The Swiss Contribution to the reduction of disparities within the - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

The Swiss Contribution to the reduction of disparities within the enlarged EU

Bulgarian – Swiss Chamber of Commerce, 7 October 2010 Franziska Keller, SECO and Roland Python, SDC

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Bulgaria Romania

Swiss Contribution to reduce economic and social disparities within the enlarged EU approved by the Swiss Parliament in December 2009 76 181

+

= 257

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Main Features of the Swiss Contribution

Contribution to the NMS-10: CHF 1’000 million Contribution to Bulgaria CHF 76 million Contribution to Romania: CHF 181 million Commitment Period starting at 7/12/09: 5 years (2014) Disbursement Period starting at 7/12/09: 10 years (2019) Four Funding Lines:

• Security, Stability and Reforms
• Environment and Infrastructure
• Promotion of Private Sector
• Human and Social Development

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Milestones

Addendum (BG/RO) to the MoU between Switzerland and the EU (26 February 2006) 25 June 2008 Approval of the Contribution by the National Council 7 September 2009 Approval of the Contribution by the Council of States 7 December 2009 Signing of the two Framework Agreements BG/RO in Bern 7 September 2010 Start of the operational implementation of the Cooperation Programmes End of 2010

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Expectations and Terms set by the Swiss Parliament

Good use of financial means Administrative and controlling systems have to function in an efficient and effective

• manner. The assessment of the EU and of International Financial Institutions will

be taken into account. Stringent controls on all levels of programme implementation. Supporting minorities At least 10% of the financial means shall be allocated to projects benefiting minorities, in particular Roma. Focussing the Swiss Contribution Focussing on themes and approaches in which Switzerland has specific knowledge and experience.

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Objectives and Approaches

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Objectives

 Reduction of economic and social disparities between Bulgaria and the more advanced countries in the EU  Reduction of economic and social disparities within Bulgaria  Enhancement of bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Switzerland:

• Opportunities to express Swiss solidarity
• Establish Bulgarian-Swiss institutional partnerships
• Promote Swiss presence and visibility
• Make good use of Swiss knowledge and experience

 Contribution to a sustainable, economically and socially balanced development

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Approaches

Projects – managed by SECO

• Applied for individual (large) projects and programmes
• Bulgarian Intermediate Body

Thematic Funds – managed by SDC

• Applied if many (smaller) support measures in a thematic field shall be

financed

• Targets a specific theme or a specific beneficiary group
• Funds managed by a Swiss Intermediate Body

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Main Activities in Bulgaria

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Security Fund (CHF 9.850 million)

• Schengen Standards and Socially related security issues

Reform Fund linked to Civil Society Participation (CHF 8 million)

• Nature protection and sustainable development
• NGO Block Grant for activities 10- to 250'000.- CHF

Reform Fund linked to the Inclusion of Roma and other vulnerable groups (CHF 8.9 million)

• Promotion of social inclusion of Roma & other vulnerable groups
• Home care service

Security, stability and reforms – Managed by SDC

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Part of the Swiss enlargement contribution is used to re-instate and develop the country’s basic infrastructure. The top priority here is waste management, particularly the safe management of toxic waste. The Swiss contribution is also used to fund projects that promote renewable energies and seek to improve energy efficiency (2nd priority).

Environment and infrastructure – Managed by SECO

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

The priority here is passing on knowledge with regard to  combating money laundering and the funding of terrorism,  anti-corruption strategies,  enforcement of the public procurement rules, and  auditing and financial reporting. There are also plans to extend Swiss support to cover the promotion

• f exports and the introduction of international standards and

norms.

Promotion of the private economy – Managed by SECO

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Scholarship Fund (CHF 2 million)

• Research scholarships and short term research visits

Research Fund (CHF 4 million)

• Joint Bulgarian-Swiss research projects

Human and social development – Managed by SDC Partnership and Expert Fund (CHF 4 million)

• Social Dialogue
• Block Grant for institutional partnerships 10- to 100'000.- CHF
• Block Grant for short term inputs of Swiss experts

Special allocation – Managed by SDC

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Project selection process

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Step: Project identification

Bulgaria

SECO

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Step: Project Outline to NCU SECO

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Step: Project assessment SECO

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Step: Decision on Project Outline SECO

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Step: Decision on Final Project Proposal SECO

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Decision on Financing of Projects and Contracts

• Final decision on Financing

Operations Committee SECO

• Project Agreement

Bulgaria (NCU) – Switzerland (SECO)

• Implementation Agreement

NCU – Executing Agency

• Supply and Service Contracts

Executing Agency – Supplier / Service Provider Tendering according to WTO/EU-Rules with regard to Public Procurement, award of contract by Executing Agency

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Selection and Approval Mechanism of Activities within Thematic Funds

Swiss Intermediate Body

Activity retained in the FA Activity proposed at a later stage

Submitted by Steering Committee to SDC

Project Outline

Submitted by Steering Committee to SDC

Final Project Proposal Submitted to the Selection Committee

• call for SIB

by SDC

• selection by

NCU & SDC

Activity on basis of a call

2 1 3

Activity on basis of a Block Grant

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Legal Arrangements and Flow of funds for Thematic Funds and Activities Swiss Intermediate Body

SDC NCU

Thematic Fund Agreement Mandate Agreement

Executing Agency Executing Agency Executing Agency

CH

Activity Agreement

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Information for you

www.swiss-contribution.admin.ch www.swiss-contribution.admin.ch/bulgaria www.swiss-contribution.bg

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Publication of Tenders

• Publication of approved Projects in the online database SECO/SCD
• Public Tenders are published in/on…

…national official commercial bulletin of the Partner states …Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce (SHAB) …Tenders Electronic Daily (TED), publication organ of the EU …the Websites of the National Coordination Units (NCU) …the Websites of the Swiss Contribution Offices (SCO) …the general Website about the Swiss Contribution …the online Platform Selective Tenders & Projects (STEP)

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Contacts in Bulgaria

National Coordination Unit Evdokia Krasteva Council for Coordination in Management of EU Funds Monitoring of the EU Funds Directorate 1 Dondoukov Blvd. 1194 Sofia Phone: +359 2 940 29 12 Fax: +3592 988 48 30 Swiss Embassy Marino Cuenat Embassy of Switzerland P.O. Box 132 1504 Sofia Phone: +359 2 942 01 00 Fax: +359 2 946 16 22

State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SCD

Thank you for your attention

Franziska Keller SECO Effingerstrasse 1 3003 Bern Phone: +41 31 325 52 12 E-Mail: franziska.keller@seco.admin.ch Roland Python

SDC

Freiburgstrasse 130 3003 Bern Phone: +41 31 322 57 35 E-Mail: roland.python@deza.admin.ch