CONTENTS
Operational Programme Technical Assistance 4
1. Summary 4
2. Preparation Process of the Operational Programme 7
2.1 Issuing documents 7
2.2 Preparation Process of the OP TA – application of the principle of partnership 8
2.3 Ex ante evaluation 9
2.4 Strategic environmental assessment 12
3. Current situation in the field of technical assistance 13
3.1 General characteristic of the situation in the field of technical assistance 13
3.2 Analysis at the level of the priority axis 1: Preparation, management, monitoring, evaluation, information and reinforcement of the administrative capacities in these fields 14
3.2.1 Analysis of the current situation in the field of administrative capacities 15
3.2.2 Analysis of the current situation in the field of education/training 17
3.2.3 Analysis of the current situation in the field of publicity andinformation 17
3.2.4 Analysis of the current situation in the field of ITMS 17
3.2.4 Analysis of the current evaluation 18
3.2.5 Analysis of horizontal priorities - Marginalised Roma Communities 20
3.3 Analysis at the level of the priority axis 2 – Financial management, control, reinforcement of the administrative capacities in these fields 21
3.4 Results of the implementation of the programme term 2004-2006 21
3.5 SWOT analysis 23
3.6 Main disparities and the factors of development 25
4. Strategy of the Operational Programme 26
4.1 Issues of the Strategy of the OP 26
4.1.1 Results of the analysis of the current situation 26
4.1.2 Vision and the strategy of the NSRF 26
4.1.3 Issue and strategic documents 27
4.2 Global goal of the OP 28
4.2.1 Specific goals of the OP 28
4.3 Strategy to achieve the global goal as the result of the topic-orientated and territorial concentration 30
4.3.1 Topic-orientated concentration of contributions 30
4.3.2 Territorial concentration of contributions 31
5. Priority axes 32
5.1 Priority axis 1: Preparation, management, monitoring, evaluation, information and reinforcement of the administrative capacities in these fields 32
5.1.1 Goal and aim of the priority axis 32
5.2 Priority axis 2: Financial management, control, audit and reinforcement of the administrative capacities in these fields 40
5.2.1 Goal and aim of the priority axis 40
5.3. Indicative distribution of OP TA allocation into activities for the new programming period 2007-2013 44
6. Horizontal priorities 46
6.1 Marginalised Roma communities 48
6.2 Equal opportunities 50
6.3 Sustainable development 51
6.4 Information society 53
7. Compliance of the strategy with the policies, documents and goals 55
7.1 Compiance with the strategic documents and policies of the EU (Article 9 (2) of General Regulation) 55
7.1.1 Strategic Guidance on Community Cohesion 2007-2013 55
7.1.2 Lisbon and Götebor Strategies 55
7.1.3 EC legislation in the field of Cohesion Policy 55
7.1.4 EC legislation in the field of the rule on competition 55
7.1.5 EC legislation in the field of the rules on pubic procurement 55
7.1.7 EC Legislation in the field of the rules on equality of opportunities, equality of genders and non-discrimination 56
7. 2 Compliance with the SR strategic documents and policies 57
7.2.1 The NSRF and the OP 57
7.2.2 National Reform Programme / Slovakia Competitiveness Development Strategy Action Plans till 2010 59
7.2.3 Renewed Sustainable Development EU Strategy 59
8. The Financial Plan 60
8.1. The Financial Plan of the OP – annual commitments according to the Funds 60
8.2. The Financial Plan of the OP for the whole programme term according to the priority axes and the resources of financing 61
8.4. Distribution of the contribution from the Fund into the categories of EU aid at the level of the OP 62
9. Implementation System 63
9.1 Bodies involved in the management and implementation of the programme 63
9.1.1 Central Coordination Authority 63
9.1.2 Managing Authority 63
9.1.3 Monitoring Committee (National Monitoring Committee) 65
9.1.4 Coordination Bodies and implementation of horizontal priorities 66
9.1.5 Participation of the regions in activities of the OP TA 73
9.2 Monitoring 74
9.2.1 Monitoring of the OP TA 76
9.3 Evaluation 77
9.3.1 Evaluation Plan 79
9.3.2 Internal Evaluation 79
9.3.3 External Evaluation 80
9.4 IT Monitoring System for the SF and the CF 82
9.5 Electronic data exchange with the EC 83
9.7 Financial management, control and audit 86
9.7.1 System of financial flows 88
9.8.2 Irregularities 91
10. Annexes 92
Operational Programme Technical Assistance
1. Summary
Every Member State in terms of the European legislation (regulations) has been submitting its own framework document to the European Commission prior to the start of the programming period 2007-2013 that represents a reference instrument for implementation of aids from the EU Funds. The National Strategic Reference Framework (only as NSRF) that sets out the national priorities which are co-financed from the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund over the programming period 2007-2013 has been elaborated in links to the Strategic Guidance on Community Cohesion and in accordance to the Slovak Republic national legislation. This document sets up the basis for the Slovak Republic to use resources from the EU Funds.
The Slovak Republic disbursed for the first time the financial resources from the EU Structural Fundsand the Cohesion Fund in the field of the Cohesion Policy over the shortened programme term 2004-2006 based on the document Community Support Framework and the separate Operational Programmes, the Cohesion Fund Strategy, the single programme documents as well as the Community Initiative Programmes.
The significant amendments for setting up the management and coordination system arise from the new regulations for the Structural Funds and the Cohesions Fund. Implementation of several times more excessive volume of financial resources from the EU Funds and the increased emphasis put on the accomplishment of strategic goals requires the good organisation of work, monitoring and evaluation of all the processes.
The Council Regulation (EC) 1083/2006 of 11 July 2006 laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund and Cohesion Fund and abolishing Regulation (EC) 1260/1999 (only “General Regulation”) provides the possibility for the individual member state to use the financial resources for the activities connected to the preparation, management, monitoring, evaluation, information and control of the Operational Programmes as well as to the activities interconnected to the reinforcement of the administrative capacities for the implementation of programmes (Article 46).
Point 2 of Article 46 provides the option to the individual member states to elaborate an Operational Programme of technical assistance and/or within the separate Operational Programmes (only as “OP”) to dispose also with the separate priority axis aimed at technical assistance.
The Ministry of Construction and Regional Development of the SR has been designated as the Managing Authority for the Operational Programme Technical Assistance by the Government Resolution 832 of 8 October 2006 and the Ministry of Finance has been designated as the Certifying Authority and the Audit Authority.
The Slovak Republic elaborated the Operational Programme Technical Assistance (only as “OP TA“). The OP TA, in terms of the SR Government Resolution 832/B.10. of 8 October 2006, is aimed at supporting the horizontal activities common to the all Operational Programmes, or at activities that should be conducted in a whole-area manner for the all bodies engaged in the management, implementation and control of the Operational Programmes. The Operational Programme Technical Assistance {hereinafter only as “OP TA”) was approved on 6 December 2006 by the Government Resolution 1006.
The following parts of this material: the current situation in the field of technical assistance, the strategy of the OP, priority axes, horizontal priorities, financial plan and the system of implementation, are considered as the key sections in terms of contents.
The part title “Current situation in the field of technical assistance (TA)” covers the general characteristic of the situation in the field of TA in the current programme term 2004-2006 where no individual Operational Programme of technical assistance has been drafted. The analysis at the level of priority axes is aimed at the use of financial resources for the separate activities that are specified in more details in the section covering the implementation results for the programme term 2004-2006. The knowledge gained is presented in the form of SWOT analysis leading to the identification of the main disparities and the factors of development.
To the given section there is linked the Strategy of the Operational Programme that comprises the issues to formulate the Strategy of the OP, the global goal as well as the strategy as a such to achieve the best effectiveness of the allocated resources, while using the principle of thematic and territorial concentration.
The global goal of this Operational Programme is to ensure effective, efficient and proper management,implementation, financial management, control and audit of the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund in the years 2007-2013. The following two priority axes are identified to achieve the global goal:
1. Preparation, management, monitoring, evaluation, informing and reinforcement of the administrative capacities in these fields
2. Financial management, control and reinforcing of the administrative capacities in these fields
A goal(s) and an aim(s) is/are defined for each priority axis. For the purpose of providing a better overview , an indicative distribution of the allocation for OP TA among activities was defined in that part. The real disbursement of financial resources by measure will be realised according to the actual needs within the allocation for each priority axis.
The horizontal priorities of the NSRF (i.e., marginalised Roma communities, equal opportunities, sustainable development and information society) which are reflected in the priority axes of the OP, are described in the chapter Horizontal Priorities.
The legislative section is devoted to the compliance of the strategy of OP TA with the policies, documents and objectives of the SR and of the EU.
The part Financial Plan covers the financial plan of the OP TA: annual commitments according to the Funds, financial plan of the OP for the whole programme term according to the priority axesof financing resources and distribution of the contribution of the Fund into the categories of the EU aid at the level of the OP.
Article 46 of General Regulation sets that the overall sum for technical assistance within the OP TA and within other OPs for the Objective Convergence and for the Objective Regional Competitiveness and Employment may not exceed 4 % of the total allocation for these two objectives. Sum of EUR 97601421 from the European Regional Development Fund (only as “ERDF“) is allocated for the Operational Programme Technical Assistance, i.e., 0.86 % of thetotal allocation for the given two goals, and sum of EUR 17223780 represents the co-financing from the State Budget totalling 15 %.
The OP TA does not exclude technical assistance within other Operational Programmes. The financial allocation of technical assistance related to the specific activities of the respective OP is allocated complementarily within every Operational Programme. In links to the given limit 4 % and to the set financial allocation from the ERDF for the OP TA, the maximum ceiling of technical assistance represents 3.13 % of the EC contribution for every Operational Programme of Objective Convergence and 4 % of the EC for every Operational Programme of Objective Regional Competitiveness and Employment. Where the body carries out the duties as managing authority for several Operational Programmes, it is required to observe the condition that summation of the amounts allocated for technical assistance within the Operational Programmes does not exceed 3.13 % of the allocation for these programmes for Objective 1 and 4 % of the allocations for these programmes for Objective 2.
With respect to the horizontal activities of the OP TA covering the whole SR territory and the mono-objective character of the OP TA covering Objective Convergence, it is required in financing to apply the pro rata principle, setting out the share of participation of Objective Regional Competitiveness and Employment on the OP TA activities.
The pro rata principle is applied to all activities throughout the percentage distribution of expenditures applicable both for Objective Convergence and Objective Regional Competitiveness and Employment in Operational Programme Technical Assistance during the period 2007-2013.
The final part of the OP TA describes the implementation system in the field of management, monitoring, evaluation, the ITMS, further in the field of publicity and information as well as in the field of financial management and control.
2. Preparation Process of the Operational Programme
2.1 Issuing documents
The basic issuing document for preparation of the OP TA is the National Strategic Reference Framework,the National Reform Programme of the Slovak Republic and the Slovakia Competitiveness Strategy till 2010 (i.e., the so-called Lisbon Strategy for Slovakia).
In terms of the Slovak Republic Updated Convergence Programme for 2004-2010 the main goal of economic policy is to achieve the high and long-term sustainable economic growth of economy and through it also the more fast growth of living standards in Slovakia.
The Slovakia Competitiveness Strategy till 2010 has been derived from the basic philosophy of Lisbon Strategy of the European Union vested in the development of economic competitiveness through the two basic types of activities: deep reforms (so-called structural reforms) and adequate development policies.Consequently, it gives clear emphasis in the equal sense as the renewed Lisbon Strategy on the economic sphere considering the Slovak particularities. Separate Action Plans were elaborated to the priority fields of Strategy adopetd by the SR Government in July 2005. Action Plans have defined the concrete main tasks for individual areas.
The National Reform Programme is aimed at the integrated principles that contribute to the development of innovative potential of the Slovak economy, development of the knowledge-based economy and employment of Slovak citizens, in the significant extent
The strategic goal for the SR for the term 2007-2013 “Significantly increase competitiveness and performance of the regions and of the Slovak economy while respecting sustainable development, by the year 2013 “ was adopted on 29 June 2005 by the Government Resolution 499/2006 and on 8 October 2006 it was supplemented to by the Government Resolution 832/2006 in wording “Significantly increase competitiveness, employment and performance of the regions and of the Slovak economy while respecting sustainable development, by the year 2013 “.