IPA

IPA programme is unified EU pre-accession programme for Croatia for the 2007-2013 period. It is established by Council Regulation (EC) No. 1085/2006 and represents a kind of continuation of first generation of EU funds: CARDS, PHARE, ISPA and SAPARD.

The main objectives of the IPA assistance to candidate and potential candidate countries is in their harmonization and implementation of the acquis communautaire and to prepare them for the use of the Cohesion Fund and Structural funds.

IPA Components:

1. Transition Assistance and Institution Building

2. Cross-border Cooperation

3. Regional Development – Transport, Environment, Regional Competitiveness

4. Human Resources Development

5. Rural Development

Extended Decentralized Implementation System

Utilization of funds from specific components of the IPA programme is executed within Extended Decentralized Implementation System (EDIS). Namely, in mid-February 2013, European Commission has revoked previous (ex-ante) control over implementation of public procurement process and contracting of projects co-financed from IPA Component I – Transition Assistance and Institution Building, IPA Component II - Cross-Border Cooperation and IPA Component III - Regional Development. Approval for IPA Component IV - Human Resources Development is expected to be obtained soon. Approval for operations without previous control means that competent Croatian institutions continue the execution of process of contracting IPA funds fully independent and it represents significant step towards the continuation of utilization of EU funds after Croatia’s EU accession.

Independent Operating Structure has been established for management and implementation of all aforementioned components and subcomponents (Priority and/or Measure) which consists of one or more bodies responsible for programming and management, as well as implementing agencies responsible for implementation.

The Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds (www.mrrfeu.hr) is in charge of overall coordination of IPA programme, whilst the Ministry of Finance, Sector for the Tasks of the National Fund ( www.mfin.hr) is responsible for financial management of IPA programme.