Twinning as an instrument for promoting HTA POLAND/AHTAPol AS A BENEFICIARY AND A DONOR OF TWINNING ASSISSTANCE Aleksandra Pajor Agency for Health Technology Assessment in Poland

Agenda 1.The idea of Twinning and the Twinning rules 2.The Twinning “market” 3.Twinning project cycle overview 4.Poland/AHTAPol as a beneficiary Country (BC) 5.Poland/AHTAPol as a donor of Twinning assistance

Idea of Twinning Projects financed by the European Union from May 1998’ To share experience between “old” and “new” Member-State To build the candidate countries’ capacity to adopt, implement and enforce the full acquis communautaire before joining the European Union (EU). To build a partnership and to work together towards achieving project goals (mandatory results)

Twinning rules Twinning projects must bring to the BC a concrete operational result described in the Twinning Contract as mandatory results Twinning is a joint project of a MS and a BC, with commitments and responsibilities taken on by both Twinning partners. It is not a one-way delivery of technical assistance from a MS to a BC The achievements of a Twinning project (mandatory results) should be maintained as a permanent asset to the Beneficiary administration even after the end of the Twinning project implementation

Twinning „market” Twinning Projects are implemented in the following countries and are financed through: Transition Facility (TF) countries: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Cyprus. Instrument for Pre - Accession (IPA) countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Turkey. European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) countries: Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Moldova, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, Ukraine, Belarus, Libya, Syria and Russia.

Models of participation in Twinning Out 1.As a single applicant and provider of Twinning Out projects –strong administrative and management skills –clear vision and well-developed workplan –strong language skills –a competent Resident Twinning Advisor (RTA) and availability of Short-Term-Experts (STEs) –top-level support 2.As a Lead Partner in a Twinning Out consortium –all mentioned above & experience from previous, similar projects 3.As a Junior Partner in Twinning Out consortium –good partnership skills –good technical expertise –good “marketing” of the country on the Twinning market –flexibility, adaptability 4.As a provider of individual experts for Twinning Out consortia –good technical expertise –provision of updated CVs of experts –frequent and extensive contact with other MS

Twinning Project Cycle Identification of Project: BC Identifies needs and drafts Twinning Fiches with assistance of the EC Call for Proposals: Circulation of Twinning fiches to MS NCP Submission of Proposals: MS (alone or in consortium) prepare and submit a proposal with designated RTA and PL Selection of Twinning Partner: BC assess proposals and makes a final selection Preparation and implementation of Twinning Contract: MS and BC draw up the contract with detailed Work Plan and Budget Monitoring and Reporting: progress is monitored by EC and BC Administrative Office and is measured by Quarterly and Final Reports. It is also audited by external auditor and possibly by Court of Auditors

Poland/AHTAPol as a BC/beneficiary institution 1.Poland as a Beneficiary Country (BC) –from 1998’ twinning projects of total value over Euro 2.AHTAPol as a Beneficiary Institution –from November 2006 till April 2008 –Twinning Contract between Poland (AHTAPol and Polish Ministry of Health) and France (Haute Authorite de Sante and French Ministry of Health) “Transparency of the National Health System Drug Reimbursement Decisions”

Poland/AHTAPol as a donor of Twinning Assistance 1.Poland as a donor country –from 2003’ - 29 twinning projects as a Leader Partner, Junior Partner or experts ad hoc 2.AHTAPol as a donor institution –In 2008 AHTAPol submited a Twinning proposal for Kosovo (Kosovo Medicines Agency)

Why Twinning-Out? Share the EU benefits with others Improves MS political and economic position in BCs Entry point for further bi-/multi-lateral projects A possibility to establish / extend sectoral professional networks Staff development and personal growth opportunity for experts Financial benefits (expert’s fees 250 €)

More info….. assistance/twinning_en.htm Thank you for your attention!