Portugal - Operationeel Programma 2007-2013: Technische bijstand (en)

• 1. 

  “Technical Assistance Operational Programme” - Programme under the Convergence Objective and the Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

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• 2. 

  Overview

On 21 December 2007, the European Commission approved the Technical Assistance Operational Programme for Portugal covering the period 2007-2013. The Programme falls under the Convergence Objective and the Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective (phasing-out and phasing-in) and has a total budget of around €101 million. Community assistance through the ERDF amounts to some €86 million, which represents approximately 0.4% of the total EU investment earmarked for Portugal under Cohesion Policy 2007-2013.

• 3. 

  Aim and purpose of the programme

The Programme describes in detail the main areas in which the Portuguese authorities are going to allocate EU funding of €86 million over the next seven years. The strategic goal of the Programme, covering all regions of Portugal, is to ensure the efficient and effective implementation and functioning of the coordination systems and structures of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) and the management, monitoring, evaluation, communication and control systems of the ERDF and Cohesion Fund.

Although it is the smallest of all Portuguese ERDF operational programmes, it will play an important role. It will provide technical assistance activities for all Operational Programmes due to its horizontal nature. The Programme will support the monitoring mechanisms of the NSRF, the coordination of the Funds as well as audit and control tasks. The Programme will thus pave the way for the successful allocation of the Structural Fund and the Cohesion Fund in Portugal.

• 4. 

  Expected impact of investments

The following are some of the expected impacts stemming from the Programme's investment:

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  Execution of the NSRF by making investments earmarked for the Lisbon Strategy - reaching the earmarking values for each objective;
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  Achieving the aims of the national Evaluation Plan;
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  Achieving the objectives of the national Information and Communication Plan;
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  Execution of the national Audit Plan.

• 5. 

  Priorities

The Programme encompasses NSRF and funding (ERDF and Cohesion Fund) actions as well as actions of a horizontal nature covering all regions. The Programme is structured according to the following priority axes:

Priority 1: Coordination and Strategic Monitoring of the NSRF in regions under the Convergence Objective [approximately 22.8% of total funding]

The specific objectives of this priority are to ensure the proper functioning of systems and structures associated with the strategic monitoring of the NSRF, to develop an evaluation system for the NSRF, and to improve the implementation of the global communication strategy of the NSRF.

Priority 2: Coordination and Financial Monitoring of the ERDF and Cohesion Fund in regions under the Convergence Objective [approximately 50.4% of total funding]

This priority should ensure the coordination, implementation and financial monitoring associated with technical assistance for the ERDF and Cohesion Fund. Furthermore, this priority provides support for evaluations of the ERDF and Cohesion Fund with the aim of carrying out thematic studies, supporting the development of information, management and audit systems for the NSRF, and developing an Information and Communication Plan for actions financed under the ERDF and Cohesion Fund. Under this priority, the definition of payment processes will also be supported.

Priority 3: Audit and control of ERDF and Cohesion Fund objectives in Convergence regions [approximately 22% of total funding]

This priority aims to support actions of the Audit Authority and controlling authorities within the Financial Institute for Regional Development (IFDR - Instituto Financeiro para o Desenvolvimento Regional) and the Technical Audit Committee.

Priority 4: Coordination, Monitoring, Audit and Control in regions under the Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective [approximately 4.8% of total funding]

This priority supports the same activities as the first three priority axes in the regions falling under the Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective.

• 6. 

  Managing Authority: IFDR - Instituto Financeiro para o Desenvolvimento Regional - Lisbon, Portugal

Contact details:

IFDR - Instituto Financeiro para o Desenvolvimento Regional

Mr. José Soeiro

Rua de S. Julião, 63

1149-030 Lisbon

Portugal

Telephone: +351 218 814 000

Fax: +351 218 881 111

Internet: http://www.ifdr.pt/

E-mail: ifdr@ifdr.pt

• 7. 

  Title: "Technical Assistance Operational Programme"

Type of intervention: Operational Programme

CCI No.: 2007PT16UPO002

No. of decision: C/2007/6883

Final approval date: 21/12/2007

• 8. 

  Breakdown of financing by priority (in euro)