Structural Funds Programming in Romania

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Structural Funds Programming in Romania

• Pavlos Kollias
• Senior Expert on Structural Instruments Training

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The National Strategic Reference Framework
2007-2013 (NSRF)

• Determines Romanias developmental course for the
  upcoming seven years.
• Prepared by the MoPF (in its capacity as MA of
  the CSF), in a partnership associating all key
  stakeholder institutions, the NSRF defines the
  overall strategic direction of the countrys
  policies for attaining economic and social
  cohesion and regional convergence.
• Moreover, it links these policies with those of
  the E.U., in particular with the revised Lisbon
  Strategy for growth and jobs as well as with the
  EC Community Strategic Guidelines, which
  establish the global objectives of the E.U.
  regional policy.
• Based on the NDP, the guiding tool with respect
  to the effective utilisation of the national, EU
  and other funding resources available for
  accomplishing the countrys development aims -
  and taking stock of the RDPs of the eight
  Development Regions, the NSRF elaborates
  Romanias multi-annual strategic planning
  operational/financial programming for the
  2007-2013 period.

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The National Strategic Reference Framework
2007-2013 (NSRF) II

• by assigning priority to undertaking specific,
  interrelated categories of public investments,
  closely associated with the E.U. economic and
  social cohesion policy (and providing adequate
  reasoning and justification for the
  prioritisation of these particular structural
  interventions).
• Strategic document does not focus on technical
  details. The NSRF explains the policy principles
  upon which the preparation of the OPs was
  founded, and elaborates how these OPs will carry
  out the delivery of the SFs in Romania.
• It also explicates the implementation structures
  created for executing the SFs Programmes.

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Overall Purposes for drawing up the NSRF
2007-2013

• Demonstrate the concrete developmental direction
  of the Romanian strategy for delivery of the SFs,
  in compliance with the EU objectives and taking
  consideration of the relevant trends of the
  European and world economies
• Elaborate the key national (and EU) cohesion
  priorities on which Romania intends to
  concentrate the SFs investments in order to
  tackle the weaknesses it faces and to develop a
  knowledge-based economy which will lead to
  economic growth, more and better jobs
• Identify the qualities and assets on which the
  efforts to fulfil these priorities will be based,
  notably the countrys strategic geographical
  position, the development potential of its
  regions and cities, and the unprecedented change
  that has occurred in its economy during the
  pre-accession period. In this respect, the SFs
  constitute a further major agent for change and
  will assist the acceleration of the reform
  process. The NSRF provides the overall framework
  for the realisation of this change process.
• Demonstrate the linkages between the Romanian OPs
  under the EU Convergence European Territorial
  Cooperation Objectives, and their compliance with
  the priorities of CSGs and Lisbon Agenda.

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NSRF 2007-2013 Thematic Analysis

• Romanian economy has still to overcome serious
  deficiencies that inhibit growth. Major,
  long-term structural interventions needed,
  especially in
• Basic Infrastructure Poor quality and inadequate
  coverage in supply of potable water, sewerage and
  waste disposal and management systems low
  environmental awareness inefficient use of
  energy poorly managed natural environment
  inadequate transport facilities and lack of
  inter-connectivity.
• Economic competitiveness Low productivity
  outdated production technologies, obsolete
  equipment underdeveloped entrepreneurial culture
  skills unattractive business environment and
  inadequate business support infrastructure poor
  access to finance, insufficient RD and ICT
  investments.
• Human Capital Inadequate, disesteemed,
  insufficiently articulated education, initial VET
  CVT systems inequality of opportunity leads to
  social exclusion.
• Administrative Capacity Weak public services
  providing low customer satisfaction, remote and
  unfriendly concerns about corruption. Need for
  significant institutional strengthening so as to
  efficiently use manage and use the EU funds to
  foster economic and social development.
• Territorial Cohesion Constantly increasing
  disparities between regions and between urban and
  rural areas FDI locates in most favoured
  Regions, leading to widening disparities Rural
  areas over-dependent on agriculture, with
  poor/non-existent basic infrastructure and
  business support services. Urban areas confronted
  with insufficient, low quality infrastructure
  (underinvestment), underdeveloped local economies
  and social environment.

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NSRF 2007-2013 Strategic Responses

• The Vision To create a competitive, dynamic and
  prosperous Romania.
• The Objective To reduce the social and economic
  development disparities between Romania and the
  other E.U. Member States, through increasing
  Romanias GDP by 10 by 2015.

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NSRF 2007-2013 National Thematic Priorities and
Actions

• The strategic response to the countrys current
  economic weaknesses, aimed at creating the
  opportunities Romania needs. The NSRF seeks to
  bring together the various priority strands in a
  uniform strategy that is suitable for Romania but
  also conforms to the strategies of the E.U.
• Development of Basic Infrastructure to European
  Standards
• Increasing the long-term Competitiveness of the
  Romanian Economy
• Development and More Efficient Use of Romanias
  Human Capital
• Building an Effective Administrative Capacity
• Promoting Balanced Territorial Development

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Indicative Structural Funds Allocation for Romania

• For programming purposes, Romania as a whole is
  considered a NUTS I Region comprising eight NUTS
  II Regions.
• Its entire territory is eligible for funding
  under the Convergence objective. In addition,
  those Romanian regions and counties which are
  located at its external borders with both EU
  member states and non-EU member states are
  eligible for funding under the European
  Territorial Cooperation objective where
  applicable, in coordination with the European
  Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI)
  and the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA)
  respectively.
• The indicative overall Structural Funds
  allocation for Romania is 19.668 billion EUR in
  current prices out of which 12.661 billion EUR
  under the Convergence Objective, 6.552 billion
  EUR from the Cohesion Fund, and 455 billion EUR
  under the European Territorial Cooperation
  Objective (including transfers to the IPA and
  ENPI).
• These figures are net of the additional
  allocations for the Rural Development and
  Fisheries Instruments respectively.

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Indicative Structural Funds Allocation for Romania
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The Operational Programmes

• The NSRF is implemented through OPs under each of
  the Convergence and European Territorial
  Cooperation Objectives.
• Convergence Objective
• SOP Increase of Economic Competitiveness
• SOP Transport
• SOP Environment
• Regional OP
• SOP Human Resources Development
• SOP Administrative Capacity Development
• OP Technical Assistance

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The Operational Programmes

• European Territorial Cooperation Objective
• OP Cross-border Cooperation (CBC) HURO
• OP CBC RO BG
• OP CBC RO SER
• OP CBC RO UA MD
• OP CBC HU - SK RO UA
• OP CBC Black Sea Basin
• OP Transnational Cooperation South-East European
  Space
• OPs for Interregional Cooperation
• INTERREG IV C
• URBACT II
• ESPON 2013
• INTERRACT II

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SOP Increase of Economic Competitiveness
2007-2013

• Main focus 1st priority of NDP (Increase of
  economic competitiveness development of
  knowledge-based economy), 2nd priority of NSRF
  (Increasing long-term economic
  competitiveness). In a broader context, it also
  contributes to the implementation of all
  priorities.
• General objective To increase the productivity
  of Romanian companies by reducing the obvious
  disparities when compared to the average
  productivity in the E.U.
• Target Average annual GDP growth of about 5.5
  per employed person, which will allow Romania to
  achieve approx. 55 of the EU average
  productivity by 2015.

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SOP Increase of Economic Competitiveness
2007-2013

• Specific objectives of the SOP IEC
• Consolidation and growth of the productive sector
  
• Establishment of a favourable environment for
  enterprise development
• Increase of the RD capacity, and stimulation of
  the cooperation between RDI institutions and
  productive sector
• Exploitation of the ICT potential, and its
  application to the public (administration) and
  private (enterprises, citizens) sectors
• Increased energy efficiency, and sustainable
  development of the energy system
• Promotion of the Romanian tourism potential

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SOP Increase of Economic Competitiveness
2007-2013

• Priority axes identified
• Priority Axis 1 An innovative productive
  system
• Priority Axis 2 Research and Development for
  competitiveness
• Priority Axis 3 ITC for private and public
  sectors
• Priority Axis 4 Increased energy efficiency
  and sustainable development of the energy system
• Priority Axis 5 Romania, an attractive
  destination for tourism and businesses
• Priority Axis 6 Technical Assistance

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SOP Transport 2007-2013

• Aim Increasing and improving the quality of
  investment in physical capital, thereby improving
  conditions for growth and employment and
  accelerating Romanias convergence with the other
  E.U. Member States.
• Global objective To promote a sustainable
  transport system in Romania, which will
  facilitate safe, fast and efficient movement of
  persons and goods with appropriate level of
  service at European standards, nationally,
  Europe-wide and between and within the Romanian
  regions.

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SOP Transport 2007-2013

• Specific objectives identified
• Promote international and transit movements of
  persons and goods in Romania by providing
  effective connections through the port of
  Constanta, as well as transit transport from
  across the EU towards the South, through the
  modernisation and development of the relevant
  TEN-T priority axes.
• Promote effective movement of persons and goods
  between Romanian regions and their transfer from
  the hinterland to priority axes by modernising
  and developing the national and TEN-T networks
  according to sustainable development principles.
• Promote the development of a balanced system of
  transport modes, based on the respective
  competitive advantages of each, by encouraging
  the development of rail, waterborne and
  intermodal transport.
• Promote the development of sustainable transport,
  by minimising the adverse effects of transport on
  the environment and improving traffic safety and
  citizens health.

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SOP Transport 2007-2013

• In order to achieve the SOPT objectives, the
  available funds will be allocated for the
  implementation of five priority axes
• Modernisation and development of TEN-T priority
  axes, aiming at a sustainable transport system
  integrated with EU transport networks
• Modernisation and development of the national
  transport infrastructure outside the TEN-T
  priority axes, aiming at a sustainable national
  transport system
• Upgrade the railway passenger rolling stock on
  the national and TEN-T railway networks
• Modernization of the transport sector, aiming at
  higher degree of environmental protection, human
  health and passenger safety
• Technical Assistance

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SOP Transport 2007-2013

• Total budget of SOPT 20072013 about 5.7 bn EUR,
  an approx. 23 of the overall SFs allocation for
  Romania. Out of these
• 4.57 bn EUR Community financial support (Cohesion
  Fund - concentrating on identified EU priority
  axes, which are of fundamental importance for
  Europes spatial cohesion, and ERDF - operations
  targeting the increased accessibility of the
  Romanian regions themselves).
• about 1.09 billion EUR national co-financing.

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SOP Environment 2007 - 2013

• Main focus 3rd Priority of NDP (Protection and
  improvement of environment quality) and the
  relevant priorities under the NSRF - Develop
  Basic Infrastructure to European Standards,
  taking full consideration of the EU supporting
  principles and practices.
• General objective To protect and improve the
  environment and living standards in Romania,
  focusing in particular on meeting the
  environmental acquis.

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SOP Environment 2007 - 2013

• To meet this global objective, three main
  strategic directions
• Improvement of accessibility to public utilities
  and enhancing the conditions for economic
  development in the regions. To this end, the SOP
  ENV PA 1 2 support the improvement of
  integrated water and waste management systems, in
  a regional approach likely to generate measurable
  results (beneficiary population over 10 million).
  These PAs also contribute to meeting the
  environmental acquis in sectors linked to heavy
  investments (about 29 bn EUR by 2018).
• Improvement of environmental protection as a
  prerequisite for sustainable development. The SOP
  ENV will (1) concentrate on preventing pollution
  and further deterioration of biodiversity (PA 2,
  4, 5) (2) tackle environmental pollution/damage
  in sensitive areas (urban heating/PA 3, natural
  risk prevention/PA 5), as part of longer-term
  investment strategies.
• Strengthening institutional capacity and
  governance as a key priority, aiming at
  developing efficient management structures for
  environmental services. The SOP ENV assists with
  increasing public sector quality and efficiency,
  a prerequisite for embracing reforms and
  improving governance in the environmental field.
  Governance a key element underpinning all
  actions aimed at improving both the management of
  SOP ENV and the quality of environmental
  policy-making, thus helping not only to improve
  the implementation of EU cohesion policy, but
  also to raise the overall economic performance.

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SOP Environment 2007 - 2013

• Specific objectives of the SOP ENV
• Improve the quality and access to water and
  wastewater infrastructure, by providing water
  supply and wastewater services in most urban
  areas by 2015
• Development of sustainable waste management
  systems, by improving waste management and
  reducing the number of historically contaminated
  sites in min. 30 counties by 2015
• Reduction of negative environmental impact caused
  by urban heating plants in most polluted
  localities by 2015
• Protection and improvement of biodiversity and
  natural heritage by supporting the protected
  areas management, including NATURA 2000
  implementation
• Reduction of the incidence of natural disasters
  affecting the population, by implementing
  preventive measures in most vulnerable areas by
  2015.

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SOP Environment 2007 - 2013

• Priority axes identified for achieving these
  objectives
• Priority Axis 1 Extension and modernisation of
  water and wastewater systems
• Priority Axis 2 Development of integrated waste
  management systems and rehabilitation of
  historically contaminated sites / old ecological
  burdens
• Priority Axis 3 Reduction of pollution from
  urban heating systems in the identified local
  environmental hotspots
• Priority Axis 4 Implementation of adequate
  management systems for nature protection
• Priority Axis 5 Implementation of adequate
  infrastructure of natural risk prevention in most
  vulnerable areas
• Priority Axis 6 Technical Assistance.

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SOP Environment 2007 - 2013

• SOP ENV with an overall budget of 5,589 bn EUR is
  one of the largest Operational Programmes
  developed under the NSRF. The EU contribution to
  SOP ENV amounting to about 4.512 bn EUR, approx.
  80.75 of the SOP ENV budget, represents about
  23.5 of the total SFs allocated to Romania under
  the Convergence Objective and the Cohesion Fund
  for 2007-2013,.
• Along with the SOP Transport, SOP ENV benefits
  from allocations from both ERDF and Cohesion
  Fund. ERDF contribution will be 1.236 bn EUR
  (27.4 of the total Community contribution to SOP
  ENV), and the Cohesion Fund about 3.275 bn Euro
  (72.6). The national contribution will be
  approximately 1.076 bn EUR.
• For projects financed from ERDF, the maximum rate
  for financing is 80
• For projects financed from CF, the maximum rate
  for EU financing is 85.

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Regional Operational Programme 2007 - 2013

• Main focus In line with the NDP and the NSRF,
  the ROP contributes to achieving the NSRF 5th
  Priority Promoting a Balanced Territorial
  Development. It addresses all 5 priorities of
  the NSRF, contributing to tackling most of the
  development issues envisaged by the National
  Development Strategy concerning reducing the
  economic and social development disparities
  between Romania and the other EU MS.
• General objective To support and promote the
  sustainable economic and social local development
  of the Romanian Regions, according to their
  specific needs, by improving their business
  environment and infrastructure conditions as a
  basis for growth, in order to make the Romanian
  Regions, especially those lagging behind, more
  attractive places to invest and work.

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Regional Operational Programme 2007 - 2013

• Main focus In line with the NDP and the NSRF,
  the ROP contributes to achieving the NSRF 5th
  Priority Promoting a Balanced Territorial
  Development. It addresses all 5 priorities of
  the NSRF, contributing to tackling most of the
  development issues envisaged by the National
  Development Strategy concerning reducing the
  economic and social development disparities
  between Romania and the other EU MS.
• General objective To support and promote the
  sustainable economic and social local development
  of the Romanian Regions, according to their
  specific needs, by improving their business
  environment and infrastructure conditions as a
  basis for growth, in order to make the Romanian
  Regions, especially those lagging behind, more
  attractive places to invest and work.

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Regional Operational Programme 2007 - 2013

• Main focus In line with the NDP and the NSRF,
  the ROP contributes to achieving the NSRF 5th
  Priority Promoting a Balanced Territorial
  Development. It addresses all 5 priorities of
  the NSRF, contributing to tackling most of the
  development issues envisaged by the National
  Development Strategy concerning reducing the
  economic and social development disparities
  between Romania and the other EU MS.
• General objective To support and promote the
  sustainable economic and social local development
  of the Romanian Regions, according to their
  specific needs, by improving their business
  environment and infrastructure conditions as a
  basis for growth, in order to make the Romanian
  Regions, especially those lagging behind, more
  attractive places to invest and work.

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Regional Operational Programme 2007 - 2013

• The ROP strategy give priority to the regions
  lagging behind and to the areas suffering the
  most serious infrastructural deficits, in need of
  specific public support in order to cope with the
  negative consequences of current development
  trends.
• The purpose is to mobilise local resources and
  activate endogenous potentials for interventions
  in areas that could have the highest possible
  direct impact on regional and local development,
  by
• Increasing the regions competitiveness as
  business locations
• Reversing the loss of human capital from
  disadvantaged areas of the Country
• Supporting the regional/local economic and social
  infrastructure
• Rehabilitating urban centres
• Fostering labour mobility at the regional level
  and creating regional markets.

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Regional Operational Programme 2007 - 2013

• Specific Objectives for achieving the global
  objective
• Improve the Regions accessibility, including
  intra-regional links
• Increase the Regions attractiveness through an
  improved social infrastructure
• Increase the Regions competitiveness as
  businesses locations
• Increase the contribution of tourism to the
  Regions development
• Increase the socio-economic role of the urban
  centres in regional / local development

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Regional Operational Programme 2007 - 2013

• ROP Priority Axes
• Priority axis 1 Improvement of regional and
  local transport infrastructure - 25 of the
  overall ERDF contribution
• Priority axis 2 Improvement of social
  infrastructure - 20 of the overall ERDF
  contribution
• Priority axis 3 Strengthening the regional and
  local business environment - 20 of the overall
  ERDF contribution
• Priority axis 4 Sustainable development of
  regional and local tourism - 15 of the overall
  ERDF contribution
• Priority axis 5 Support of sustainable urban
  development - 17 of the overall ERDF
  contribution
• Priority axis 6 Technical assistance to ROP
  implementation - 3 of the overall ERDF
  contribution

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ROP 2007 - 2013

• Overall ROP budget approx. 4,510 bn EUR, out of
  which
• 3,726 bn EUR through ERDF (83.3 of total
  eligible expenditure)
• 594.40 million EUR national public (13.3)
• 153.32 million EUR estimated private funds (
  3.4).
• Indirect proportionality will allow the less
  developed regions to benefit from proportionally
  higher amounts of assistance.
• Financial allocation mechanism Indicative
  regional financial allocations correlated with
  the regions development levels GDP / capita
  (most efficient/widely used indicator of
  development levels) amended/adjusted through the
  population density index (to compensate the more
  prosperous regions, which attract large
  population flows both permanent and temporary).
  
• The indicative allocations will be regularly
  reviewed/revised by the ROP MC, taking into
  account identified needs absorption capacity

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SOP Human Resources Development 2007 2013

• Main focus The SOP HRD supports the National HRD
  Strategy of the NDP and the NSRF, within the 3rd
  Thematic Priority Development and More Efficient
  Use of the Human Capital. Focused on the LLL
  principle, increasing adaptability and
  entrepreneurship, it contributes to attaining the
  strategic objectives set in the NSRF, i.e. to
  provide better education and skills and improved
  management capacity, and to ensure that education
  and training meet the needs of Romanias modern,
  expanding economy.
• General objective The development of human
  capital and the increase of competitiveness, by
  linking education and life-long learning with the
  labour market and ensuring increased
  opportunities for participation in a modern,
  flexible and inclusive labour market for 850,000
  persons.
• This target represents the equivalent of 9.3 of
  the total employed population in 2005.

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SOP Human Resources Development 2007 2013

• The Specific objectives are summarised as
  follows
• Promoting quality initial and continuous
  education and training, including higher
  education and research
• Promoting entrepreneurial culture and improving
  quality and productivity at work
• Facilitating the insertion of the young people
  and long term unemployed in the labour market
• Developing a modern, flexible, inclusive labour
  market
• Promoting (re)insertion in the labour market of
  inactive people, including those in rural areas
• Improving public employment services
• Facilitating access to education and to the
  labour market of the vulnerable groups.

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SOP Human Resources Development 2007 2013

• The SOP HRD is structured around seven Priority
  Axes
• Education and training in support for growth and
  development of knowledge-based society
• Linking life long learning and labour market
• Increasing adaptability of workers and
  enterprises
• Modernising the Public Employment Service
• Promoting active employment measures
• Promoting social inclusion
• Technical Assistance

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SOP Human Resources Development 2007 2013

• The SOP HRD will be financed from European Social
  Fund. The ESF allocation for SOP HRD is 3,476 bn
  EUR, representing 84,55 of the Programmes
  overall budget of 4,112 bn EUR. The National
  co-financing is estimated at 635,35 million Euro,
  with an additional contribution from private
  funds of just over 64 million EUR. The Priority
  Axes envisaged for HRD in Romania are supported
  by concrete financial allocations, which indicate
  the importance given to each of the three main
  ESF interventions in the SOP HRD
• Promoting lifelong learning and the adaptability
  of labour force and enterprises (PA 2 and 3),
  with a weight in the financial allocation of 40
• Promoting active employment measures for the
  inactive population, especially for people living
  in subsistence agriculture, unemployed youths and
  long-term unemployed, as well as the integration
  on the labour market and the social inclusion of
  vulnerable groups (PA 4, 5 and 6) 33
• Education and training in support for growth and
  development of knowledge based society, aiming at
  modernising the initial and continuous education
  and training systems, including supporting the
  university education and research (PA 1) 22.

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Operational Programme Administrative Capacity
Development 2007 2013

• Main focus Elaborated with attention to the
  strategy and objectives laid down in the NDP (4th
  National Development Priority Development of HR,
  employment, social inclusion and strengthening
  administrative capacity, in order to optimise
  the impact upon public administration and thus
  stimulate economic development) and the NSRF
  (4th thematic priority, Building Effective
  Administrative Capacity).
• In this context, the rationale behind the OP ACD
  is that
• efficient public services promote economic
  productivity e.g. through faster procedures,
  improved customer services, value for money,
  etc.
• well-functioning institutions and public
  administration facilitate the successful design
  and implementation of socio-economic development,
  growth and employment policies
• effective institutional and administrative
  capacity is the key to good governance - an
  essential element of the Lisbon Strategy.

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Operational Programme Administrative Capacity
Development 2007 2013

• General objective To contribute to the
  achievement of EU and national objectives to make
  progress in socio-economic development in line
  with cohesion and convergence goals.
• The achievement of the general objective will be
  reflected by an increase in economic activity
  across Romania, increased employment and
  measurable improvements in the delivery of public
  services at central and local administration
  levels, directly related to the successful
  implementation of a package of public
  administrative reforms designed to strengthen
  management capacity.

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Operational Programme Administrative Capacity
Development 2007 2013

• Specific objective To contribute to a
  sustainable improvement in public administration
  in Romania (to be assessed by a comparison of
  sectoral performance of the Romanian public
  service to that of other new and old EU MS).
• One of the focus areas Improving management
  functions in public administration. The
  indicators of achievement at specific objective
  level will be measurable through a built-in
  component of reform monitoring and evaluation,
  providing feedback on the relative success of the
  implementation of strategic plans across the
  administration.
• Also a package of macro indicators including the
  overall cost of public services as a percentage
  of the GDP and the numbers and proportion
  (between central and local levels of
  administration) of public sector employees will
  also be monitored. Other potential indicators
  will include the change in the level of
  sustainable economic development achieved and
  knowledge learning indicators e.g. level of
  public sector budgets allocated to training and
  development as a of total payroll expenditure.

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OP ACD 2007 2013 priority axes and key areas
of intervention

• PA 1 Strengthen public policy interventions in
  central administration
• 1.1 - Activities for the management of the
  reforms
• 1.2 Capacity to formulate public policy,
  including inter-institutional sectoral strategies
  and institutional strategic plans
• 1.3. Implement Civil Service Reform
• 1.4 Implement a programme monitoring and
  evaluation framework
• PA 2 Capacity development to improve service
  performance of local administration
• 2.1 Supporting the management of reforms in
  local public administration
• 2.2 Strengthen capacity for strategic management
  and action planning
• 2.3 Rationalisation of local service delivery
  and strengthening of HR management
• 2.4 - Monitoring and evaluation in local
  administration
• Priority Axis 3 Technical Assistance

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Operational Programme Technical Assistance 2007
2013

• Main focus Building upon the pre-accession
  assisntance to enhancing the administrative
  capacity for EU funds management, the OPTA aims
  at ensuring that the implementation of the SFs in
  Romania meets the principles and rules on
  partnership, programming, evaluation,
  communication, management, incl. financial
  management, monitoring and control, on the basis
  of responsibilities shared between the MS and the
  EC.

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Operational Programme Technical Assistance 2007
2013

• Horizontal objectives, priority axes and areas of
  intervention
• The TA Priority Axis within each OP will support
  the provision of specific assistance for project
  preparation, monitoring, evaluation and control,
  as well as for communication activities ensuring
  appropriate publicity, with regards to
  specificity of each respective OP. The OPTA will
  complement
• (1) with horizontal assistance tools for the
  common needs of all structures and actors
  involved in the management and implementation of
  SFs
• (2) with developing an effective SMIS, able to
  provide also transparent information on funds
  absorption
• (3) with activities aiming at increasing the
  general public awareness on the role of the
  Community support and overall understanding of
  the SFs interventions.

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Operational Programme Technical Assistance 2007
2013

• General objective At the national level, to
  ensure support for the coordination and the
  implementation of the Structural Instruments in
  Romania, to ensure reliable managing and
  monitoring system for these instruments and to
  ensure a coordinated delivery of general messages
  related to Structural Instruments.
• All these objectives reflect in the overall
  absorption and effective use of the Structural
  Instruments intervention.
• Together with the other OPs, the OPTA will
  contribute significantly to the achievement of
  the thematic priority established in the NSRF
  regarding Building Effective Administrative
  Capacity.

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Operational Programme Technical Assistance 2007
2013

• The most important needs currently identified
  concern
• Coordination and networking
• Training of actors in all functions relating to
  the management of Structural Instruments
• further development of the management and
  monitoring systems
• communication/dissemination of information.
• The OPTA is set up as a specific tool at the
  national level aiming to address these identified
  needs. In this framework, the Programme
  identifies as its main target groups the
  Structural Funds managers, as well as project
  managers and the general public.
• Global objective To ensure support for the
  coordination, and to contribute to the sound,
  effective, efficient and transparent
  implementation and absorption of the Structural
  Instruments in Romania.

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OP Technical Assistance 2007 2013

• This main objective will be achieved by two
  specific objectives
• Ensuring support and appropriate tools for
  efficient, effective SFs implementation and
  absorption during the 2007-2013 period and
  preparation for the future structural instruments
  programming period. The specific objective 1 will
  be achieved by implementation of the following
  priority axes
• Priority axis 1 Support to the implementation of
  Structural Instruments and coordination of
  Programmes
• Priority axis 2 Further development and support
  for the functioning of the Single Management
  Information System.
• Ensuring the coordinated delivery of general
  messages related to the Structural and Cohesion
  Funds at the national level, and the
  implementation of the ANCISs Communication
  Action Plan in line with the National
  Communication Strategy for Structural
  Instruments. The specific objective 2 will be
  achieved by implementation of the
• Priority axis 3 Dissemination of Information and
  Promotion of Structural Instruments.

46
Operational Programme Technical Assistance 2007
2013

• It is anticipated that nearly 604.46 million EUR,
  or approx. 80 of the total Technical Assistance
  for structural policy-related tasks financed from
  the Structural and national funds (831.14 million
  EUR) will be allocated to the TA priority axes of
  the SOPs and the ROP.
• The remaining balance of Technical Assistance
  funds, approximately 200.28 million EUR, will be
  spent on implementing interventions provided for
  within the Technical Assistance Operational
  Programme.