1. PROJECT LIFECYCLE
Implementation Seminar

2. Content
General information
Subsidy Contract
Co-financing
Implementation
Support by MA / JS
Audit and control
Project closure

3. GENERAL INFORMATION Please note:
All relevant information about project implementation – in the website:
Updated Programme manual – from April 4, 2017! Also articles on project implementation updated.

4. GENERAL INFORMATION POST PROJECT 5 years CONTRACTING IMPLEMENTATION
MC approval date
Project start date
Project end date
Obligations
POST
PROJECT 5 years
after final
payment
CONTRACTING
Up to 2-3 months
IMPLEMENTATION
Up to 24 months
CLOSURE
3 months

5. GENERAL INFORMATION Project start:
Subsidy Contract (between MA and LP)
Partnership Agreement (between LP and PPs)
Establishment of project management structure
Kick-off Meeting (if relevant) (LP, PPs, stakeholders, external guests, MA/JS)

6. SUBSIDY CONTRACT
What have you signed?
Sets total awarded ERDF funding and general payment rules (§ 2)
Sets main principles of eligibility of costs (§ 3)
Sets procedure of reporting and payments (§ 5)
Sets LP and PP rights and obligations (§ 6)
Sets requirements for information and publicity (§ 8)
Sets requirements for ensuring durability and ownership of results (§ 9)
Sets reasons for termination of the contract (§ 10)
Sets requirements for retention of documents (§ 11)
Sets rights to carry out audit and control (§ 12)
Sets procedure of recovery of ineligible expenditure (§ 13)
Sets procedure of handling project changes (§ 15)
Sets procedure of resolution of complaints and disputes (§ 16)

7. SUBSIDY CONTRACT
What have you signed?
Start and end dates of the project are stated in Preamble
Total eligible budget in maximum, project budget can not be increased (§ 2, Point 1)
All exchange of information in the eMS (§ 4)
Payments are done on the basis of the validated total eligible expenditure only (§ 2, Point 4)

8. SUBSIDY CONTRACT Lead partner principle – all communication via LP
What have you signed?
Lead partner principle – all communication via LP
Duties/responsibilities of the LP:
Solely bears the overall financial and legal responsibility for the Project and for the PPs (§ 6, Point 1)
Ensures signing of the partnership agreement
Ensures establishment of proper project monitoring and evaluation system and performs overall project management
Communicates with the JS on behalf of the partnership
Informs JS on the problems, on necessary project changes etc., if any
Requests payments of the project ERDF funding
Ensures that all partners timely prepare partnership reports (if are given for financial control check) and prepares and submits consolidated progress reports
Complies with programme rules
Duties/responsibilities of the PP:
Implements and completes all the project activities assigned
Ensures management of its part of the project
Complies with programme rules
Guarantees sound financial management of its budget
Provides proofs of the project progress
Informs the LP on the problems, on necessary changes in the project application

9. SUBSIDY CONTRACT What have you signed? Payments
Payments to the LP will be made on a reimbursement basis and no advance payments are available from the ERDF funds of the Programme (§ 5, Point 2)
The LP shall transfer the received ERDF co-financing to the PPs within maximum one month and upload proof to the eMS within 5 working days after the transfer is made to each partner (§ 5, Point 11)
If any expenditure is considered ineligible, the MA has a right to deduct an unduly paid amount from the payment of ERDF co-financing or start the recovery procedure (§ 13, Point 1 and Point 2). In such a case, the PP has to repay to the LP their respective amounts unduly paid.
What have you signed?
NB! Please keep in mind that Programme funding is subject to de-commitment rule (if Programme funds are not claimed and spent according to defined schedule). Therefore, programme will control and monitor its spending.
Programme claims for funds from the EC based on project’s reported and certified expenditures.

10. SUBSIDY CONTRACT What have you signed?
NB! Reasons for project termination/payment suspension, reduction:
If the LP or the PPs fail to meet the requirements of the national co-financing (§ 2, Point 7);
Any unjustified delay in reporting or in the clarification process of the consolidated progress report and final report or failure to meet the Project disbursement schedule (§ 2, Point 7);
Any of reasons stated in the Article § 10 of the Contract: false or incomplete statements or documents submitted; project no longer can’t be implemented (also on time); due to changes, achievement of the results are under a risk; project outputs and results are severely out of the planned ones; the subsidy is misapplied; insolvency proceedings against LP; LP sells, leases or lets the Project to a third party; eligibility of project activities is questionable and final report can’t be verified; the LP disturbs controls and audit; the LP has failed to transfer received ERDF funds to the PP etc.
In case the Project is subject to controls or audits until its completion. Also, for cases until all required information and documentation needed for the audit purposes have been made available ((§ 7, Point 4 and 7).
if within 5 years of the final payment a productive activity is reallocated outside the programme area or within 10 years if the activity is reallocated outside of the European Union; in some cases – if change of ownership of infrastructure item has taken place giving undue advantage to a body ((§ 9, Point 1).
in case the European Commission fails to make available the ERDF funding to the Programme.

11. SUBSIDY CONTRACT What have you signed?
LP regularly has to check from eMS and Programme website ( for the last updated version of the Programme related documents in order to guarantee compliance with the latest updates (§ 6, Point 8.10)
The LP as well as PPs have to ensure retention of all the documentation (§ 11) and provide access to all documents required for FC, JS, MA, AA (§ 12)
The LP as well as PPs have to ensure ownership and durability of the project main outputs and results (§ 9)
Each partnership (involving all project partners) has to sign Partnership Agreement and upload it in the eMS

12. CO-FINANCING LATVIA Main regulation
UP TO 5% OF TOTAL PARTNERS’ BUDGET
Main regulation
Ministru kabineta 2015.gada 22.aprīļa noteikumi Nr.200 “Valsts budžeta līdzekļu piešķiršanas kārtība Eiropas Strukturālo un investīciju fondu mērķa “Eiropas teritoriālā sadarbība” programmu finansējuma saņēmējiem no Latvijas”
Information available on webpage
For more information contact:
Irina Brasle

13. CO-FINANCING LITHUANIA Main regulations
UP TO 7.5% OF TOTAL PARTNERS’ BUDGET
Main regulations
Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybės 2015 m. gegužės 27 d. nutarimas Nr. 520
Lietuvos Respublikos valstybės biudžeto lėšų, skirtų metų Europos teritorinio bendradarbiavimo tikslo programoms bendrai finansuoti, naudojimo taisyklės
Information available on webpage
latlit.eu/how-to-implement/
National co-financing for Lithuanian partners
For more information contact:
Renata Stambrauskė

14. IMPLEMENTATION Start as fast as possible: projects usually delay
In line with what is written in the Application Form
Ensure sufficient human resources
Good project manager and financial manager – part of project success
Efficient communication within Project
Clear division of activities and budget between PPs
Realistic time planning (e.g. public procurement procedures)
Reporting takes more time than planned

15. IMPLEMENTATION Reality check:
To assess if the project is on track, regular reporting on finances and achievement of the project main outputs and results has to be ensured
Changes to the Project application – minor/major

16. SUPPORT BY MA / JS Seminars: implementation, communication, reporting
Advice to projects and consultations
Project visits
Website
e.g. contract/agreement templates, visibility downloads
country-specific information
KNOW YOUR JS MANAGER !

17. AUDIT AND CONTROL IN LATVIA – CENTRALISED
No costs foreseen in the partners’ budget
Contact details on the web
Inform your controllers
Ask for requirements
For more information
latlit.eu/how-to-implement/ Financial control in Latvia
IN LITHUANIA – DECENTRALISED
Costs should be foreseen in the partners’ budget
Run procurement
Get approval from Ministry of Interior, LT
Sign the contract
Inform LP
For more information
latlit.eu/how-to-implement/
Financial control in Lithuania

18. AUDIT AND CONTROL Financial Control What is it? Verification: Delivery
Soundness
Compliance
Financial Control

19. PROJECT CLOSURE Steps to be taken: • Plan closure − Resources − Timing
− Last reimbursement
• Finalise all project activities
• Communicate all results
• Accumulate project records
• Prepare final report
BE AWARE !
All outputs co-financed by the Programme must comply with the applicable Programme information and communication requirements
The ownership of the project outputs (infrastructure and/or productive investments, produced during the project implementation) must remain with the LP or project partners according to requirements set in subsection “Durability and ownership of project results” in chapter 7.4. of the Programme manual;
The LP and project partners must assign a contact person for 5 years after the final payment of the ERDF co-financing has been made to the LP from the Programme.

20. PROJECT CLOSURE Obligations after project closure
Ownership of project outputs – not allowed to transfer ownership, titles, industrial and intellectual property rights for outputs of the project related to investment in infrastructure and/or productive investment during the project duration and at least five years (or in some cases ten years) after the final payment to the project has been made
Retention of documents – at least for five years after the final payment has been made by the MA to the LP
Revenues
Irregularities found after project closure

21. PROJECT CLOSURE Project legacy
Ensuring that project activities have a lasting impact on project partner organisations and stakeholders
Ensuring that project activities have a lasting impact on the wider programme area and beyond
Trying to ensure that there is commitment and funding to take the next steps