Sharing INTERREG experiences
Sharing INTERREG experiences
Download this Workshop Fact Sheet (application/pdf, 93KB)
| Title | Cross Border Cooperation within ENPI 2007 to 2013 |
| Venue | Helsinki, Finland, Hotel Hilton Kalastajatorppa |
| Date | 9-10 February 2006 |
| Outline |
Background
In September 2004, the European Commission (EC) adopted two new proposals for regulations for the period 2007-2013: the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) that will support actions in Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus and Central Asia, Middle East and South Mediterranean Basin and the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) for candidate countries (Croatia, Turkey, fYRoM) as well as potential candidate countries (remaining Western Balkan states). The line Directorates General in charge of ENPI and IPA will be DG RELEX and DG ELARG respectively. These two instruments are policy driven and are intended to replace the numerous instruments of the previous period. Both will have a cross-border component (CBC) for which complementary ERDF funding will come from the new "European Territorial Cooperation" objective, currently INTERREG. Cross-border components of the ENPI and IPA include economic and social cohesion as well as external policy objectives. In spring 2006 EC expects to finalise the "ENPI CBC Strategy Paper"; building on previous experiences from CBC under Phare, Tacis and Meda. The document will set out the strategic approach and the framework to the future ENPI CBC programmes, laying down the programmes, their eligibility, the content and funding allocation together with an analysis of the present situation in the area. The following steps concern also the development of implementing rules for the cross-border components of ENPI, inspired by the decentralised management of the Structural Funds. Objective Building on the above and with a view to finalisation of the aforementioned key documents by EC, a number of issues need to be dealt with through a consultation process with the Member States and partner countries. Therefore INTERACT Point Managing Transition and External Cooperation (INTERACT MT) together with the DG RELEX, DG ELARG, DG REGIO and DG AIDCO, intend to follow up on some open technical questions during Spring 2006 by gathering together all stakeholders (including the neighbouring countries). For this purpose, INTERACT MT in co-operation with the EC organised these conferences with the following approach: - Present to the ENPI stakeholders the proposed programming framework and the main elements of the CBC strategy for ENPI. - Provide an overview of the implementing rules. - Provide the necessary elements in order to kick-off the process of preparation of the Joint cross border co-operation programmes. The target group included ENPI stakeholders, such as national-, regional- and local authorities that deal with the CBC-component of the current instruments in place, as well as programme partners involved in the present management and development of the Neighbourhood Programmes. Involved Countries Belarus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, Sweden, Ukraine Number of Participants 150 persons from National, Regional, Local and Programme Authorities as well as Third partner countries concerned |