Capacity-Building and Institutional Cooperation between Beneficiary State and Norwegian Public Institutions, Local and Regional Authorities

Programme Summary

Why is the programme needed? A modern and efficient public administration is essential for any country. Inadequate administrative capacity at the level of regional and local authorities in Lithuania weakens social and economic development in the country. Many local and regional authorities need improvement in such areas as strategic planning, programming, fostering public-private partnership, entrepreneurship and community building initiatives. Meeting European and national targets in certain fields of sustainable energy and environment is also a challenge. Lithuania’s National system for the preparation of its greenhouse gas inventory and reporting GHG projections needs capacity building and improvement to enhance its capability to comply with international requirements. The capacity and competence of the Lithuanian police force to fight against domestic and gender based violence needs improvement in order to comply with new national legislation aimed at preventing such violence.What will the programme achieve and who are the beneficiaries? The programme will enhance the capacities of Lithuanian public institutions and local and regional authorities through capacity building and human resource development and co-operation between public institutions and local and regional partners in Lithuania and Norway, allowing for the exchange of know-how and good practice experience of Norwegian institutions.How will it be achieved? The programme focuses on three distinct areas and will be implemented through open calls for project proposals as well as three pre-defined projects:Increased and strengthened cooperation between municipalities and regional authorities in Lithuania and Norway This part of the programme supports projects aimed at strengthening public and administrative capacities of local and regional authorities and their institutions, giving  priority to institutions situated in problem territories and regional growth centres. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to, gaining new knowledge and perfecting skills in various fields, improving the level of administrative and public capacities of local and regional institutions, promotion of life-long learning, etc. Under this focus area, at least one open call targeting partnership projects between local and regional authorities and institutions in Lithuania and Norway will be announced. In addition, a pre-defined project is implemented by the Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania in partnership with the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS): “Sustainable energy and environmental quality management for the local level”. The project promotes cooperation in the field of sustainable energy and environmental quality between experts and policy makers in Norwegian and Lithuanian municipalities.Cooperation on a climate‐change inventory One pre-defined project is implemented under this focus area: “Partnership project on greenhouse gas inventory”. The project promoter is the Ministry of Environment, Lithuania. The project partner is the Climate and Pollution Agency (KLIF), Norway. The objective of this partnership project is capacity building and improvement of Lithuania’s National system for the preparation of a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory and reporting of GHG projections to comply with the relevant UNFCCC, Kyoto protocol and EU reporting requirements.Cooperation and capacity building with regard to domestic and gender‐based violence One pre-defined project is implemented under this focus area by the Police Department under the Ministry of the Interior, Lithuania together with project partner, the National Police Directorate (POD), Norway: “Strengthening of the Lithuanian and Norwegian Police cooperation and capacities to fight against Domestic and Gender-based Violence. The main aim is to develop the professional qualifications of the police officers responding and investigating cases of domestic violence most frequently, by providing them with theoretical knowledge, and forming their skills related to efficient and effective response and decision making. Norwegian experts in this field are invited to share their experience and good practice, help train instructors from central and regional police institutions, and participate in training of police officers. A publicity campaign will be carried out to improve information and raise awareness.How will bilateral relations be strengthened? Bilateral relations will be strengthened through cooperation on development and implementation of projects and through building institutional relationships between the cooperating partners that will foster mutual understanding of the public sector areas involved. All the projects are carried out in cooperation between Lithuanian and Norwegian public institutions. Three Norwegian institutions are programme partners and contribute by exchanging experience and good practice from Norway, as well as participating in the development and implementation of the programme: -The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS) -The Climate and Pollution Agency (KLIF), Norway -National Police Directorate (POD), Norway A partner search forum will be organised before the open call for project proposals. Both potential project promoters and project partners will be eligible to participate in the partner search forum, and will get travel costs refunded. Who can apply for funding under this programme? Lithuanian public institutions with Norwegian partners: – Local and regional authorities; – Institutions of regional and local authorities (any public institution, which provides services for the community and is located and registered in a certain municipality or region, including but not limited to, schools, hospitals, youth organisations, day care centres, community centres, sports organizations, museums, culture houses, communal services providing enterprises, fire brigades, etc.); – Not for profit public institutions, which provide educational services according to their statutes; – Associations of local and regional authorities.What are the partnership opportunities? The programme supports bilateral partnership projects between Lithuanian and Norwegian public institutions. There will be at least one call for proposals for both large scale projects and smaller projects (a ”small grant scheme”) in 2013 which will make available €4,287,358 and €1,882,352 respectively. The call for proposals for large scale projects will make available between €170,000 and €1,000,000 per project. The small grant scheme will make available between €10,000 and €150,000 per project.