1. European multi-financial framework Funds –AMIF and ISF UK experience and perspective Stephen Blackmore UK Responsible Authority Head of UK Strategy, Policy and Funding Allocation 28 July 2015 Sofia

2. Hello and thank you for inviting me Who am I Support to Bulgaria by EASO and the UK My experience both in the UK and working with Bulgaria What will I be covering today

3. Current situation in the UK  First two calls launched March/May 2015  11 Home Office projects selected  2 have been terminated  £24m (€33.6m) of AMIF costs declared by projects  Payments will be made this week  Full Designation to be signed off by end of August  All operating and guidance manuals completed, removing any uncertainty on what is expected of grant recipients

4. Responsibility – A two way process As the title suggests both the Responsible Authority and the project have key and distinct responsibilities to ensure effective absorption of EU Funds What are the key elements for the Responsible Authority? What are the key elements for the project?

5. The Responsible Authority They are the guardians of EU money They have the responsibility to ensure projects conform to the EU and National legislation They are the Bulgarian liaison with the EC and EU bodies They must ensure funding is correctly allocated, spent, recorded and expenditure is eligible Ensure funding is allocated to projects that meet the National Programme strategy and policy requirements They are there to support and provide training

6. Project's Responsibilities Delivery the project as defined in the application for funding Adhere to all EU and Bulgarian legislation Report back to the Bulgarian Responsible Authority on time with all the correct information Immediately report any concerns or difficulties back to the Responsible Authority

7. Why is all of this important The rather simple answer is, if the projects fail to deliver the project or are unable/unwilling to abide by the EU funding regulations the Responsible Authority will not be able to claim the expenditure from the EU. This will result in the Bulgarian government having to find the funds to finance the project!!!

8. UK view From experience with previous funding streams we must take a firmer line with projects. Under SOLID £10m (€14m) of funding lost due to projects not keeping correct documentation or being able to demonstrate expenditure was eligible Onus is on projects, Directors and above sign Grant Agreements. The project has to fully justify to their senior managers and Government Ministers why the Responsible Authority had no option but to reject funding claims and thereby the state budget has to unexpectedly find the finances to cover the project

9. Does all this sound negative? No it should not be read like that: The key is to ensure genuine cooperation and engagement between the project and Responsible Authority From personal experience and observation the Bulgarian Responsible Authority has all the skills and knowledge to fully support you but they can only do this if the you fully engage with them

10. General advice Communication, communication, communication It is not a competition between the project and the Responsible Authority – regular meetings and updates are vital to demonstrating cooperation and partnership No one wants to reject costs but as mention earlier the ultimate role of the Responsible Authority is to safeguard EU money and to save domestic Bulgarian funds from having to cover costs that EU funding streams could and should have covered

11. Thank you for listening Any questions?