Catalin GHERAN Ministry of European Funds, Romania JASPERS’ 10 th Anniversary Brussels, November 10, 2015

2 WHERE HAS JASPERS BEEN INVOLVED?  Project evaluation and approval  Direct support for the managing authorities  Support for around 100 major projects  Project preparation  Going towards the beneficiaries  Review of strategic documents (MP) / selection of investments  Guidelines for the MA/beneficiaries on specific issues related to project preparation (CBA, FS)  Project implementation  Standardised tendering documentation  Support for “policy development”  Water sector, waste management, transport

3 WHY HAS JASPERS SUCCEDED?  Mix of high quality expertise  Valuable experts covering all needed areas of expertise  Results oriented approach  “Problem solving” attitude  Adapted to the specificities of its counterparts  Consultancy status  Not a decision maker (possibility to think “out of the box”)  Different to a typical consultant (no contractual “obstacles”)  Direct relation with the Comission’s services  Gives importance to its advice (“EU’s consultant”)  Information on what is required ensures efficiency in its work

4 FUTURE (CURRENT) CHALLENGES  Increased workload  Increased number of requests for support from counterparts  Must find the optimal time for intervention in the project cycle  Safeguard its “assets”  Not enter into a “globalisation” mode  IQR “effect”  Adds an increased pressure on JASPERS, as it becomes a decision maker  The IQR should have the wright influence on the work of the Advisory services  Need to avoid a “top-down” approach

5 CONCLUSIONS  Is JASPERS needed?  Yes  Is JASPERS valuable from an MA perspective?  Yes  Where/when should JASPERS get involved in the project cycle?  JASPERS should be used as early as possible  Will JASPERS be able to deliver in its new double status (advisor and decident)?  It is essential for JASPERS to keep all its “assets”  No answer for the moment

Catalin GHERAN General Director Ministry of European Funds, Romania