acquis. Priority axis 3 Thematic objective 2: protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency IP: Action to improve the urban environment, including regeneration of brownfield sites and reduction of air pollution. Priority axis 4

41. ESF operational programme

42. IP: Active inclusion Thematic objective 1: Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty through: Priority axis 1 IP: Enhancing access to affordable, sustainable and high-qualityservices, including health care and social services of generalinterest IP: Enhancing access to lifelong learning, upgrading the skills andcompetences of the workforce and increasing the labour marketrelevance of education and training systems Thematic objective 2: Investing in education, skills and life-long learning Priority axis 2 IP: Improving the quality, efficiency and openness of tertiary andequivalent education with a view to increasing participation andattainment levels IP: Self-employment, entrepreneurship and business creation Thematic objective 3: Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility Priority axis 3 IP: Modernisation and strengthening of labour market institutions,including actions to enhance transnational labour mobility

43. More developed regions – national operational programme

44. IP:enhancing research and innovation infrastructure (R&I) and capacities todevelop R&I excellence and promoting centres of competence, in particularthose of European interest Thematic objective 1: Strengthening research, technological development and innovation: Priority axis 1 IP: promoting business R&I investment, product and service development,technology transfer, social innovation and public service applications, demandstimulation, networking, clusters and open innovation through smartspecialisation Thematic objective2: enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs: IP: promoting entrepreneurship, in particular by facilitating the economicexploitation of new ideas and fostering the creation of new firms Priority axis 2 IP: developing new business models for SMEs, in particular forinternationalisation Thematic objective 3: supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors: IP:Promoting the production and distribution of renewable energy sources. Priority axis 3 IP: Supporting energy efficiency and renewable energy use in public infrastructures and in the housing sector

45. Multi-fund and multi-category programmes • Where the option of multi-fund or multi-category programming is used, separate priority axes must in addition be established for ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund, as well as for different categories of regions. • For the ESF, a priority axis may combine investment prioritiesfrom different thematic objectives set out in Article 9(8), (9), (10) and (11) inorder to facilitate their contribution to other priority axes, in duly justifiedcircumstances.

46. Multi-fund operational programme for supporting the shift to low carbon economy

47. IP:Promoting the production and distribution of renewable energy sources Thematic objective 1: Supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors Priority axis 1 (ERDF) IP: Supporting energy efficiency and renewable energy use in public infrastructures and in the housing sector IP: Enhancing access to lifelong learning, upgrading the skills andcompetences of the workforce and increasing the labour marketrelevance of education and training systems Thematic objective 2: Investing in education, skills and life-long learning Priority axis 2 (ESF) IP: Improving the quality, efficiency and openness of tertiary andequivalent education with a view to increasing participation andattainment levels IP: Self-employment, entrepreneurship and business creation Thematic objective 3: Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility Priority axis 3 (ESF) IP: Modernisation and strengthening of labour market institutions,including actions to enhance transnational labour mobility

48. Inside the priority axis

49. Getting to a priority axis • Choice of thematic objectives • Selection of investment priorities, definition of specific objectives and results • Analysis of the fulfilment of ex-ante conditionalities • Construction of the priority axis with all the required elements • Definition of the financial allocation • Definition and quantification of the indicators • Check of thematic concentration (through the PC)

50. Specific objectives what the MS wants to achieve, taking into account national and regional needs and potentials Investment priorities Result indicators Description of actions needed to achieve the specific objectives Output Indicators Categories of intervention