Subject:Regions for Economic Change - Commission Process for Identifying Possible Fast-Track

Brussels, 17/7/2007

REGIO C1/EH/mkr D(2007) 190628
7506

Subject:Regions for Economic Change - Commission process for identifying possible fast-track projects

Dear Mr Pouilly,

I understand that the troika for INTERREG IVC, the Joint-Technical Secretariat and the Commission Services had a very productive exchange of views on the 19th of June 2007 on the text of the INTERREG IV programme and its implementing provisions. With the letter I would like to clarify the Commission's internal process in identifying the applications made to the JTS that may be of interest for us in terms of fast-track proposals.

The Commission explained to you the parallel process that will take place. Each application will be processed by the JTS on the basis of the quality criteria set out by the Monitoring Committee. At the same time the applications will be made available to all members of the Monitoring Committee, including the Commission.

In order to facilitate the internal process of the Commission, DG REGIO has already had preliminary discussions with the other Services. I think it may help you in your work and possible applicants in their preparation to be aware of some of these.

The Commission has first of all established 15 priority themes, taken from the list of themes contained in the staff working paper of November 2006. The Commission is of the opinion that these themes merit particular attention, but obviously we might identify some project linked to a theme not on this list if it is of a particular high quality. I attach the list of 11 themes (from these 15) that are relevant to the INTERREG IVC programme. The other 4 themes will be funded from the URBACT II programme.

In order to identify the fast-track projects, the Commission has developed some assessment questions that we will use to guide us through the process. In the interest of transparency I submit these questions to you. I would like to underline that these are meant to give some direction to the process, but will be used flexibly. They may to some degree correspond to the selection criteria you may already envisage for your own selection process.

Where the Commission identifies some projects as being relevant for the fast-track process, the Commission will contact the relevant project leader to ask whether the partners would be interest in Commission participation. They are obviously under no obligation.

The two parallel strands should be brought together at the moment of the decision on projects by the Monitoring Committee. The Monitoring Committee will know whether the projects it decides will be labelled as fast-track or not.

I hope this clarifies some of the question you and project promoters may have. I have sent a similar letter to the Chair of the Joint Programming Committee for INTERREG IVC and I will also put this letter on the Commission website.

(signed p.o. A. Checchi Lang))
Dirk Ahner

ANNEX 1: LIST OF 11 PRIORITY THEMES FOR INTERREG-IVC

(1)Increasing adaptability (REGIO/TRADE/EMPL)

(2)Improving air quality (REGIO/ENV)

(3)Moving to a low carbon economy (REGIO/TREN/ENV)

(4)Improving monitoring of environment and security by and for the regions (REGIO/ENTR)

(5)Improving the capacity of regions for research and innovation (REGIO/RTD/ENTR)

(6)Bringing innovative ideas to the market more quickly (REGIO/ENTR/RTD)

(7)Better ICT connections between regions (REGIO/INFSO)

(8)Meeting the demographic challenge (REGIO/EMPL)

(9)Managing coastal zones (REGIO/ENV)

(10)Reaping the benefits of the sea (REGIO/FISH)

(11)Supporting the economic diversification of rural areas (REGIO/AGRI)

ANNEX 2: ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS USED BY THE COMMISSION

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