Estonian NGOs in Structural Funds steering committees

1
Estonian NGOs in Structural Funds steering
committees

• Peep Mardiste
• Estonian Green Movement-FoE
• CEE Bankwatch Network

2
Programming and social partners

• Basis for use of Structural Funds Single
  Programming Document (SPD) with 4 priorities and
  26 measures
• In various sectors total 98 social partners
  were identified and involved in SPD process
• Input of social partners was unfortunately
  requested only in very few stages of the SPD
  process
• As average roughly 25 of total comments of
  social partners were fully accepted (feedback was
  given)
• As average roughly 17 of eNGO comments were
  fully accepted (feedback was given)

3
NGO involvement in SPD process

• eNGOs cooperated under Council on eNGOs (EKO)
• Joint comments on SPD analytical part
• 2x joint comments on SPD program complement
• Participating and comments in SEA process
• Lobbying, incl. meeting with Prime Minister

4
Which committees exist in Estonia for Structural
Funds?

• Monitoring committee (23 members, 2 NGOs)
• Separate steering committees for 4 priority
  areas (typically some 15 members, few NGOs in
  each)
• Steering committees for some measures
  (approx. 10 members each, 2 NGOs in env. measure)

5
Steering committee example 1priority 4
(infrastructure)

• Coverage investments in transport, environment,
  rural development, medicine, education and IT
• Steering committee has 17 members (out of which
  7 are social partners)
• Mandate to establish and secure framework for
  implementation of priority 4 actions (more
  political supervision, not involved in project
  evaluation)
• Meeting at least twice a year plus e-votings
• All committee members have equal rights
• Documents sent 2 weeks before meetings,
  positions and amendments made in written form
  before meeting

6
Steering committee example 2environment measure

• Ares waste management, water protection,
  renewable energy, nature conservation
• Steering committee has 12 members (out of which
  2 are social partners - eNGOs)
• Mandate to guide and monitor the implementation
  of the measure and to evaluate project
  applications
• Meeting few times a year plus e-votings
• All committee members have equal rights
• Documents have to be sent 3 days before meetings

7
Conclusions NGO involvement in steering
committees

• No clear rules on selecting NGOs, were typically
  hand-picked by Government authorities
• All committee members have equal rights
• No veto rights, simple majority votings take
  place
• No financial support or expert advice to
  committee members
• No possibility to form sub-committees (?)
• NGO can be influential if well prepared and
  outspoken arguments count

8
Recommendations

• Need for clear and democratic process for
  selection of committee members
• Documents (also drafts) of steering committees
  should be public, up in website
• NGOs should have funding to request expertise
• NGOs should co-operate to maximise their impact
  (across sectors, across committees)

9
Estonian NGOs in Structural Funds steering
committees

• Peep Mardiste
• Estonian Green Movement-FoE
• CEE Bankwatch Network