Support to EU Financial Assistance Management in Albania
SASPAC;
NIPAC;
NIPAC Support Office;
NAO/NAO Management Structures;
National Fund;
Central Financing and Contracting Unit;
Audit Authority.
Overall Objective
To ensure that EU financial assistance is targeted, balanced and in line with the priorities of the Enlargement Package and the country’s own National Strategy for European Integration and Development, facilitating the preparation for EU membership through accelerated integration and strategic Reform Agenda.
Summary of the Project
To enhance the capacity of various Government structures in charge of managing EU funds, including SASPAC, NIPAC, NIPAC Support Office, NAO, NAO Management Structures, National Fund, Central Financing and Contracting Unit, Audit Authority, Managing Authorities, and other relevant institutions and stakeholders, to effectively plan, program, implement, report, and evaluate directly and indirectly managed EU assistance.
Activities
COMPONENT 1.
Strategic Planning and Programming Coaching GoA officials in charge of programming EU financial assistance:
Assistance for the development of strategic and programming documents;
Support to operationalisation of reform priorities into programme proposals and / or design of targeted projects;
Assistance on multi-country programmes, Cross Border Cooperation Programmes, Union Programmes and other financial tools;
Support sectoral and cross-sectoral policy dialogue among all stakeholders and donor coordination;
Support to self-assessment of alignment of national policies with EU policies.
COMPONENT 2.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting:
Analysis of programme-level monitoring, evaluation and reporting system on the use of EU assistance;
Support to NIPAC on Programme level monitoring and reporting;
Assistance to preparation of IPA III evaluation plan;
Recommendations on risk-based and sustainability monitoring methodologies and tools;
Analysis and recommendations on Management Information System;
COMPONENT 3.
Internal Controls and Financial Management:
Assistance to the NAO and NAO Support Office to strengthen the management and control system for IPA funds;
Assistance to the NAO and NAO Support Office to strengthen the management and control system for IPA funds;
Assistance to the Audit Authority to improve capacities in relation to IPA funds
Support to internal auditors in audit of EU funds;
Support to CFCU on delivery of IPA Annual and multi-Annual Operational Programmes
Assistance to selected Beneficiaries to roll-out the Simplified Cost Options approach under IPA III grant schemes;
Assistance to the Beneficiaries (all structures and authorities) on management of irregularities including fraud, financial corrections and addressing audit findings
Support to Accounting Body.
COMPONENT 4.
Transparency, Communication and Visibility:
Support to preparation and implementation of Plan of visibility and communication activities on IPA III assistance to Albania;
Support to establish a single website portal on all EU Programmes in Albania
Developing the Communication Strategy for SASPAC;
Preparation of Communication Strategy for Growth Plan and Reform Agenda
Visibility Activities.
COMPONENT 5.
Capacity building:
Development of Training Plan for IPA Bodies;
Implementation of training plan for IPA Bodies.
Results
• The institutional, administrative, and technical capacity of Albanian institutions to plan, programme, prepare, and manage IPA assistance under direct and indirect management is strengthened, allowing for more effective and efficient use of EU funds in the context of a comprehensive partnership. There is improved quality, relevance, and coherence of IPA strategic and programming documents, including the Reform Agenda for Albania for implementation of the Growth Plan.
• The performance of the Albanian appointed institutions is improved in terms of evidence-based monitoring and evaluation and results-based reporting, and effective communication of IPA actions and programmes. There is increased use of evidence-based decision-making, adoption of key performance indicators at the national level to measure and monitor performance in the use of IPA funds, and more timely and accurate reporting.
• The internal control system and financial management of the structures and authorities managing IPA funds is strengthened, including through increased capacity and improved performance of the Audit Authorities and its cooperating bodies.
• The responsibilities of the beneficiary on Transparency and Visibility set in the Financial Framework Partnership Agreement (FFPA) are effectively implemented.
