European Union projects
RDA PORIN has the experience and knowledge necessary for the preparation and implementation of the EU funded projects and we have until now:
- been actively submitting applications for the EU calls for proposals, ever since 2004, when the first decentralized funding for regional and local levels became available in Croatia
- used a variety of Programme frameworks
- participated in the projects abroad
- had partners from the EU countries
- reated, applied and implemented project ideas and proposals both independently and in co-operation with LGUs and other partners
- financially and administratively followed the implementation of projects
- implemented public procurement procedures for the EU projects
Pre-accession EU funds and programs provide funds for legislative alignment and adjustment of laws to the EU standards.
Most of the aid is intended for state institutions; for the improvement of the system of justice, of infrastructure, of environmental protection, of economic and social development, of the situation in agriculture, and the improvement of the cross-border cooperation. All of these encourage partnerships and cooperation of regions with neighbouring countries. A smaller part is also intended for entrepreneurs.
Financing of the project in Croatia began in the second half of 2004, and since then the EU funds have been used to finance projects through various pre-accession assistance programs, such as CARDS, PHARE and ISPA (from January 1, 2007, the PHARE, ISPA and SAPARD have been organized in a program called IPA).
IPA programme consists of the following components:
- Assistance in transition and reinforcement of institutions.
- Regional and cross-border cooperation - joint cross-border activities amid the IPA beneficiary countries are financed, as well as those between beneficiary countries and the EU member countries (for example, cross-border cooperation projects between Croatia and Slovenia and Croatia and Italy).
- Regional development - large scale infrastructure projects in the field of environment and transports, as well as programs promoting national competitiveness and balanced regional development, are financed. This component of the IPA programme represents the preparation phase for the use of the European Regional Development Fund after the EU accession.
- Human resource development - financed projects are in the area of social cohesion, in order to achieve the objectives of the European Employment Strategy; the forerunner of the European Social Fund.
- Rural development - projects for the implementation of acquis in the field of agriculture, as well as those that promote development in rural areas, are being financed.
For quality implementation of the EU projects it is necessary to be familiar with the latest version of the PRAG (Practical Guide to Contract Procedures for EC External Actions and General Annexes - see the pdf document) issued by the European Commission, setting forth the rules for the implementation of the project cycle.
Community Programs
Community programs are considered to be one of the most important instruments of accession strategy, because they introduce the candidate country to the policies and working methods of the European Union. Also, Community programs allow easier integration of candidate countries into sector policies while anticipating the EU accession.
They should encourage the cooperation between small and medium enterprises, government institutions and civil society organizations, and what is particular about them is that the (co-) funding of the projects is conditioned on the cooperation through consortia or through a network of participants.
Croatia, as a country which is not a member of the European Union, is obliged to pay a membership fee to participate in the Community programs. The amount of the fee varies from program to program. The quality of submitted projects will determine the efficacy of withdrawing funds invested, and whether the amount will be less, equal or greater than the fee paid.
Some of the Community programs:
- CIP - Innovation and Competitiveness Programme
- Inteligent Energy Europe
- FP7 (7th Framework Programme)
- EU for citizens
- ERASMUS MUNDUS
- MARCO POLO
- TEMPUS
Education
Regional Development Agency PORIN organizes seminars on the methodology of development and management of the projects funded by the EU, during which participants are informed on current tenders and learn about the project cycle, the preparation of logical framework and budget, about meeting the application forms, about PRAG (Practical Guide to Contract Procedures for EC External Actions), etc.
