EU instruments for technical assistance in statistics Point 4.4 of the Agenda Management Group on Statistical Cooperation March March 2011

Financial framework for EU assistance Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) –2007 to 2013 –Candidate countries and potential candidates European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) –2007 to 2013 –European Neighbourhood Policy partner countries

Instruments for technical assistance Service contracts –National and multi-beneficiary programmes Twinning contracts –National programmes Grants –Multi-beneficiary programmes

Stakeholders Contracting authority –Centralised: The Commission –Decentralised: Beneficiary country Contractor –National Statistical Institutes (NSIs) of the ESS –Private sector companies Beneficiary –National Statistical Institutes –Other producers of official statistics

Service contracts Result of open tender procedure Private companies and NSIs Entire project structure: transfer of know-how, technical assistance, training, workshops, survey costs, etc. Expertise from private and/or public experts Some flexibility in budget and activities Programme managed by the consultant 5

Twinning contracts Result of competitive procedure among public authorities of EU MSs (consortia possible) Parts of project structure: transfer of know-how, study visits, trainings. Survey costs not included Content, results and budget fixed from start Involvement of Residential Twinning Adviser and short-term experts 6

Grants Awarded to NSIs of beneficiary countries following a negotiation procedure Entire project structure: provision of expertise, training, study visits, data collection, dissemination of results Mainly public experts, limited use of private expertise Content, activities, results and budget fixed from start Programme managed by beneficiary Beneficiary learns EU financial rules and grant management 7

Which instrument? Twinning –In early stage of cooperation, when the statistical system of the beneficiary needs fundamental changes or for very well defined projects at a later stage Service Contract –In later stage of cooperation, when the beneficiary has sufficient knowledge to work independently Grants –Key components of statistical system are in place and the beneficiary has the necessary capacity to take the lead What are the advantages and disadvantages of the three instruments? How does the administrative management compare, for beneficiary and contractors? How do Member States see their role in technical assistance within the ESS? 8

9 Thank you for your attention Janne Utkilen European Commission - DG Eurostat Unit D1: Statistical cooperation with European and Mediterranean countries Telephone: March 2011