Potential EU funds beneficiaries can start planning project applications
Under the lead of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) a complement has been developed to the operational programme “Growth and Employment” of European Union structural funds and Cohesion Fund (EU funds) programming period 2014–2020. It reflects specific support objectives and particular measures to achieve the goals set in the operational programme based on the investment priority axes planned by the line ministries.
“Up to now in programming period 2007–2013 in general EU funds co-financed investments have made a significant stimulating effect on the economic activity. The new operational programme “Growth and Employment” also provides for strategic and effective investment of EU funds financing in amount of 4.4 billion euro. Thus we can ensure that the positive effect of EU funds on the economic development will continue also in following years,” notes Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance on EU Funds Issues Armands Eberhards.
The operational programme complement is a detailed programme implementation plan or a representation of the planned investment flow in a time chart. There each potential beneficiary can have a look at the programmes of the new programming period and evaluate and plan in a timely manner its possibilities to submit a project in any of the programmes. It is planned to discuss the operational programme complement also together with the social and cooperation partners at the EU Funds Monitoring Committee on April 30, 2015.
Within the framework of the operational programme “Growth and Employment” Latvia has set six interlinked and integrated EU funds investment priorities – improving economic productivity, innovation performance, research and scientific capacity, as well as effective and environment-friendly transport system, sustainable use of resources, high employment level, good-quality higher education that meets the needs of the labour market and sustainable territorial development.
Based on the development priorities set in the operational programme and achievement of the goals set, particular measures have been identified in the complement to achieve specific support objectives. The complement also contains provisions for the achievement of the specific support objectives, including beneficiaries, project scope, ways of achieving specific support objectives, distribution of the financing among measures and selection stages, monitoring indicators, as well as coordination of the support with other financial instruments and support programmes.
First amounts of financing in the EU funds programming period 2014–2020 flew into the economy already in 2014 when budget resources in amount of 13.5 million euro were allocated for the reconstruction of the main state roads to increase their load carrying capacity, for rising the employment level of young people not involved in employment, education or training, for provision of education within the framework of the Youth Guarantee, as well as for development and implementation of the health network development guidelines and quality ensuring system.
In 2015, achievement of the specific support objectives of the new programming period becomes more intense. For example, in March implementation of four specific support objectives began – reduction of the flood risk by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and regional Development (EU funds financing 1.11 million euro), training of unemployed persons (EU funds financing 81 million euro), content of general education (EU funds financing 15 million euro), and integration in the labour market (EU funds financing 24 million euro).
It should be also taken into consideration that a precondition for successful start of new support programmes and investments is compliance with the provisions set by the European Commission. These are tasks to be accomplished by the line ministries, for instance, evaluation of market failures in case of financial instruments, compliance with the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on the implementation of specific support objectives and criteria to receive the financing.
Complement to the operational programme “Growth and Employment” is a “live” summary of updated investment plans, as well as a tool in the EU funds implementation monitoring process and a source of information for the society. It is planned to update the document at least annually following discussions with the social and cooperation partners.
