1. Annual meeting with ETC programmes 22-23 April 2013 | Brussels Harmonised Tools for ETC Financial Management

2. HIT Financial Package, including: Eligibility of expenditure: budget line fact sheets FLC Checklist and Certificate State aid and ETC Tools for Audit Authorities …

3. ETC can best contribute to EU 2020, if: 1) ETC eligibility rules are based on a common, well–defined set of rules 2) State aid rules are adapted / clarified to make them work in a multi-country ETC context

4. ETC eligibility rules should be based on a common, well–defined set of rules 5 fact sheets for 5 budget lines (staff costs, office and administration, external services and experts, travel and accommodation, equipment and investment) Eligible and ineligible costs, examples of programme-specific rules, etc. Harmonised approach to calculating eligible cost, simplified cost options, etc. Matching FLC report and checklist ETC Eligibility rules

5. To make this work: We hope for all provision in a Delegated act Additional programme-specific provisions in ETC programme rules National rules for ETC should be adapted to EU and programme rules (few exceptions, eg: public procurement) ETC eligibility rules should be based on a common, well–defined set of rules ETC Eligibility rules

6. ETC fears State aid control State aid and ETC

7. Of the ETC programmes that responded to the survey (33 TN+CBC): In the current period About 50% of the ETC programmes do NOT allow SMEs as project partners. Of these 40% explicitly mention state aid as a main reason. Only 1 programme clearly said the reason is not related to state aid. 7 State aid and ETC INTERACT Survey: Involvement of SMEs in ETC

8. In the future period: All programmes currently involving SMEs also consider SMEs for the next period. Many consider allowing SMEs for the first time. Among the programmes having experience with SME involvement, at least 65% consider state aid as a main issue to be solved. INTERACT Survey: Involvement of SMEs in ETC 8 State aid and ETC

9. Yes Guidance needed: What is state aid, what is not? How can the rules work in a multi-country context (e.g., one country registering / notifying aid for other countries, de minimis)? What are best practices of ETC programmes? Can ETC learn how to function better within the current state aid framework? State aid and ETC

10. Can the red SME receive de minimis from the ETC programme? Is de minimis EU-wide or national? 10 Country 1/ MA Country 2 Has reached the de minimis limit in its country SME Has NOT reached the de minimis limit in its country ? State aid and ETC

11. “State aid rules were made for the national context and work well in the national context. Why not make them work for cooperation?” 11 State aid and ETC ETC is hoping for provision specifically for ETC in one or more of the state aid instruments

12. A tool that: allows the same co-financing rates for all countries, types of partners and types of activities within ETC does not require excessive analyses in all participating countries leads to attractive co-financing rates that take the additional burden of cooperation into account Provision specifically for ETC State aid and ETC

13. To make it work for ETC additional consideration are necessary: The scope should be extended to cover all cooperation activities not just those related to ‘investments’. The aid ceilings should be based on easy to assess criteria such as the total partner budget outlined in the application form rather than the highest investment or eligible costs. ? Are there also solutions for programmes not covering regional aid map areas? Eg, Possible solutions in other categories of aid? Article 78 of the draft RAG A single aid ceiling for all cooperation partners State aid and ETC

14. Repsond to the consultations! Contact your national state aid experts and make them respond, too! Let your opinion be heard! Your support is needed!!! 14 Sign up for: http://groupspaces.com/INTERACTFinanceManagement to receive information about public consultations: de minimis and GBER State aid and ETC

15. ETC loves State aid control State aid and ETC