Annual Review Meeting
OP for Cohesion Policy Funds 2014-2020
3.OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAMME PERFORMANCE - Examine performance of the OP in
view of potential improvements. Discuss other implementation issues
3.2.Selection criteria
Since mid-2016 – significant progress for approval of normative regulation, including project
criteria, calls for projects, project approval & contracting (Please see data in table below, 01.11..2016,
M EUR, % of EU funding, progress % since 31.12.2015);
Regarding project selection criteria – in this programming period Managing Authority has developed a
number of instruments to ensure more effective process of development of project selection criteria. For
example, Subcommittees of EU funds has been established and within each priority axis
involvement of social partners is ensured for detailed discussions of each set of project selection
criteria before approval un Monitoring Committee. Subcommittee also ensures discussion of
methodology for application of the criteria set and initial assessment of specific objective that helps
to develop a coherent framework and regulation for specific investments.
According to Regulation No 1303/2013[1] Art.110 2.p. a) one of functions of the Monitoring Committee
is to approve the methodology and criteria used for selection of operations.
Therefore Managing Authority has created Methodology for selection of operation in 2014-2020 for
ERDF, ESF and KF projects (approved by the Monitoring Committee in 14.01.2015.) which includes
mandatory common criteria and optional common criteria and also the principles how to develop
set of project selection criteria.
Every set of selection criteria consists of:

mandatory common criteria;

optional common criteria (can be chosen from list according to specifics of SO);

eligibility criteria;

quality criteria.
Common criteria were created to ensure common understanding and application requirements for project
applications and project submitters (potential beneficiaries).
[1]
REGULATION (EU) No 1303/2013 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund,
the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and
laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and
the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006
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3.4.State of play of ex ante conditionalities
At the time of approving Partnership agreement, there were 15 unfulfilled/partially fulfilled ex-ante
conditionalities.
So far fulfillment of 14 ex-ante conditions has been ensured (including positive EC decision) in sectors
of transport, education and science, health, social inclusion and strengthening the capacity of public
administration as well as waste, water and risk management and all general ex-ante conditionalities.
To completely fulfill remaining ex-ante conditionality 10.1 on prevention and intervention measures
to reduce early school leaving – necessary documentation has already been submitted to EC.
3.5. Implementation of Evaluation plan
Evaluation plan 2016 envisages:
1) In-depth ex ante assessments of 5 specific objectives (SO):

SO 4.1.1. “To facilitate an efficient use of energy resources, reduction of energy
consumption and switch to renewable energy sources in manufacturing sector”;

SO 4.3.1. “To facilitate production and distribution of renewable energy sources in central
heating”;

SO 5.3.1. “To improve quality of and connectivity to central water supply and sewage
systems”;

SO 8.2.1. “To reduce fragmentation of study programs and to strengthen resource sharing
in higher education”

SO 8.4.1. “To improve professional competences of employed persons to mitigate the
labour market disproportion”.
Four of whom have been carried out, and one (SO 8.2.1.) is in preparation phase (to be finished until end
of January 2017);
2) 2007-2013 ex post evaluations within 4 investment priorities (areas of support):

Science, research and innovations
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Ministry of Education and Science has proposed the Managing Authority (Ministry of
Finance) to perform EU funds 2007 – 2013 planning period ex-post evaluation on
investments dealing with science, research and innovation processes in selected scientific
institutions of Latvia (21 most effective and sustainable scientific institutions).
Aim of this particular evaluation is to identity science, research and innovation activities
in 2007 – 2013 planning period with highest impacts on (21) selected scientific institutions
performance indicators as well as research and development contribution into Latvia’s
achievements of the innovation capacity building including European Innovation
Scoreboards prepared by European Commission.
Draft report of the ex-post evaluation should be available in the second quarter of 2017.
Business support
During negotiations between Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economics it is agreed
that main attention in this particular evaluation will be focused on financial instruments’
effectiveness. Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economics have started work on main
evaluation questions, expected results and tasks to be included in the evaluation. In
Ministry of Economics view best time for evaluation is starting second quarter 2017
according to data availability and therefore procurement procedure will be organized in
fourth quarter 2016.
Territorial development
It has been agreed between the Managing Authority (Ministry of Finance), Ministry of
Environment Protection and Regional Development and Latvian Association of Local and
Regional Governments as the main stakeholders to focus the 2007 – 2013 ex-post
evaluation on issues related to impact of EU funds on territorial and regional development
in Latvia.
At this stage specific tasks to be included in the evaluation are being negotiated between
the main stakeholders.
It is envisaged that the draft results of the impact evaluation should be available in the
second part of the year 2017.
Transport and communications
Managing Authority and Ministry of Transport have started negotiations about thematic
scope of evaluation. Estimated time schedule for procurement is fourth quarter of 2016;
3) Thematic evaluation
Evaluation of State Employment Agency (SEA) registered unemployed profiling methods impact on the
recruitment of unemployed
Aim of this evaluation: assessment of 2007 – 2013 ESF project developed SEA registered unemployed
classification/profiling method (hereinafter – profiling method) impact on the unemployed recruitment
and if necessary methods improvement. During 2017 – 2023 it is planned that improved profiling method
will be used for at least 70 000 unemployed.
Evaluation is being carried out and the final report has to be prepared until December 2016.
4) Additionally Ministry of Finance, together with Ministry of Welfare is collaborating with CRIE of
DG JRC on impact assessment of vocational education training programmes within Youth Employment
Initiative (YEI).
A counterfactual impact evaluation is foreseen to assess the extent to which YEI vocational education
training programmes improves the employability and increases the income of the training programmes’
participants.
Draft results of the evaluation are planned until the end of year 2016, to be finalized in the first quarter
of year 2017.
Within year 2017 main focus of evaluations will be ex-post evaluations of 2007-2013.
3.6.Implementation of the Communication strategy
The goal of EU funds communication is to facilitate public understanding about the importance of EU
funded project investments in economic development, the economy and the welfare of every resident of
Latvia. The goal is also facilitating public support and trust in these investments and the implementation
of projects in Latvia.
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According to the strategy there are 4 stages of EU funds communication – in 2016 Latvia should provide
progress in all of them:
1)
Informing about the effect and results of the previous planning period, providing continuity
of the information;
2)
Development of the knowledge on EU funds and their availability in form of specific
programs;
3)
Motivation the potential beneficieries to act;
4)
Communication of the results and gains, development of support and reputation.
This year there are several major communication activities that together covers all the mentioned stages:

Europe Week in cooperation with Representation of the European Commission in Latvia
– Open EU Project Days (#EUinMyRegion). Latvia took part in EU-level EU funds
campaign during which simultaneously majority of EU memberstates organized Open EU
Project Days to show the results of EU funds investments and rise the knowledge of EU
funds availability during new planning period.
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Modernization of the EU funds website esfondi.lv. The modernization of esfondi.lv
provided more transparent and overviewable information on EU funds availabilty,
implementation progress and the results.
Campaign on EU funds in Latvia. Campaign is the obligatory annual communication
event on EU funds’ investments in Latvia. It is the main communication activity that an
interactive way in society develops the knowledge of EU funds opportunities, results,
effects and motivates potential beneficiaries to implement their ideas as EU funded
projects.
This year the campaign #ESparTEVI (EU/me for you) will present the success stories of
EU projects and the effect on people’s lives by their own stories. On the other hand, the
opportunities and future effect of EU fund’s support in 2014-2020 planning period will be
shown as a application – visualisation of the results.
Public opinion survey to determine the level of public information about the use of
European Union funds in Latvia. As every year in December there will be the results of
public opinion survey that will demonstrate the progress and trends of public opinion
changes on EU funds. By the survey it is possible to control the results of communication
activities and to find the issues that our activities should explain the most.
Managing authority organizes communication activities in close cooperation with responsible
institutions.
3.7.EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBR). State of play
In the context of ESI funds, EUSBSR is considered as an important tool for the growth of Latvia,
allowing coordination of the national needs and challenges on the regional level, facilitating joint
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implementation of the projects, in order for it to ensure reaching common objectives defined by
EUSBSR.
Since 2016 Latvia is a member of the EUSBSR ERDF Managing Authorities’ Network, which aims at
finding ways to implement the EUSBSR more effectively by using financial support provided by ESI
funds programmes.
3.8.Take stock of the performance of the MCS and lessons learned
Flat rate
15% for indirect costs on the basis of the direct staff costs (Flat rate is foreseen in all ESF projects)
25% for indirect costs on the basis of the direct costs (Only can be used in research projects)
ESF - 40% for all other costs on the basis of the direct staff costs (Used in specific objective 9.1.4.3.
"Improvement of disability assessment expertise")
Unit cost
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1.1.1. specific objective 1.1.1.2. measure "Post-doctoral research support"
7.2.1 specific objective "To promote employment and education of young people not in
education, employment or training within the framework of Youth Guarantee’’
7.3.1. specific objective “To improve labour safety, especially in enterprises of hazardous
industries”
8.3.3. specific objective ‘’To increase inclusion of SEA non registered NEETs and foster
their inclusion in education, supported measures within the framework of Youth
Guarantee, and NGOs or youth centres’’
8.5.2. specific objective "To ensure conformity of vocational education to European
qualifications framework"
9.1.1 specific objective "Promote labour market inclusion of disadvantaged unemployed
persons" measure 9.1.1.2 "Activation measures for the long-term unemployed"
9.1.4 specific objective "Promote integration of people at risk of discrimination in society
and labour marker" measure 9.1.4.1
9.2.2. specific objective ‘’To increase the availability of social services at home equivalent
to the high quality services of institutional care and availability of services close to family
environment for children and people with disabilities’’ measure "Deinstitutionalization"
Lump sums
Not used so far (Planned to use in 8.3.4. specific objective "To reduce early school leaving by
implementing preventive and intervention measures")
Early Preventive System Audit 2014 -2020
Audit mission was held in Riga from 30.05 to 10.06.2016.
Audit of the functioning of the management and control systems focused in particular on following key
requirements:

Appropriate selection of operations;

Adequate information to beneficiaries;

Adequate management verifications, including supervision by the managing authority of
delegated tasks to intermediate bodies and implementation of responsibility of the
managing authority to put in place proportionate anti-fraud measures;

Adequate audit trail;

Adequate procedures for drawing up and submitting payment application
The audit work included a review of the systems and procedures in place with regard to the above
mentioned key requirements.
Draft audit report has been received at 03.08.2016.
Main findings included in the draft report:

Situation of potential conflict of interest in the selection of operations;
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Prevention measures against public procurement irregularities;
Irregularity when requirement for recognition of qualifications earned abroad is included
in selection criterions;
Proportionate anti-fraud measures and the use of ARACHNE
Further actions to be taken: within the specified time frame (one month from receiving the Latvian
version of the draft report) the Managing Authority will provide the Commission with the prepared
arguments, explanations and comments regarding the content of the draft report.
By 28.10.2016 Latvian authorities have not received the Latvian version of the audit draft report, but
certain actions has been made and information is being prepared in cooperation with other involved
institutions (eg. Procurement Monitoring Bureau and Central Financial and Contracting Agency).
Information prepared by the Ministry of Finance:

Karina Virse, e-mail: [email protected] ; phone: +371 67095479 (3.2.; 3.4.);

Normunds Strautmanis, e-mail: [email protected] ; phone: +371
67083840 (3.5.);

Kristīne Kapusta, e-mail: [email protected] ; phone: +371 67095482 (3.6.);

Lauma Silakaktiņa, e-mail: [email protected] ; phone: +371 67095656
(3.7.);

Alda Krieva, e-mail: [email protected] ; phone: +371 67083962 (3.8.).
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