Main elements of the templates for the Partnership Contract and the

operational programme

Aims

• Providing an update of fiches prepared in 2011 (Fiches 4 and 5) following the latest agreement on compromise text by GAC on 16 October

• Opening discussions on guidance on templates• Importance of structured information with clear

expectations on all sides• Intention to provide templates in coming weeks

Partnership Contract

Main blocks

1. Overview of the preparation of the Partnership Contract and partnership (Article 14.1 (a))

2. Arrangements to ensure alignment with the Union strategy of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth

3. Arrangements to ensure effective implementation (Article 14.1 (b))4. Description of the integrated approach to territorial development

supported by the CSF Funds or a summary of the integrated approaches to territorial development based on the content of the programmes (Article 14.2 (a))

5. Arrangements to ensure efficient implementation (Article 14.2 (b))

1. Preparation of the partnership contract by the Member State/region

• Summary of the key stages of the preparation process• A description of the involvement of the partners• Any other relevant information e.g. use of studies and

expert groups

2. Arrangements to ensure alignment with the Union strategy of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth (Art 14 (1)(a))

• Analysis of main development needs with reference to CSRs, NRPs, distance from EU2020 targets etc.

• Territorial dimension needs to be reflected – e.g. the development needs of specific sub-regional areas (urban, rural, fisheries areas) need to be reflected.

• COM Country position papers provide insight as regards the structure of the analysis

2. Arrangements to ensure alignment with the Union strategy of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth (Art 14 (1)(a))

A summary of the ex-ante evaluation of programmes or key findings of the ex-ante evaluation of the PC ((1) (a) (ii))• The set-up of the process ensuring that conclusions are

considered and taken into account• Main conclusions and recommendations of the ex-ante

evaluation for elements relevant at PC level (contribution to the EU 2020 strategy, coherence of programmes, consistency of the allocation of budgetary resources to thematic objectives, consistency of the objectives selected with the CSF and the CSR.

Arrangements to ensure alignment with the Union strategy of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth (Art 14 (1)(a))

Selected thematic objectives, and for each of the selected thematic objectives a summary of the main results expected for each of the CSF Funds (p. (1) (a) (iii))• Focus on the main results sought, by thematic objective

and CSF Fund• No extensive replication of indicator data

+ Financial allocation by Fund and thematic objective (p. (1) (a) (iv))

Arrangements to ensure alignment with the Union strategy of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth (Art 14 (1)(a))

The planned application of horizontal principles and policy objectives for the implementation of the CSF Funds (Art. 14 (1) (a) (v))

• Horizontal principles (Article 5, 7 and 8 of the CPR): Partnership, promotion of equality between men and women, non-discrimination and accessibility, sustainable development

• Horizontal policy objectives: see CSF, may be specific to MS (e.g. demographic challenges, social innovation)

• Focus is on structures that allow for the integration of these elements into day to day implementation, mainstreaming and monitoring arrangements.

The list of programmes with the respective indicative allocations by CSFFund and by year (p. (1) (a) (vi))

3) Arrangements to ensure effective implementation (Art. 14 (1) (b))

1. Additionality tables (p. (1) (b) (i))2. Ex-ante conditionality tables (p. (1) (b) (ii)) showing:

• which conditionalities are applicable to which programmes and priorities;

• which applicable conditionalities are fulfilled and which not;• actions to be taken to fulfil remaining applicable

conditionalities with deadlines. 3. The methodology and mechanism to ensure consistency in

the functioning of the performance framework across programmes and CSF Funds (p. (1) (b) (iii))• Focus on how consistency is attained across programmes.

4. The integrated approach to territorial development (Article p. 14 (2) (A))

1) The general approach to territorial development (p. (2)(a):• how main territorial needs and bottlenecks will be

addressed• how an integrated approach will be achieved2) Arrangements for the coordination between the CSF Funds and other Union and national instruments and the EIA (p. (2) (a) (i)

• complementarities • coordination mechanisms

4. The integrated approach to territorial development (Article p. 14 (2) (A))

3) The arrangements to ensure an integrated approach to the use of the CSF Funds for the territorial development of specific sub-regional areas (p. 2 (a) (ii))• Community-led local development

• Main challenges tackled;• The types of territories targeted• The role of each CSF Fund• Multifund or monofund approach• Etc.

• Integrated Territorial Investment• Intended use of ITI for each CSF Fund;• Coordination arrangements between Funds and MAs in charge

4. The integrated approach to territorial development (Article p. 14 (2) (A))

• Sustainable urban development (with reference to Article 7 and 8 of the ERDF Regulation)

• The principles for identification of urban areas where integrated actions will be supported

• Implementation arrangements• [list of cities for the Urban Development Platform]• Role of the urban development strategies to be supported for the

surrounding territory• The main priority areas for cooperation, taking account, where

appropriate, of macro-regional and sea basin strategies(p. (2) (a) (iii))

• An integrated approach to address the specific needs of geographical areas most affected by poverty or of target groups at highest risk of discrimination or exclusion, with special regard to marginalised communities (p. (2) (a) (iv))

5. Arrangements to ensure efficient implementation Article 14 p. (2) (b)

1) An assessment of whether there is a need to reinforce the administrative capacity of the authorities and, where appropriate, beneficiaries, and where relevant, a summary of the actions to be taken for this purpose.

• Assessment of needs and challenges• Summary of the actions planned with deadlines and expected

results• Use of technical assistance

2) A summary of the actions planned in the programmes to achieve a reduction in the administrative burden for beneficiaries

• Assessment of the needs and challenges• A summary of the actions planned with deadlines, expected

results [and targets]

5. Arrangements to ensure efficient implementation Article 14 p. (2) (b)

3. An assessment of the existing systems for electronic data exchange, and a summary of the actions planned to gradually permit all exchanges of information between beneficiaries and authorities responsible for management and control of programmes to be carried out by electronic data exchange

• An assessment of existing systems• A summary of actions planned with an indicative timeframe

and expected results

Operational programme

General approach

• The content of the Partnership Contract to be taken into account (no excessive duplication)

• Submission of the OP in the form of structured data - character limits for each field

Main blocks1. Preparation of the operational programme by the Member State/region2. A strategy for the programme's contribution to the union strategy for smart,

sustainable and inclusive growth (Article 24.1 and Article 87.2 (a))3. Description of the priority axes (Article 87.2 (c))4. The financing plan of the operational programme (Article 87.2 (d))5. Integrated approach to territorial development (Article 87.3)6. Where appropriate, the strategy to address the specific needs of geographical

areas most affected by poverty or target groups at highest risk of discrimination or exclusion, with special regard to marginalised communities (Article 87 (4) (a))

7. Authorities and bodies responsible for management, control and audit and the role of partners (Article 87.5)

8. Coordination (Article 87.6 (a))9. Fulfilment of Ex-Ante conditionalities (Article 87.6 (b))10. Reduction of the administrative burden for beneficiaries (Article 87.6 (c))11. Horizontal principles (Article 87.7)

1. Preparation of the operational programme by the Member State/region

• Summary of the key stages of the preparation process

• A description of the involvement of the partners• An overview of the organisation of the ex-ante

evaluation process and how have the results of this process been taken into account

• Any other relevant information e.g. use of studies and expert groups

2. A strategy for the programme's contribution to the union strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth (Article 24.1 and Article 87.2 (a))

• A strategy focused on the identification of regional and national needs, including those identified in the CSRs

• A strategy to address these challenges, where appropriate with reference to the NRPs

• The contribution of the programme to the EU2020 strategy, with reference to the ex-ante evaluation and the CSF

• Justification for the selection of thematic objectives and investment priorities

• An explanation why significant development needs relevant for the programme are not addressed

• Justification of the financial allocation

3. Description of the priority axes (Article 87.2 (c))

• As required by the CPR - slightly different requirements for regular and TA priority axes

+ Specific provisions for the ESF, description of the contribution of the priority axis to:

• the thematic objectives in Article 9(1) to (7) of the CPR; social innovation (if not covered by a dedicated priority axis);

• transnational cooperation (if not covered by a dedicated priority axis).

4. Financial plan (Article 87.2 (d))

• Limited changes compared to 2007-2013• Additional element of a financial allocation by thematic

objective• Identification of climate change related expenditure

(automatic based on categories of intervention)

5. Integrated approach to territorial development (Article 87.3)

• A description of the planned integrated approach to territorial development, having regard to the Partnership Contract, and showing how it contributes to the accomplishment of the programme objectives and expected results

• Where appropriate, the approach to the use of community led local development instruments and the principles for identifying the areas where it will be implemented

• Sustainable urban development (including an indicative allocation for urban actions under ERDF Article 7 and the use of ITI)

• The approach to the use of ITI other than those linked to sustainable urban development under ERDF Article 7 (incl. financial allocations)

• The mechanisms for coordination above national level (macroregional strategies, transnational cooperation)

6. The strategy to address the specific needs of geographical areas most affected by poverty or target groups at highest risk of discrimination or exclusion (Article 87 (4) (a))

• Identification of relevant target areas or targets groups

• Role and contribution of the operational programme to addressing these specific needs of these geographical areas/target groups

• An overview of actions taken under each priority axis

7. Authorities and bodies responsible for management, control and audit and the role of partners (87.5)

1) Identification of MA, (CA), AA and body to whom payments by the Commission will be made (no system description beyond this)2) Involvement of partners

• how partners have been selected;• main concerns, comments and recommendations put forward

by partners and an explanation of how these have been taken into account in the preparation of the operational programme.

• partners involved or consulted;• how partners are involved in the implementation, monitoring

and evaluation of the operational programme3) For the ESF - use of global grants incl. indicative financial allocation4) For the ESF – earmarking for capacity building of social partners and NGOs

Coordination (Article 87.6 (a))

A description of the mechanisms to ensure coordination, notably with reference to coordination:

• with the other CSF Funds (ERDF, ESF, Cohesion Fund, EAFRD, EMFF);

• with other Union instruments (Horizon 2020, LIFE +, the Connecting Europe Facility, Erasmus for All, Asylum and Migration Fund, Programme for Social Change and Innovation etc.);

• with national funding instruments;• with the EIB.

Focus on complementarities and synergies, and mechanisms to achieve these

9. Fulfilment of Ex-Ante conditionalities (Article 87.6 (b))

• Mirrors the ex-ante conditionality section in the Partnership Contract – same content

• Choice of whether ex-ante conditionalities are included in the Partnership Agreement or programmes depends on multiple factors including the institutional set-up of the MS and division of competencies between the national and regional level

Reduction of the administrative burden for beneficiaries (Article 87.6 (c)

• Mirrors the content of the Partnership Contract but focuses on the specific programme and reduction of burdens associated with it• Assessment of the needs and challenges• A summary of the actions planned with deadlines,

expected results [and targets]

11. Horizontal principles (Article 87.7)

1) Sustainable development• general apporach as regards integration into project

selection (at programme level, or for several priority axies)

2) Equal opportunities and anti-discrimination+ equality between men and woman

• Focus on the contribution of the operational programme and how it is ensured