The workshop aims to give an overview of financial accounting and reporting requirements of EU (specifically Instrument for Pre-accession – IPA) funded projects. We will look into necessary financial, accounting and audit rules and procedures as well as into determining of types of financing. Based on that, we will discuss how to manage and implement projects and present reports of underlying financial activities. We will reflect on specific challenges of participating representatives in financial management of their IPA-supported projects.

What will you learn?

At the workshop, we will touch upon:

• Overview of IPA funding and EU financial frameworks, phases of IPA-funded projects and the use of Sector Budget Support
• Eligibility, management and implementation of EU-funded projects with an overview of regulation requirements
• Financial management of EU funds and main challenges
• Accounting requirements for EU-funded projects (documentation, filing and record keeping, cost classifications, direct and indirect costs, eligibility of costs, personnel costs)
• Monitoring and reporting requirements (reporting timeline – intermediate and final reports, scope of reports and main characteristics)

The workshop is intended to be highly interactive and to include many examples from the practice. Participants will be working in groups on specific cases and we encourage them to bring upon the challenges they meet on daily basis.

Target audience

Target audience are finance officials from ministries of finance and line ministries and other authorities who are involved the implementation, reporting and accounting of IPA projects.

Faculty

• Mojmir Mrak, Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana
• Bojan Suvorov, Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, Slovenia
• Gordana Djurovic, Faculty of Economics, University of Montenegro
• Mladen Lazic, Ministry of Finance, Serbia
• Boban Paunov, Ministry of Finance, North Macedonia
• Ivan Ignjatov, Audit Authority for audit of instrument for pre-accession assistance (IPA), North Macedonia
   

Practical information

Travel and accommodation costs will be funded for up to three officials per IPA II beneficiary country (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo*, Montenegro, Serbia, and Turkey). Officials from other CEF constituency countries and beyond would have to obtain funding from their sending institution (or another donor) to cover these costs. No fee will be charged, and meals and refreshments during the event will be provided to all selected participants.

The workshop be delivered in English and no translation will be provided.

Applications need to be submitted no later than August 26 via the online application form. Candidates will need to be approved by the CEF; confirmations will be sent to selected candidates by September 2.

Partners

This learning initiative was supported by: