Description
The programming of EU funds 2014-2020 is stepping into its final phase, the rules of selection and evaluation of the projects, as well as financial and administrative framework and methodologies will be adopted. Project advocates for these rules and methodologies has to be good. In the programming process, NGOs will have to be well-coordinated and react quickly and flexibly. Therefore, the project aims to strengthen the participation of civil society in programming and monitoring of EU funds via coordination, informing, capacity-building and technical support for the representatives of NGOs. On-line communication system will be created,coordination within the sector will be improved, technical and financial support to NGO experts will be provided. By improving the setting of EU funds and strengthening the public control, the project will contribute to better use of funds for civil society. Target group are NGOs.
Summary of project results
The programming of EU funds 2014-2020 lacked efficient partnership principle at its beginning. Operational programmess in volume of billions of euro had been prepared without participation of civil sector, mostly by governmental officiers and external consultants. This situation inclined in probably result that NGOs would be eliminated from proper implementation of EU funds. Therefore the objective of the project was to influence preparation of Slovak operational programmes and set the rules of selection and evaluation of the projects, as well as financial and administrative framework and methodologies allowing NGOs to implmente them, too. The project aimed to strengthen the participation of civil society in programming and monitoring of EU funds via coordination, informing, capacity-building and technical support for the representatives of NGOs. The project outcomes reached: improved opportunities for financing of NGOs from the EU funds, public control of EU funds spending is strengthened and some of ideas originated from NGOs incorporated in EU Funds. So, it is not possible to say that the partnership principle is implmented properly, however it is improved if compared with previous programming periods. Also some improvements in operation of NGOs in monitoring committees were achieve (improved communication and coordination, covering of expenses, knowledge database and others). Outputs of the project were comprehensive: 4 public decsisions enhancing partneship implementation were made, 6 expert groups were established, 384 people were trained and/or involved in public participation. This was far the largest number of individuals involved in EU funds programming in history of Slovakia. The project partners achieved their partial expert tasks.
Summary of bilateral results