Information by the Managing Authority on thematic evaluation of EU structural funds Iruma Kravale Head of Strategic Planning Unit, European Union Funds Strategy Department, Ministry of Finance Monitoring Committee meeting June 18, 2008

EU SF Managing Authority– Ministry of Finance 2 Agenda  Progress made since previous MC meeting  Recommendation implementation status

EU SF Managing Authority– Ministry of Finance 3 Agenda  Progress made since previous MC meeting  Recommendation implementation status

EU SF Managing Authority– Ministry of Finance 4 15 accomplished evaluations 1.Thematic evaluation on the SPD activity ‘Support to productive investments in specially assisted areas’ 2.Significance of cultural sector in Latvian national economy and role of EU structural funds 3.Thematic Evaluation of the EU Structural Funds - Evaluation of the monitoring indicators of the EU Structural Funds 4.Thematic Evaluation of the EU Structural Funds - Evaluation of the implementation the activities of the Single Programming Document (hereinafter referred to as SPD) Objective 1 Programme Latvia 5.Thematic Evaluation of the EU Structural Funds – Impact evaluation of EU SF on the regional development in Latvia 6.Evaluation of the preparation of the programming documents of the structural funds 7.Evaluation of the selection criteria of the structural funds

EU SF Managing Authority– Ministry of Finance 5 15 accomplished evaluations (2) 8. Evaluation of the efficiency of the SPD implementation system 9. Coherence of the SF and the Employment Policies 10.Analysis of training in agriculture, forestry and entrepreneurship in rural areas 11. Evaluation of the compliance of horizontal priorities 12. Remuneration competitiveness of employees involved into implementation of EU Structural Funds in the labour market 13. Project applicant potential demand for financial support in the entrepreneurship and innovation activities 14.Conformity and effectiveness of expenses certification process 15.Cost of controls of EU funds

EU SF Managing Authority– Ministry of Finance 6 Progress made since previous MC meeting (1)  Since MC meeting until present 5 contracts have been signed: Analysis of the projects where had been made essential changes within five years from the last payment realization – „DEA Baltika” Ltd. – (June 2008) Development of the leadings for the implementation n+2 and n+3 principles – ”KPMG Baltics” Ltd. – (July 2008) Contribution of the ESF aid scheme, implemented by the Society Integration Foundation, in improving life quality of the socially excluded target groups –„Projektu un kvalitātes vadība” Ltd.– (Aug.2008) Efficiency of the reimbursed EU structural funds expenditures– „Baltic Project Consulting” Ltd. – (Aug.2008) Impact evaluation of EU SF on the regional development in Latvia –„PKC” Ltd. (Pašvaldību konsultāciju centrs) – (Aug.2008)

EU SF Managing Authority– Ministry of Finance 7 Progress made since previous MC meeting (2)  Macroeconomic impact assessment of EU funds is in progress and will finish by July  Other evaluations are planned to be ended by August  In programming period altogether 21 evaluation/research will be conducted.  Proposed evaluation “The efficiency of the EU Funds control system and the acceptable level of errors”, which realization could exceed the time-limit, will be financed from technical assistance resources, because its results mostly will be used for improvement of programming period system.

EU SF Managing Authority– Ministry of Finance 8 Agenda  Progress made since previous MC meeting  Recommendation implementation status

EU SF Managing Authority– Ministry of Finance 9 Recommendation implementation plan – update  Since MC meeting until now Recommendation implementation plan has been supplemented by recommendations of 3 new accomplished researches (together 14 researches).  Update of the recommendation implementation status – not less than twice a year  sent to the EU SF thematic evaluation consultative working group members (sent already the updated version)  Until the beginning of June 2008 information provided by: MoW (09.06.), MoT (02.06.), MSAEGA (11.06.), MoA (05.06.), MRDLG (06.06.), MoF (06.06.), MoEc (05.06.), MoH (06.06.), MoEnv (10.06.), MoC (06.06.) CFCA (03.06.), SEA (03.06.), SEDA(05.06.), RSS (05.06.) LIDA (30.05.), SRDA (03.06.), SIF (03.06.)  Until the beginning of June 2008 information missing from: MoES, SSB  Plan is repeatedly reviewed and updated for this MC

Struktūrfondu vadošā iestāde – Finanšu ministrija 10 Improvement of Latvian legislation  At the moment in Latvian legislation is stated, that representatives of institutions involved in EU Structural Funds administration – members of EU funds thematic evaluation consultative working group (working group), review conclusions and recommendations of the evaluation and research reports, and monitor their implementation.  In accordance with conclusions of the State Audit Office report, Managing Authority will propose Amendment to the corresponding regulations to clearly define responsibilities of the institutions involved in EU Structural Funds administration to implement those recommendations, which the working group members admit as useful.

EU SF Managing Authority– Ministry of Finance 11 Recommendation implementation status(1)  In total there are around 395 recommendations expressed by the evaluators

EU SF Managing Authority– Ministry of Finance 12 Recommendation implementation status(2) Analysis of the 86 implemented recommendations in the period from –

Recommendation implementation status(4) EU SF Managing Authority– Ministry of Finance 13

Accomplished researches and evaluations are available at: