What will you learn?

Structural reform measures outlined in the ERP are policy measures prioritized in dialogue with the EU and aimed at enhancing economic growth and competitiveness. To ensure their effective implementation, among others, structural reforms shall be well-integrated within the national budget and other fiscal documents (e.g. Fiscal Strategy). Therefore, at this online course, you will have a chance to assess prospects for aligning practices and tools for costing structural reforms from ERPs with those used for medium-term budgeting, while putting particular attention to differences between them. It will look into available budgetary and costing tools, approaches and guidance documents, and capture opportunities to further align them.

Building upon economic challenges that are expected to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic around the world, we will discuss a need for adjustment of existing structural reforms to better respond to the anticipated economic challenges and developing new ones. We will also review how the ERP can be used as a document for enabling economic recovery of a country.

This event is based on participatory learning approach within the Online learning space and structured to encourage utilization of already existing knowledge and experience of participants and institutions. We aim to integrate the lessons learned and good practices identified in other countries. The online course features video and reading materials, while its online meetings provide an opportunity for discussion with lecturing experts and other participants.

Through this online course, you will:

• Get a better understanding of your country’s fiscal framework and how it correlates to the fiscal framework outlined in ERP.
• Discuss the need for extending the impact of structural reforms outlined in ERP from stimulating economic growth to enabling economic recovery.
• Review prospects for modification of existing structural reform measures to better respond to emerging economic challenges.
• Learn about the experiences of other countries in overcoming encountered economic challenges.
• Asses features of well designed, articulated and sequenced structural reforms.
• Identify how the costs of structural reforms from ERP correlate with the fiscal constraints of medium-term budgets, and what are main preconditions and opportunities to strengthen it.

This online course builds on the knowledge shared, and lessons learned during the learning initiatives CEF delivered throughout 2019 in Kosovo and continue efforts aimed at strengthening institutional capacities for applying the Methodological Guidance for Costing of Structural Reforms (ENG, ALB).

Who should attend?

Invited to participate are the officials having a role in the process of preparation and coordination of ERP inputs, and especially those involved in coordination, design, and costing of structural reforms outlined in the ERP:  

• National ERP Coordinator and Coordinator for the ERP Chapter 5
• Members of the working group for ERP preparations
• Officials working at finance and policy departments of Line Ministries
• Officials working at the budget department of Ministry of Finance
• Policy officials from government’s policy coordination body and/or Prime Ministers’ office.

Particularly invited are official who took part at the CEF learning initiatives implemented throughout 2019 in Kosovo, however, participation will be open also to those how have not had a chance to join previous events but carry relevant background.
 

Faculty

• Janez Šušteršič; CEF Associate Fellow, Professor of Economic Policy; former Minister of Finance of Slovenia

• Valmira Rexhëbeqaj; CEF expert, former Director of the Department for Economic and Public Policy in Ministry of Finance

Practical information

Applications need to be submitted by May 11, 2020, via the online application. Selected candidates will be notified by May 13, 2020.

• This course will be delivered on the CEF Online Learning Campus
• To participate in basic information technology is needed (internet connection, and computer or tablet).
• The course will be in Albanian and English language.
• The envisaged workload for the participants is about 4-6 hours per week. It will feature three online meetings, as well as a self-paced study of learning resources and peer-to-peer discussion. The presence is required only during the weekly online meetings (webinars) that will last up to 1,5h.
• Upon fulfilment of the required learning steps, you will receive a certificate of successful completion of this online course.
• No fee will be charged.
• Due to limited capacities, selected will be up to 35 participants.

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*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

Partners

This event is delivered as part of the EU funded multi-country project “Strengthening Line Ministries’ Capacities to Assess Fiscal Implications of Structural Reforms” implemented by the Center of Excellence in Finance.