Download High Level Group on Monitoring Simplification for

Simplification in ESI funds
for 2014-2020
Moray Gilland
Head of the Better Implementation Unit
DG Regional and Urban Policy
Brussels, 6 June 2016
EU Cohesion Policy 2014-2020: 1/3 of the EU budget
The reforms agreed for the 2014-2020
period are designed to maximise the
impact of the available EU funding.
OVERALL EU 2014-2020 BUDGET
€1 082 billion
67.5%
Other EU policies
Agruculture
Research
External
Etc.
32.5%
COHESION POLICY
€351.8 billion
€730.2 billion
2
GROWTH
Why has it become so complicated?
• Increasing size of rules period on
period to reflect the increased
sophistication of the policy
– want to do more with the policy.
• Responding to findings of the Court of Auditors, for
example on financial instruments to avoid "parking" of
funds.
• Too many layers of EU and national rules
('goldplating').
3
New provisions for 2014-20
1. A set of common rules applicable to the five ESI Funds in the
Common Provisions Regulation.
2. Greater thematic concentration.
3. Better focus on results.
4
New provisions for 2014-20
4. Simplified cost options (Article 67 CPR).
5. E-cohesion (Article 122(3) CPR).
6. Increased proportionality in relation to reporting, evaluation,
management and control.
5
Maximising the potential of simplification
options in 2014-20
• Independent High Level Group on monitoring of simplification
for beneficiaries making recommendations on how the uptake of
simplification opportunities for beneficiaries could be improved for
2014-2020 period.
 Recommendations already on e-Governance and Simplified Costs.
 Recommendation due in June on Financial Instruments and access
to EU Funds for SMEs.
• Study on simplification to assess the take up of the new
provisions in the regulations for 2014-20 has been launched and
will produce final results by the end of 2016.
6
HLG recommendations on EGovernance
• Help Member States in the next period with a common platform
across the ESI Funds to provide a consistent approach for
beneficiaries to audit issues and information technology
• Reduce the number of programmes, and therefore the number of
different operating systems
• Need for a more consistent approach to audit and clarification on
acceptability of electronic documents for all funds and ensuring
there is agreement from all relevant audit bodies
• Encourage a partnership approach to e-Governance with
assistance provided to Member States and managing authorities
Standard scales of
unit costs
Simplified Cost
Options
Lump sums
Flat rate financing
SCOs: General principles
• Optional
• Must be a reliable proxy of real costs
• Must be established ex ante; often through a fair,
equitable and verifiable method
• Not possible for operations/projects implemented
exclusively through public procurement
• Can be copied from other EU policies
(Horizon2020, LIFE, AMIF) and from national
methods, for similar operations/beneficiaries
Constraints for the use of SCOs
• Understanding of the provisions / legal
uncertainty
• Compliance with state aid
• Alignment of audit approach with simplification
objectives
• Initial workload to design SCOs
• Lack of experience and information/historical
data
• Heterogenity of the operations co-financed by the
ERDF
HLG recommendations on
Simplified Cost Options
• Commission needs to ensure that barriers and uncertainties
around their use, especially in terms of conflicts with other EU
rules such as state aid, are clarified by legislative changes if
needed.
• More support is needed for programme authorities and to give
them up-front assurance of their SCO schemes by opening up
the possibilities already contained in Article 14 of the ESF
regulation and/or providing a fast track approval of methodologies
developed by programme authorities.
• Legislative changes may be needed to remove some of the
restrictions that complicate the use of SCOs and make flat
rates currently possible for some funds available to all.
The Commission will continue to
promote the use of SCOs
• Follow the work of the High Level Group to advise on
further reduction of administrative burden
• Consider regulatory changes to further extend the use of
SCOs - eg: ongoing Commission proposal for modification
of the General Block Exemption Regulation to clarify the
compatibility of SCOs with state aid
• Participation in events, seminars etc
• Update the Guidance on SCOs
• Finalise the "INTERACT 55 Questions"
• Provide answers
programmes
to
many
one-off
questions
from
Continuing the discussion online
The Simplify ESIF platform allows you to share
your experiences, present your ideas, engage with
other stakeholders, and help us reach a more
effective and efficient management of the funds.
https://ec.europa.eu/futurium/en/simplify-esif
Thank you
[email protected]