6Dec

Project for preparation for utilization of funds from Cohesion and Structural Funds

Central Finance and Contracting Agency has signed a contract on Implementation of ex-ante Evaluation of Programming Documents and Strengthening Evaluation Capacity for EU Funds Post-Accession financed in the scope of pre-accession fund IPA I 2008 – Transition Assistance and Institution Building. This contract is focused on financing activities which will contribute to more efficient utilization of funds from Cohesion and Structural Funds.

The purpose of this contract is implementation of evaluation activities for the purpose of programming of EU assistance, in line with relevant Council Regulations, as well as staffing    of institutions for evaluation of EU co-financed programmes after Croatia’s accession to the EU.   

This is significant contract valued in the total amount of 469.830,00 EUR, from which the amount of 422.847,00 EUR is related to financing from IPA Component I.

Overall objective of this contract is to conduct an independent analysis of National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) and seven Programme Documents from the field of EU Cohesion Policy, Fisheries Policy and Rural Development Policy and drafting recommendations for adaptation in order to ensure duly project implementation and facilitate the impact of management and utilization of Cohesion and Structural funds - European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and European Fisheries Fund. Moreover, through the capacity building component, the project will perform assessment of the capacity knowledge about the evaluation process in the future NSRF Coordinating Authority, Managing Authorities and Intermediate Bodies, for the purpose of fulfilling the EC requirements with regard to evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes. The strategies and provide appropriate training methods in order to increase the quantity and quality of absorption of EU funds after Croatia’s EU accession.  

The service contract is signed with LSE Enterprise, Ltd. from Great Britain in consortium with CASE – Centre for Social and Economic Research from Poland, Euroconsultants Croatia Ltd. and Europe Ltd. from Hungary.

The contract beneficiary is Central Office for Development Strategy and Coordination of EU Funds. Its implementation will last one year.