IPA Funds II help countries in their preparations for the EU membership and strengthen relations among countries in the region through IPA multi-beneficiary initiatives and relations with the EU. Moreover, the EU pre-accession funds help beneficiaries make needed reforms and get prepared for full membership obligations, including setting up institutions to strengthen mechanisms of good governance.

Changes and novelties of IPA II create capacity gaps for beneficiary countries that need to be addressed. A workshop provided a detailed overview of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA II), based on beneficiaries’ request that would help you get familiar with the IPA II specifics.
Beneficiary countries of IPA II are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo under UNSCR 1244/1999, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

What you learned

In order to successfully manage IPA II funds, the workshop helped you understand EU financial tools and processes of establishing IPA-related structures for its functioning.

Topics discussed:

• Public finances at the EU level,
• EU financial frameworks 2014–2020,
• Phases of EU/IPA-funded projects: programming, management, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation,
• Croatia’s and Slovenia’s experience with pre-accession aid,
• Sector budget support under IPA II.

How you benefited

Participatory approach, based on case studies and practical problem solving, enabled you to immediately apply cutting-edge knowledge. Sufficient time was allotted to questions and answers to enabled participants to benefit from the exchange of professional experiences and practical examples.

Learning from good and not so good experiences of other beneficiaries could result in higher awareness of possible risks and mistakes to be avoided.

Regional cooperation creates good partnerships that enables participants/institutions/countries to help each other. A pool of experts is usually a great reference point which many participants refer to when in need of advice or help.

Who attended the workshop

The course was designed for public officials from EU candidate and potential candidate countries working in ministries of finance, ministries and offices for EU integrations, who prepare and implement IPA projects, and line ministries responsible for various aspects of economic and social development. The workshop was also open to representatives of planning institutions and chambers of economy from EU potential candidate countries and EU candidate countries.

Partners

This learning initiative was supported by: