M 1.3 IPA Implementing Structures

M 1.
3 IPA Implementing Structures

Module
Training material M1.3
Client: Agentschap NL
Rotterdam, 15th November
M 1.3 IPA Implementing Structures

Module
Training material M1.3.
Client: Agentschap NL
15th November
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Table of contents
The IPA instrument Brief overview

1.1
IPA Implementation structures and modalities
10
Examples of IPA Implementing Structures
17
Exercise:
59
M 1.3 IPA Implementing Structures Module
The IPA instrument Brief overview
Since 1 January 2007, the EU pre-accession funding has been delivered through a single, unified
instrument, the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), designed to deliver focused and
targtetted support to both candidate and potential candidates countries. It is the successor to the
former pre accession instruments PHARE, ISPA, SAPARD, the Turkish pre-accession instrument
as well as the financial instrument for the Western Balkans, i.e. CARDS.
IPA offers streamlined pre-accession assistance through the creation of a single framework for
both Candidate and potential Candidate Countries (same Regulations apply for both group of
countries).
Figure 1 Eligible countries for assistance
Candidate Countries
Status
Croatia
Applied for membership in February 2003. Confirmed as candidate country in June 2004. The
negotiations started in October 2005 and were closed in June 2011. This year the EC presented
its favourable opinion on Croatia's readiness accession to the EU. Following the completion of the
ratification process, Croatia should become a member state on 1 July 2013
Turkey
Applied for membership in 1987. Accession negotiations were opened in October 2005. 13
chapters are opened and 1 provisionally closed. Full implementation of the obligations under the
Customs Union and progress towards normalisation of relations with Cyprus are needed before
the country can advance more vigorously in its accession negotiations.
Iceland
Applied for membership in July 2009, the negotiations started in July 2010. By now 4 chapters
opened of 2 of which have been provisionally closed. As Iceland is already a member of the EEA
and the Schengen area, a large part of its legislation is already aligned with that of the EU.
Macedonia
Applied for membership in 2004. Candidate country since 2005. The Commission recommended
in Oct 2009 to open accession negotiations. The country continues to sufficiently fulfil the political
criteria and the Commission renewed its 2009 recommendation for opening accession
negotiations. As a unanimous decision of Member States is required for the negotiations to start,
a solution to the name issue is essential
Montenegro
Applied for full membership in December 2008. In 2010, the EU awarded candidate status and set
out seven key priorities which the country needs to fulfil in order to achieve the opening of
accession negotiations. This year the Commission recommended opening of accession
negotiations.
Potential C
Status
Albania
Applied for membership in 2009. In 2010 the EU set out twelve key priorities which the country
needs to fulfil to achieve the opening of accession negotiations. Although progress was made in
some of these areas the Commission was not in a position to recommend further steps for
Albania this year.
* Sources: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/how-does-it-work/financial-assistance/instrument-pre-accession_en.htm
* Council Regulation 1085/2006, adopted on 17 July 2006 (establishing the instrument)
* Commission Regulation 718/2007 of 12 June 2007 (IPA Implementing Regulation)
* Commission Regulation 80/2010 of 28 January 2010 amending Regulation 718/2007 and Regulation 1085/2006
* Commission staff working document, Background document to the report from the Commission to the Parliament, the
Council and the European economic and social committee 2009 Annual Report on the implementation of the Instrument
for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) COM(2010) 687, Nov 2010
5
Applied for EU membership in Dec 2009. This year the Commission recommended that the
Serbia
Council grants Candidate Status. Further steps to normalise relations with Kosovo are set as key
priority which the country needs to fulfil in order to achieve the opening of accession negotiations.
Potential candidate country since 2003, not applied for membership but taking preliminary steps.
Kosovo
Differences over the status of Kosovo remain an obstacle to the development of contractual
relations between the EU and Kosovo. The EU supports Kosovo's efforts to fulfil its European
perspective
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU in June 2008 but hasnt
applied for membership yet. Preliminary steps are taking place.
IPA aims to support (potential)candidate countries in:
fulfilment of the membership criteria (approximation (for potential candidates) and full
implementation (for candidates) of the Acquis Communautaire) through transitional
assistance and institutional building
strengthening the democratic institutions and the rule of law, promoting respect for human
as well as minority rights and gender equality
supporting the development of civil society
reforming the public administration
carrying out economic reforms
advancing regional co-operation
sustainable development and poverty reduction
policy development in the cohesion policy areas preparing countries to effectively

implement and manage the future Communitys Policies
preparing for the programming, implementation and management of EU Cohesion

Instruments (Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund)
In this respect IPA follows the same logic as the EU Cohesion Policy Instruments (especially in
terms of programming and implementing structures), but still takes into account the specifics of
each beneficiary country (candidate or potential candidate).
Assistance through IPA can take the following forms:
Investment (works), supplies, services or subsidies (grants)
Administrative cooperation, involving experts sent from Member States (e.g. twinning) or
cross-border cooperation
Budget support (granted exceptionally and subject to supervision)
IPA legal basis
Council Regulation 1085/2006, adopted on 17 July 2006 (establishing the instrument)
Commission Regulation 718/2007 of 12 June 2007 (IPA Implementing Regulation)
Commission Regulation 80/2010 of 28 January 2010 amending Regulation 718/2007 and

Regulation 1085/2006
Framework Agreements signed between the Commission and the beneficiary countries
aiming at setting and agreeing the rules for co-operation concerning EC financial assistance to
the beneficiary country. Assistance under the IPA Regulation can only be granted to the
beneficiary country after the framework agreement has been concluded and has entered into
force. (article 7 of the IPA IR 718/2007)
Sectoral Agreements relating to a specific IPA components drawn up, where appropriate,
between the Commission and the beneficiary country, and setting out the relevant provisions to
be respected which are not contained in the country specific framework agreement or financing
agreements. Where a sectoral agreement has been concluded with the beneficiary country,
assistance under the IPA Regulation can only be granted, under the IPA component concerned
by the sectoral agreement, after the entry into force of the framework agreement and the
sectoral agreement. (article 7 of the IPA IR 718/2007)
Financing Agreements signed between the Commission and the beneficiary countries,
following a Commission financing decision approving the Community contribution to a
programme or an operation (for each programme). It completes the technical, legal and
administrative framework and includes detailed and specific provisions for the management,
monitoring, evaluation and control of each Operational Programme, annual or multiannual
agreement.
In order to achieve each country's objectives in the most efficient way, IPA is structured in five
different components:
I.
Component I: Transition Assistance and Institution Building aiming at financing

institution building measures (for all countries) and associated investments (for potential
candidates only)
II. Component II: Cross-border cooperation to support cross-border cooperation between

candidate countries/potential candidates and with EU Member States. It may also fund relevant
participation in trans-national co operation programmes (Structural Funds) and Sea Basin
programmes (European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument - ENPI);
III. Components III, IV and V: fund-oriented / Mini Structural Funds
Regional development (ERDF and CF) which finances investments and associated
technical assistance in areas such as transport, environment and economic
cohesion/competitiveness;
Human resource development (ESF) to strengthen human capital and help combat social
exclusion;
Rural Development (Rural Development Funds) which finances rural development-type
measures and contributes to the sustainable development of rural areas. It also provides
assistance to the restructuring of agriculture and its adaptation to EU standards in the areas
of environmental protection, public health, animal and plant health, animal welfare.
Components III, IV and V are open to candidate countries only, and are designed to mirror
Structural, Cohesion and Rural Development Funds in order to prepare the candidate countries for
the management of such EU funds upon accession. This requires the beneficiary countries to have
adequate administrative capacities and structures to assume the responsibility for the management
of assistance (DIS structures).
Figure 2 Main steps to implementation of IPA III and IV
Figure 3 General Policy and programing framework
As Figure 3 shows, the policy and programming framework for delivering pre-accession
assistance under IPA consists of:2
Figure 4 MIFF 2007-2013
Political and Financial Framework: Multi- annual Indicative Financial Framework (MIFF)
which translates in financial terms overall priorities identified within the pre- accession political
framework and gives a breakdown of the financial envelope by horizontal programmes, country and
component, and by administrative expenditure. Normally it is presented as part of the preaccession strategy package presented annually by the Commission to Council and Parliament. It is
established for a 3 year period on a rolling forward basis.
2
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/how-does-it-work/financial-assistance/planning-ipa_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/how-does-it-work/financial-assistance/instrument-pre-accession_en.htm
- Commission staff working document, Background document to the report from the Commission to the Parliament, the Council
and the European economic and social committee 2009 Annual Report on the implementation of the Instrument for Preaccession Assistance (IPA) COM(2010) 687, Nov 2010
Strategic planning: Multi-Annual Indicative Planning Documents (MIPD), per country or per
groups of countries (regional and horizontal programmes), following the logic of the MIFF. It is
strategic planning document which, for candidate countries, covers all 5 IPA components and for
the Potential candidates only Components 1 and 2, prepared by the Commission, in close
consultation with the beneficiary country. It translates the orientations established in Accession
Partnership and Regular Reports into specific priorities in line with the National Development Plan
and similar documents. It contains main priorities and related broad indicative financial allocations
and ensures coherence and co-ordination between components.3
Specific programming by country and by component The MIPD is supplemented by
detailed annual or multi-annual programming documents, depending on the component, i.e
Operational programmes. They are developed per component, by the beneficiary country and
submitted to the Commission for approval. The strategic programing document for IPA
Components 3 and 4 is the Strategic Coherence Framework, on the basis of which individual
Operational Programs per components and subcomponents are developed. The Operational
Programmes identify and define appropriate measures and actions to be taken for attaining the
objectives and priorities set out in the MIPD. For each area targeted for intervention, they provide
objectives, expected results, domains of intervention and measurable indicators of achievement.
They are subdivided into priority axes, each of which defines a global objective to attain, and
which, depending on the IPA component considered, is implemented through measures, which
may be subdivided into operations, or directly through operations. Operations comprise a project
or a group of projects implemented by the Commission, or initiated or initiated and implemented by
one or more final beneficiaries, allowing achievement of the goals of the measure and/or the
priority axis to which it relates.4
Under IPA Component I the assistance is programmed by the Commission in the form of
Annual
National
and
Multi-beneficiary
programmes,
managed
either
by
the
Commission, directly or indirectly, or by the beneficiary, or jointly with other donors, as

appropriate. Annual/national programmes consist of Financing Proposals prepared by the
Commission on the basis of Project Fiches submitted by the IPA beneficiaries, or prepared
by the Commission in the case of regional and horizontal Multi-beneficiary programmes,
following consultation with stakeholders and donors and after the positive opinion of the IPA
Management Committee.5
IPA Component II - Crossborder cooperation - encompasses two strands: crossborder
cooperation between candidate countries/potential candidates and crossborder
cooperation between them and neighbouring EU Member States. Additionally, it may
also support the participation of candidate countries and potential candidates in Structural
Funds' transnational cooperation programmes (financed by ERDF, in the context of the
European Territorial Cooperation objective) and in the European Neighbourhood Policy
Instrument (ENPI) SeaBasin cooperation programmes. Assistance to crossborder
cooperation under Component II is delivered on the basis of MultiAnnual CrossBorderCooperation Joint Programmes currently covering the period 2007-2011, jointly drawn up
by the participating countries, and is granted through annual financing decisions which are
also subject to the positive opinion of the IPA Management Committee. Concerning
participation in the ERDF transnational programmes or the ENPI SeaBasin programmes,
IPA assistance is granted through annual Financing Decisions on a countryby country
basis.
Similarly to Structural Funds, programming of Components III and IV is made through
Multiannual Operational Programmes, prepared initially for three years, but which can be
extended to cover additional years. On the basis of the Strategic Coherence Frameworks
3
Commission staff working document, Background document to the report from the Commission to the Parliament, the Council
and the European economic and social committee 2009 Annual Report on the implementation of the Instrument for Preaccession Assistance (IPA) COM(2010) 687, Nov 2010 (p. 5, 6, 7)
4
Ibid
5
Ibid
and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, candidate countries draft multi-annual

operational programmes per component (Component IV) or per theme/sub-component
(Component III / transport, environment, regional competitiveness) which are then agreed
with the Commission for formal adoption, following consultation of the relevant Member
States Committee: Coordination Committee for the funds (COCOF) for Component III and
COCOF and European Social Fund (ESF) Committee for Component IV.
Based on the approach used for preparing the rural development programmes for the
Member States, Component V assistance is programmed on a multi-annual basis
covering the period 2007-2013. However, in line with the MIPD, the financial envelope was
initially specified for the years 2007-2009 only and is subject to a yearly update in order to
include financial allocations for the subsequent years. After consultations with stakeholders,
the programmes as well as the modifications are adopted by the Commission following
consultation of the EU Member States in the Rural Development Committee (RDC). In view
of the time necessary to set up the fully decentralised implementation system on the basis
of which assistance under component V can be delivered, and based on related SAPARD
experience, financial allocations for Component V follow normally a phasing-in approach
with a back loading of IPA Rural Development funds. Funding for the first four years of the
implementation period (2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010) therefore represents a lower
percentage of the full Component V allocation, which is due to increase considerably in the
following years. Croatia represents the only exception to this rule as it was the only
candidate country which set up the SAPARD system to profit from SAPARD funds prior to
the implementation of the IPA Rural Development component.
1.1
IPA Implementation structures and modalities

IPA Implementing modalities6
The Pre-accession assistance is implemented through a variety of management modes which take
into account the different levels of preparedness of the beneficiary countries for independent
management of the assistance.
DG Enlargement defines the overall Enlargement strategy (the Enlargement Strategy Paper and
the annual Progress Reports both part of the so called `Enlargement package', published every
autum) and thus coordinates the instrument as a whole.
For individual IPA components, within the Commission:
DG Enlargement (ELARG) manages component I and part of component II
DG Regional Policy (REGIO) manages the part of component II under shared management with
Member States and is responsible for component III
DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities (EMPL) is responsible for component IV
DG Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) has responsibility for component V.
In practice, seven different kinds of management modes exist:
Centralised direct: funds are managed by the Commission services in Brussels (e.g.
horizontal and multi-beneficiary programmes such as Nuclear Safety and Tempus)
Centralised direct de-concentrated: funds are managed by the EU Delegations under the
supervision of Commission services in Brussels (e.g. most of Component I and Component II
for Albania; Component I for Serbia, Components I and II for Montenegro, Component I for
Kosovo, Components I and II of IPA 2007 and 2008 for Bosnia and Herzegovina);
Centralised indirect: management of funds is delegated to third parties such as specialised
EU bodies or national or international public sector bodies (some projects under IPA 2008
* Commission staff working document, Background document to the report from the Commission to the Parliament, the
Council and the European economic and social committee 2009 Annual Report on the implementation of the Instrument for Preaccession Assistance (IPA) COM(2010) 687, Nov 2010 (p. 7 &8)
* Commission Regulation 718/2007 of 12 June 2007 (IPA Implementing Regulation) (Chapter II)
Component I for Albania (eg to UNDP) and under IPA 2009 Component I for Bosnia and
Herzegovina (under CARDS EAR);
Decentralised with ex-ante control: funds are managed by accredited national authorities
of the beneficiary, but procurement is subject to ex-ante control by the EU Delegation
(Components I to IV in Croatia and Turkey and Components I, III and IV in the Republic of
Macedonia);
Decentralised without ex-ante control: funds are managed by accredited national
authorities of the beneficiary and are not subject to ex-ante controls by the EU Delegation
(component V in Croatia, Turkey and in the Republic of Macedonia (for specific measures only);
Shared: funds are managed by a managing authority located in participating Member
States (Component II CBCs with Member States);
Joint: funds are jointly managed with International Organisations, such as the EBRD,
Sigma, UN agencies (e.g. part of the Multi-beneficiary-programme, infrastructure support projects
in Albania and in Bosnia and Herzegovina under Component I of IPA 2009, parts of Component I
for Kosovo).
Decentralisation without ex ante controls by the Commission is the objective for the implementation
of all IPA components where assistance is implemented on a decentralized basis in accordance
with Article 10 of the IPA IR. The timing for attainment of this objective may vary depending on the
IPA Component concerned.
IPA Implementing Bodies/Structures
The above mentioned modalities of implementation function under specific institutional set-ups
which are required by the European Commission. These requirements are linked to specific
system that has to be defined and established, and to specific set of rules and procedures for
sound financial management of the IPA funds are developed. In order to be operational this
systems need approval/accreditation by the European Commission itself (the procedure of
conferral of management of the powers by the European Commission to the national authorities
of a given country).
According to Article 21 of the IPA IR7, each beneficiary country should designate the following
different bodies and authorities within its IPA Implementing Structure:
Figure 5 IPA Implementing Bodies
IPA Implementing Bodies
National IPA coordinator (NIPAC)
partnership between the EC and the beneficiary country/
a high ranking official responsible for
between the accession process and the use IPA overall
overall coordination of assistance under the
responsibility for IPA programming, monitoring and
IPA Regulations, and in particular in charge
implementation / coherence and coordination of the
of:
programmes under the respective components annual

programming for TAIB component at national level and for
coordination of CBC programmes (may delegate the task
monitoring and reporting on implementation
Strategic coordinator (SC)
under the responsibility of the national IPA coordinator no
- high-ranking official in the Government of
direct involvement in the implementation coordinates the
the beneficiary country
assistance under the regional development- and the human

resources development components drafts the Strategic
Coherence Framework ensures coordination between sectoral
strategies and programmes
Competent Accrediting Officer (CAO)
responsible for issuing, monitoring and suspending or
- high-ranking official in the Government of
withdrawing the accreditation of the National Authorising
the beneficiary country
Officer and theNational Fund
Commission Regulation 718/2007 of 12 June 2007 (IPA Implementing Regulation) (Chapter II, subsection 2)
11

National Authorising Officer (NAO)
Head of the National Fund
- high-ranking official in the government of
overall responsibility for financial management of EU funds
the beneficiary country,
for the legality and regularity of the transactions

for effective functioning of management and control systems
for issuing, monitoring and suspending or withdrawing the
accreditation of the Operating Structures.
National fund (NF)
Central treasury in charge of financial management of IPA,
- body located in a state level Ministry of the
under the responsibility of the NAO.
beneficiary country with central budgetary
In particular in charge of:
competence
organising the bank accounts

requesting funds from the EC
authorising the transfer of funds from the EC to the operating
structures or to the final beneficiaries
financial reporting to the EC.
Operating Structure (OS)
management and implementation of assistance under specific
- body or a collection of bodies within the
IPA component or operational programme
administration of the beneficiary country ,
Caries out a number of functions that include:
established for each IPA component
drafting the annual or multi-annual programmes

monitoring programme implementation and guiding the work of
the sectoral monitoring committee
drawing up the sectoral annual and final implementation
reports, after their examination by the sectoral monitoring
committee, submitting them to the EC, NIPAC and NAO
ensuring that operations are selected for funding and approved
in accordance with the criteria and mechanisms applicable to
the programmes, and that they comply with the relevant rules
setting up procedures for an adequate audit trail
tendering-, grant award procedures, contracting, making
payments and recovery from the final beneficiaries
ensuring that all bodies involved in the implementation of
operations maintain a separate accounting system
ensuring that the NF and the NAO receive all necessary
information on the procedures and verifications carried out in
relation to expenditure
setting up, maintaining and updating the reporting and
information system
Carrying out verifications to ensure that the expenditure
declared has actually been incurred in accordance with
applicable rules, the products or services have been delivered
in accordance with the approval decision, and the payment
requests by the final beneficiary are correct.
ensuring internal audit of its different constituting bodies
ensuring irregularity reporting
ensuring compliance with information and publicity
requirements.
Programme Authorising Officer (PAO) -
The PAOs, under the overall accountability of the NAO, take
designated as the head of each
the responsibility for the overall tendering, contracting,
Implementing Agency, assisted by a Senior
payments, accounting and financial reporting aspects of all
Programme Officer (SPO). In case of CFCU
procurement in the context of the IPA component I
as IA, the PAO is the head of the CFCU.
programmes
Senior Programme Officers (SPOs)
responsible for the technical aspects of the IPA projects
official usually working with the final
endorse commitments and disbursement documents prior to

beneficiary, normally head of Project
their transmission by the CFCU
Implementation Unit
technical implementation and reporting / provide input into the

preparation of financial and reporting documents
prepare ToRs/Technical Specifications
submit requests to launch tenders, request to negotiate and
conclude contracts
endorse payments against invoices
may delegate responsibility to a maximum of two officials
within the same Ministry or Agency (the names and signatures
of the delegates have to be communicated to the Commission)
Under IPA II CBC Specific Joint
Oversees the programming and implementation of the
Structures:
programme. Considers and approves selection criteria.
Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC)
Responsible for selecting projects, but may delegate this task

to a Steering Committee. Examines annual reports. Approves
any proposal to amend the programme
In charge of day-to-day management of the programme.
Joint Technical Secretariat (JTS)
Assists the JMC and OS in carrying out their duties. Organises

calls for proposals, monitors project implementation.
Responsible for preparing, managing and implementing the

part of the programme relating to the country concerned (with
exclusion of awarding grants, tendering and contracting). OS is
represented in the JMC. Includes an Implementing Agency
responsible for awarding grants, tendering, contracting and
payments.
Under IPA III and IV the OS consists of:
Coordination of the Operational Programme preparation and
Body Responsible for Operational
amendmentsand submission to NIPAC for adoption
Programme (BROP)
preparation of proposals for amendments of the financing

agreement of the programme
Evaluation of OPs (ex-ante and interim)
Considers and approves the general criteria for selecting the
operations
Identifies, for each measure, the final beneficiaries, the
expected selection modalities and criteria
Coordination of programme monitoring
Establishment of the sectoral monitoring committee, draw up
rules of procedures; preparing documents on progress made
towards achieving the specific targets of the OP
Coordination and preparation of sectoral annual and final
reports on implementation of the OP
Setting up procedures for an adequate audit trail
Ensuring that all bodies involved in the implementation of
operations maintain a separate accounting system
Ensuring that the NF and the NAO receive all necessary
Body Responsible for Priority/Measure
relation to expenditure
(BRP/M)
Setting up, maintaining and updating the reporting and

information system
Ensuring internal audit of its different constituting bodies
Ensuring irregularity reporting
Ensuring compliance with the information and publicity
requirements.
13

Preparation of the sections of the OPs within its sectoral area
of responsibility, drafting priorities and measures
Support the BROP in identification for each measure, of the
intended final beneficiaries, the expected selection modalities
and possible related specific selection criteria
Preparation of monitoring data/reports
Preparation of documents for SMC on progress made
Contribution to the sectoral annual and final reports on
implementation of the priorities and measures
Approval of the selection modalities/criteria for projects
Preparation of TS/ToRs in cases when BRM/P performs the
role of the beneficiary institution
Sample check of the Tender and Contract dossiers elaborated
by the Implementing Agency
Preparation of Guidelines for Call of proposals and advertising
the call for proposals
Propose members/evaluators to evaluation committees
Participate at the Project Steering Committees
Verification and approval of request for payment
Preparation and submitting to NF necessary information on the
procedures and verifications carried out in relation to
expenditure
Submission to the NF a request for payment
Transfer of national co-financing funds from treasury account
to Implementing Bodys sub-account
Performing on spot checks on a sample basis
Monitoring technical implementation of the projects
Setting up irregularity reporting
Setting up internal audit
Organising the publication of the award list of the final
beneficiaries, the names of the operations and Community
funding allocated to operations
Implementing Agencies (IAs) one (or more)
responsible for the implementation and management of the
Implementing Agencie(s) (IAs) established
programmes
within the national administration
financial implementation of the programme (procurement,
Most common Implementing Agency under
contracting and payment), in charge of:
IPA is a "Central Contracting and Financing
the technical aspect of the operations within ministries
Unit" (CFCU). Implementing Regulation.
assisting the PAO in the good and timely preparation and

implementation of operations at technical level
coordination within each priority axis set down in the
beneficiary country's project proposal
Provide inputs in drafting priorities and measures for annual or
multi annual programmes to the BRM/P
Provision of information in preparation of documents for the
sectoral monitoring committees
Contribute to the preparation of the sectoral annual and final
implementation reports
Directly responsible for procurement, contract implementation
and payments on the project level
Ultimate responsibility for the Tendering process from tender
announcement to contract signature (announcement of
tenders, calls, launch of tenders, evaluation,preparation and

signature of contract and addenda dossiers)
Preparation of tender documents; verification of TS/ToRs
(procurement) received from Beneficiaries
Verification of the Guidelines for Calls for proposals, prepared
by the BRM/Pand preparation of complete Application package
Provision of clarifications to tenderers, grants applicants
Approval of the composition of the Evaluation Committee/s;
Chairing tender evaluations sessions
Preparation of Evaluation Reports;
Signing contracts;
Supervision of the technical implementation of the project;
Ultimate responsibility for the project financial and accounting
issues
Participation in the Project Steering Committees;
Carrying out verification checks
Preparation of requests for payment and submission to the
BRM/P
Making payments to Contractors/Grant beneficiaries and
recovery of funds to the NF and recovery of funds from, the
final beneficiary/contractor/grant beneficiary;
Maintain a separate accounting system or a separate
accounting codification;
Set up Internal audit;
Ensuring that the BRM/Pand receives all necessary
relation to projects implementation and payments
ensuring an adequate audit trail
Irregularity reporting
Audit Authority (AA)
Body functionally independent from all actors in the
- is a functionally independent body
management and control systems and complying with

internationally accepted audit standards responsible for
auditing the organisational set-up and the functionality of the
structures for management of pre-accession funds and for
verifying the effective and sound functioning of the
management and control systems.
During the course of each year establishes and fulfills an
annual audit work plan which encompasses audits aimed at
verifying the effective functioning of the management and
control systems, and the reliability of accounting information
provided to the Commission
Final Beneficiaries of the assistance
beneficiaries of the projects financed by IPA operations - line

ministries and other public authorities; water, rail or
roadcompanies; regional waste operators; RDAs,
municipalities; SMEs; farmers, NGOs
preparation of project documentation (e.g. project fiches or
draft ToRs);
application for IPA funds
organization for project implementation (personnel, technical
assistance, internal control mechanisms, etc.);
informing the public
implementation and completion of projects
Monitoring Committees
makes proposals to the EC, the NIPAC and the NAO for any
15

The IPA monitoring committee - - members:
actions to ensure the coherence and coordination between the
representatives of the EC, the NIPAC, the
programmes and operations implemented under the different
NAO, OS, and the SC (co-chaired by EC and
components, as well as for any crosscomponent corrective
NIPAC).
measures needed to ensure the achievement of the global

objectives of the assistance provided, and to enhance its
overall efficiency.
may also make proposals to the relevant sectoral monitoring
committee(s) for decisions on any corrective measures to
ensure the achievements of programme objectives and
enhance the efficiency of assistance provided under the
programmes or IPA component(s) concerned.
Sectoral Monitoring Committees - set up
may make proposals to the EC, the NIPAC and NAO for
under the IPA components, attached to
decisions on any corrective measures to ensure the
programmes or components
achievements of programme objectives and enhance the

efficiency of the assistance provided.
reports to the IPA monitoring committee and provides it in
particular with information relating to:
the progress made in implementing the programmes, by
priority axis and, where relevant, by measures or operations;
including the results achieved, financial implementation
indicators, and other factors and a view for improving the
implementation of the programmes;
any aspects of the functioning of the management and control
systems raised by the audit authority, the national authorising
officer or the competent accrediting officer.
Examples of IPA Implementing Structures
17
Figure 6 IPA Implementing Structures in Croatia

Source: The official web-site of the CODEF (NIPACs office): http://www.strategija.hr/en/funds/ipa-programme/about-ipa-programme
Figure 7 IPA Implementing Structures in Turkey

Source: PPT CFCU-1st SENIOR PROGRAMME OFFICERS PERIODICAL ROUND TABLE MEETING, Ankara, April 2009
Figure 8 IPA Implementing Structures in Macedonia

Source: Government of the Republic of Macedonia, Secretariat for European Affairs
Figure 9 IPA Implementing Structures component 1 in Macedonia. Source: Government of the Republic of Macedonia, Secretariat for European Affairs
Figure 10 IPA Implementing Structures Component 1 Serbia

Source: PPT Operating Structures under IPA III & IV: relationship to NIPAC, SCO, NAO & National Fund, by Iain Mackie, 10 July 2009, An EU-funded project implemented by GTZ)
Figure 11 IPA Implementing Structures Compinent 1 Montenegro

Source: The official web page of the CFCU: http://www.mf.gov.me/en/organization/sector-for-contracting-eu-assistance-funds?pagerIndex=2
Operational Structure for IPA Component 1
Internal Audit Department
role
Programming and overall coordination
Secretariat for European Integration

Responsible Person: SEI Secretary General
Internal Audit Department

MoF
Central Financing and Contracting Unit
Responsible Person: CFCU - PAO Coordinator
role
Programme implementation, managing tendering procedures,

launching tenders, evaluation, contracting, payment
Internal Audit Departments*
SPO Units in Line Ministries

Responsible person: Senior Programming Officer (SPO)
- Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and
Telecommunications,
- Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Protection,
- Ministry of Finance,
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
- Ministry of Culture, Sports and Media,
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management,
- Ministry of Justice,
- Ministry of Education and Science,
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Public Administration,
- Ministry for Economic Development,
- Ministry for Human and Minority Rights Protection,
- Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Welfare.
role
planning and reporting competent bodies and cooperation with the

Commission related to technical issues;
provision of the support in negotiation procedure;
technical implementation and monitoring projects financed through
IPA funds;
assistance in preparing financial documents and reports;
preparation of the terms of reference, technical specifications and
tender dossiers;
submission of the requests for initiating tender procedures;
proposal for negations and conclusion of contracts;
authorizing payments on the basis of issued invoices
(confirmed/read and approved").
Figure 12 IPA Implementing Structures Component 2 in Albania

Source: Roadmap for establishing decentralised management of EU funds for ipa component II (Cross Border Cooperation) in Albania, draft (Oct 2010)
Figure 13 IPA Implementing Structures CBC Romania - Serbia

Source: CBC Program Romania Serbia 2007-2013 /DESCRIPTION OF MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR ROMANIA-REPUBLIC OF SERBIA IPA CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION
PROGRAMME pursuant to Article 115 of Regulation (EC) 718/2007)
Figure 14: IPA Implementing Structures CBC Bulgaria Macedonia
Source: CBC Program Bulgaria Macedonia 2007-2013: http://www.ipa-cbc-007.eu/upload/docs/3_IPA_CBC_P_BG_fYRoM_September_18.2009.pdf
IPA Implementing Structures CBC Montenegro Serbia

Source: http://www.cbcsrb-mne.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=41&Itemid=67&lang=en
The IPA Cross Border Cooperation Programme Serbia - Montenegro is implemented under Centralized
Implementation System. In both countries the European Commission is the
Contracting Authority,
approving calls for proposals documentation; composition of joint steering committees; the evaluation reports;
Sitting in the joint monitoring committee in an advisory capacity; Signing contracts with grant beneficiaries,
including budget revisions (with support provided as appropriate by OSs and JTS).
A Joint Technical Secretariat (JTS) was established by joint agreement between the two countries. It is
responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the CBC Programme. Also, the JTS ensures the liaison
between the Operating Structures. It is jointly managed by both Operating Structures, and it is based in
Prijepolje, Republic of Serbia. An antenna in Montenegro is in Bijelo Polje. The JTS is managed by the Head of
the Secretariat and has international staff, including both Montenegrin and Serbian nationals, appointed by both
Operating Structures.
The overall monitoring of the programme implementation lies within the competencies of the Joint Monitoring
Committee (JMC). The composition of the JMC includes representatives of the two beneficiary countries,
Serbia and Montenegro, who have an equal status in the JMC. A representative of the Operating Structure of
one of the participating countries chairs the JMC. The JMC is responsible for the joint selection of the projects in
compliance with the selection procedure and criteria, which is based, to a large extent, on PRAG. The JMC
have the main tasks of selecting individual project applications on the basis of the assessment of projects done
by joint Steering Committees (which fulfil the role of the Evaluation Committee), and in coordination with other
Community and national programmes and policies taking into consideration the project's relevance for the
objectives and priority axes of the Programme.The JMC reviews and formally approves the evaluation report
and the award proposals prepared by the joint Steering Committee and transmits them, with recommendations
as appropriate, to the EC Delegations (contracting authorities) through the Oss.
Operating Structures: The bodies and designated heads (IPA-Component II co-ordinators) are appointed by
the National IPA Co-ordinators for overseeing their country's participation in IPA-Component II programmes
(Operating structures). The operating structures (Ministry of European Affairs of Montenegro and the EU
Integration Office of Serbia) are responsible for programming and technical implementation of the programme
and are designated and put in place by the beneficiary countries. They are preparing the cross-border
programme in accordance with Art 91 IPA Implementing Regulation; Nominating their representative(s) to the
joint monitoring committee; Establishing the Joint Technical Secretariat (JTS) and recruiting its staff; Preparing
and implementing the strategic decisions of the JMC, where necessary with the support of the JTS; Establish a
system, with support from the JTS, for gathering reliable information on the programme's implementation and
provide relevant information to the JMC, IPA-Component II co-ordinators and EU Commission; Ensuring
implementation quality of the cross-border programme, together with the JMC, inter alia by monitoring with
reference to indicators as per Art 94 (1) (d) IPA Implementing Regulation;Timely submission of the annual and
final reports as per Art 144 IPA Implementing Regulation to the national IPA co-ordinators and the Commission,
following examination by the JMC; Ensuring the monitoring of commitments and payments at programme level;
Ensuring that grant beneficiaries make adequate provisions for project progress and financial reporting
(monitoring) as well as sound financial management (control); supporting the Contracting Authorities, as
appropriate (e.g. by providing models for tender documentation, reviewing grant project budgets, drafting
contracts and related documentation to acquire consultancies, goods and services required for the pursuit of the
activities of grant beneficiaries or under the TA priority axis for approval and further handling by Delegation of
European union in Belgrade and Podgorica). This task may be delegated to the Joint technical secretariat;
ensuring grant beneficiaries are supported in carrying out procurement procedures. This task may be delegated
to the JTS; Organising information and publicity-actions with a view to awareness raising of the opportunities
provided by the Cross-border Programme, or mandating the JTS to support these or to carry them out (including
drafting an information and publicity plan for adoption by the JMC); If so mandated by the JMC, preparing
revisions or examinations of the Cross-border programme likely to make possible the attainment of the
objectives referred to in art 86(2) IPA Implementing Regulation or to improve its management.
27
Figure 15: IPA Implementing Structures Component 3 and 4 General Framework

Source: PPT made jointly by DGs AGRI, EMPL and REGIO on IPA Components III, IV and V: Conditions for successful preparation and absorption of assistance (19 October 2009)
Audit
Authority
European Commission
Competent
Accrediting
Officer
IPA
Monitoring
Committee
National IPA
Co-ordinator
Strategic Co-ordinator
reporting
Monitoring
Committee
National Fund
Head of OS
IA
BROP (MA)
audit, control
National Authorising Officer
Head of BRPM
IA
BRPM
IA
Head of IB
IB
Contractors, Grant Beneficiaries
IA
Figure 16: IPA Implementing Structures Component 3 and 4 Serbia

Source: PPT Operating Structures under IPA III & IV: relationship to NIPAC, SCO, NAO & National Fund, by Iain Mackie, 10 July 2009, An EU-funded project implemented by GTZ)
Figure 17: IPA Implementing Structures Component 3 and 4 Macedonia

Source: HRD OP 2007-2013 and Regional Development OP 2007-2009
Figure 18: IPA Implementing Structures Component 3, subcomponent Regional Competitiveness Croatia
Source: PPT Operating Structures under IPA III & IV: relationship to NIPAC, SCO, NAO & National Fund, by Iain Mackie, 10 July 2009, An EU-funded project implemented by GTZ
Figure 19: IPA Implementing Structures Component 3, subcomponent Regional Competitiveness Turkey (Ministry of Industry and Trade)
Source: ECORYS, Inception Report for the RCOP TA project
Minister
Staff dissemination
of the Centre
Undersecretary
Deputy
Internal
Audit
REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS PROGRAMME

COORDINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION
Programming
Department
Programming
Division
Publicity
Division
TA&HR
Monitoring
and
Evaluation
Technical
Implement.
Departmen
Monitoring
Division
Planning
Division
Evaluation
Division
Implementation
Division
Quality
Assurance
Control
Division
Risk
Management
Finance
and Contracts
Contract
Division
Finance
Division
Figure 20: IPA Implementing Structures Component 3, subcomponent Transport Turkey

Source: Transport Operational Program Turkey 2007-2009
Figure 21: IPA Implementing Structures Component 3, subcomponent Environment Croatia

Source: Environmental Operational Program Croatia 2007-2009
PRIORITY AXIS
MEASURE
OPERATING STRUCTURE
Body responsible for OP (=Head of Operating Structure):
The Ministry of Environment Protection, Physical Planning & Construction (MEPPPC)
Directorate for Strategic and Integration Processes in Environmental Protection
Measure Line Ministry
Implementing Body
Implementing Agency
Body responsible for priority/measure

1. Development of waste
1. Establishment of new waste
MEPPPC, Directorate for Strategic and
Environmental Protection and Energy
management
management centres at
Integration Processes in Environment
Efficiency Fund
infrastructure for
county/regional levels
Protection
2. Remediation of sites highly
Environmental Protection and Energy
polluted by waste (hot spots)
Efficiency Fund
establishing an
integrated waste
management system in
Protection
Croatia
2. Protecting Croatias
1. Establishment of modern water
Ministry of Regional development,
water resources
supply systems and networks
Forestry and Water Management,
through improved water
Croatian Water
Directorate for Water Policy and
supply and integrated
International projects
wastewater
2. Construction of waste water
Ministry of Regional development,
management
treatment plants and building /
Forestry and Water Management,
upgrading of sewerage network
Directorate for Water Policy and
1. Operational Programme
management and capacity building
Croatian Water
International projects
3. Technical Assistance
Protection
All Operational programs of all IPA countries, and for all components are available on: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/how-does-it-work/financial-assistance/planning-ipa_en.htm
CFCA
Figure 22: IPA Implementing Structures Component 3 Serbia

Source: Government of Republic of Serbia, Office for EU Intergration
Figure 23: IPA Implementing Structures Component 3 Albania

Source: PPT from a workshop on DIS roadmap for III and IV, Tirana, Sept 2010
Figure 24: IPA Implementing Structures Component 4 Turkey

Source: HRD OP Turkey 2007-2013
Figure 25: IPA Implementing Structures Component 4 Serbia

Source: Government of Republic of Serbia, Office for EU Intergration
Figure 26: IPA Implementing Structures Component 4 Albania

Source: PPT from a workshop on DIS roadmap for III and IV, Tirana, Sept 2010
Figure 27: IPA Implementing Structures Component 5 - Overal Framework

Source: PPT Pre-accession support for the agricultural sector IPARD, by Werner Schiessl, Zagreb, 12 June 2009
Figure 28: IPA Implementing Structures Component 5 Turkey

Source: IPARD Program Turkey 2007-2013
Figure 29: IPA Implementing Structures Component 5 - Serbia

Source: IPA Instrument za pretpristupnu pomo EU 2007-2013, Grupa autora, (IPA Instrument for pre-accession assistance EU 2007-2013, Gropu of Authors) Impresum 2011, Belgrade
Implementing structures differences between IPA and the Structural Funds

IPA
Structural Funds
Roles
Central Coordination Unit
Overall coordination of the programing and
Programing and Implementation

NIPAC
Strategic Coordinator for III and
IV
Coordinating Body for
monitoring of the implementation &
Competent Acredinting Officer
NSRF
Coordination of IPA I and II
Coordination of IPA III and IV
BROP
National Accreditation of the OS
BRP/M
Implementing Agency (CFCU)
Managing Authority (MA)
Beneficiaries
Intermediary Body (IB)
OP preparation and Implementation

Priorities/measures Implementation
Beneficiaries
Procurement, contracting, payment

Project preparation and implementation
Financial Management
National Authorising Officer/NF
Certifying Authority
Payments and verifications
Audit Authority
Audit Authority
Auditing
IPA MC
For NSRF
Overal Monitoring (for all V components)
Sectoral MC
For individual OPs
Sectoral Monitoring per Component
III. DIS - Accreditation Process and Conferral of Management of powers

The system of management of EU funds includes the whole programe cycle (programming,
launching of tenders, contracting, payments to the end-users and contractors, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation of the overall process). The objective of the decentralized management
is to establish the ownership over the proograme cycle and to enable the candidate and potential
candidate countries to independently implement European Union financed projects and hence to
prove their ability of assuming all responsibilities and obligations related to the full membership of
the European Union. As shown in section B, the countries are expected to establish operational
structures and procedures for independent management and implementation of the assistance.
Once the European Commission is assured that those structures and procedures are ready to take
over the responsibilities from the EU delegations, it will confer to them the management powers,
i.e will issue them with accreditation for decentralized management of EU funds. There are
two phases in the decentralisation process:
In the first phase the decentralization process is based on the principle of ex-ante controls
(DIS). Before making the decision on conferral of management powers, the EC must ensure the
effective functioning of the management and control system concerned as stated in art.11 of the
Commission Regulation (EC) No.718/2007. Furthermore, the Commission Decision on the
conferral of management powers, willl lay down a list of activities performed by the beneficiary
country regarding the tendering of contracts, launch of calls for proposals and the award of
contracts and grants, for which there will be an ex- ante control performed by the Commission.
This list may vary with the component or the programme. The ex-ante controls apply, depending
on the component or programme, until the Commission allows for decentralised management
without ex-ante controls (EDIS) as referred to in Article 18 of the Commission Regulation (EC)
No.718/2007.
43
In the second phase the decentralization process the assistance under IPA is implemented
through fully decentralised management according to the Article 18 of
the Commission
Regulation (EC) No.718/2007 without ex-ante control by the Commission (Extended

Decentralised Implementation System - EDIS). The implementation of the IPA component 5
is only possible under EDIS.
Before deciding to confer management powers relating to a component, a programme or a
measure to the beneficiary country, the Commission shall satisfy itself that the country concerned
meets the conditions of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002, in particular as regards the
management and control systems established, and that the accreditations as laid down in Articles
12 and 13 are in force.
In the process of decentralized management of pre-accession funds (DIS) the accreditation
represents the process of assessing the readiness of certain structures for the initiation of
management and use of EU funds in accordance with clearly defined criteria. It represents a
confirmation by the European Commission (EC) that the established structures are eligible to
manage and use European funds, in such a way that the programming and programme
implementation can be carried out independently by the country itself in accordance with defined
procedures and manuals, etc.
As part of the accreditation process the country needs to define so called DIS Road Map
document that clearly defines timeframe for the steps and actions to be taken as well as
indicators for measuring the conditions for a country to be conferred management powers under
decentralized implementation system for EU funds.
Basic accreditation preconditions that need to be fulfilled are as follows:
Established structures
Staffing and procedures approved
Conducted self assessment
National accreditation obtained
In addition, the established the system should function in a way that it aims at the following
objectives:
Effectiveness, efficiency and economy of activities
Reporting reliability
Protection of assets and information
Protection from and identification of frauds and irregularities
Adequate risk management related to the regularity of important transactions, taking into
consideration multi annual programme characteristics as well as the payment nature.
There are several phases in accreditation procedure, which characteristics are given bellow:
Stage Zero Establishing the framework for the management and control system
In this phase CAO, usually represented by the Finance Minister establishes the general
framework for the management and control system for IPA in accordance with the objectives,
principles ad rules defined by the IPA IR. In that way, CAO defines criteria for the appointment of
NAO and appoints a person meeting criteria for NAO, and NAO in consultation with the NIPAC
appoints PAO. It is necessary to define institutional and organizational structure which is important
to fulfill minimum criteria set forth in the Annex of the IPA IR, and moreover to establish the
management system with the defined procedures and internal controls.
Stage One - Gap Assessment
The objective of this phase is to asses the state of the established institutions in the system,
i.e whether the pre-conditions for the establishment of DIS are fulfilled, as well as to identify the
necessary activities and further steps to be taken in order the system to be fully functioning, i.e
44
ready for conferral of the powers. The specific.activities to be taken in this phase are as follows:
definition of existing operational structures and procedures, including procedures for public internal
and financial control, procurement procedures, performed audits and moreover it is necessary to
establish to which extent the public internal financial control is harmonized with the European Union
requirements. The assessment results and appropriate evaluations are given in a Gap
Assessment Report (GAR) based on auditors report. The document elaborates the current state
of play in all institutions, identifying all unconformity elements, i.e. procedures that proved to be
inappropriate, as well as recommendations improvement accompanied with a suitable timeframe for
the fulfillment of the activities. The report includes a table with all the requirements and defines
responsible persons.
Stage Two - Gap plugging
This phase is used to fill-in the gaps / correct the weaknesses and implement the
recommendations set forth in the GAR with the overall objective to fully fulfill the
requirements for DIS. In this phase the necessary changes and improvements in the specific
institutions, in accordance with the recommendations of the GAR are made. The activities to be
undertaken are as follows:
-
Development of detail Action Plan, with clearly defined responsibilities and final deadlines to
complete the activities,
Development of manuals for the financial management and control procedures, as well as
manuals for the audit operations.
Stage Three - Compliance Assessment

This phase represents the most important phase in the process, because it determines the
obtaining of a positive accreditation. Prior to submitting the accreditation package (formal request
for accreditation) to the EC, in order to asses the readiness for the accreditation, the national
authorities must implement the compliance assessment (sometimes called the national
assessment or self - assessment) procedure. The EC is requiring national authorities to asses
themselves if they are ready to submit the accreditation request. This phase enables competent
structures responsible for the financial management of the EU funds to determine whether all
preconditions for the formal application of the country for the DIS are fulfilled in accordance
with the Annex of the IPA IR (defining accreditation criteria), and in accordance with the Article 12
(2), of the IPA IR, i.e. whether structures have reached the level which is necessary for the
fulfillment of the EU requirements. This requirement is checked by engaging independent
auditing firm by the national authorities. Hence, the process starts when the Competent
Authorizing Officer (CAO) contacts the auditing firm to implement the compliance assessment. In
principle, CAO is accrediting the National Fund, i.e. NAO, and NAO is accrediting the
Operational structure, i.e. PAO. At the end of this phase a Compliance Assesment Report is
prepared.
Stage Four - National Accreditation and the submission of application for the conferral of
management powers (accreditation package)
In this phase the national accreditation is formally issued as defined in the IPA IR and the
request/application for the conferral of management powers is submitted to the EC (so called
accreditation package). This means that NAO and CAO, on the basis of the results of the
Compliance Assessment Report and the independently conducted audit, submit to the EC the
request for the conferral of management powers. The request is submitted independently for
each IPA component or programme, in order to enable the management over all IPA components
on decentralized basis. Along with the request the Accreditation Package must be submitted. The
accreditation package relates to the documents that are necessary to submit to the EC in order to
support the requirement for the conferral of management powers on decentralized basis within IPA.
45
NAO collects all the necessary documents (including all the manuals and rules of procedures for
functioning of the Operating structure) and sumbitts them to the EC.
Stage Five Preparation for the EC decision and Conferal of the Management Powers
While the first four phases in the process are the exclusive responsibility of the beneficiary country
of the pre accession assistance, this last phase represents the obligation of the EC. Following the
official submission of accreditation package, the EC is checking by performed audits (performed by
the Commission) twice reviewing all set of documents submitted in the form of accreditation
package, as well as on-the-spot verifications meaning conducting meetings with the key
players in the DIS process in the country. The process of adopting the decision whether to accredit
the country or not may last for several months. In many cases the EC issues recommendations in
its audit report aimed at improving the overall system before the conferral has been granted. In
case of absence of recommendations that may suspend the accreditation, the EC makes the
decision of conferral of management, i.e. accreditation of DIS in accordance with the Article 14 of
the IPA IR (DIS by retaining ex-ante control by the Commission).
IV (E)DIS Structures and Accreditation State of play per country 9
Candidate countries
Croatia
Croatia has been accredited for DIS for implementation of CARDS and Phare in 2006 (with the
CFCU as, the only implementig body/contracting authority) and for IPA I, II, III and IV at the end of
2008 (when new implementing bodies were established, along with the CFCU). As far as IPA V is
concerned, the IPARD agency was accredited in 2006 (EDIS on the basis of individual measures).
In the last year the national institutions of IPA I-IV are intensively preparing for EDIS as
preparatory work for implementation of the Structural Funds upon accession (in July 2013).
The management system for IPA Component I, TAIB, is made up of the following bodies:
National IPA Co-ordinator (NIPAC) - this role is carried out by the State Secretary in the
Central Office for Development Strategy and Coordination of EU Funds (CODEF).
Competent Accrediting Officer (CAO) - performed by the Minister of Finance.

National Authorising Officer (NAO) - performed by the State Secretary of the Ministry of
Finance being the Head of the National Fund at the same time.
National Fund (NF) - a body within the Ministry of Finance. It acts as the State Treasury.
Programme Authorising Officer (PAO) - performed by the Director of the Central Financing
and Contracting Agency (CFCA) and is responsible for the operations of the CFCA.
Contracting Authority - the Central Financing and Contracting Agency (CFCA)
Audit Authority - the Agency for the Audit of European Union Programmes (independent from
all other stakeholders within the management and control system).
Senior Programming Officer (SPO) - a state official/highly ranked civil servant within the
beneficiary institutions under the framework of the IPA Component I programs, in charge of the
efficient and timely technical implementation of projects on the part of the Programme
Authorising Officer.
source: Commission staff working document, Background document to the report from the Commission to the Parliament, the
Council and the European economic and social committee 2009 Annual Report on the implementation of the Instrument for Preaccession, Assistance (IPA) from 25 November 2010)
http://www.strategija.hr/en/funds/ipa-programme/about-ipa-programme
46
Project Implementation Unit (PIU) - an organizational unit or project team with the beneficiary
institution which is developing project proposals and implementing projects within the framework
of the available programs and is responsible for the following tasks:
Final Beneficiaries - entities benefitting from the projects, responsible for preparation of project
documentation, application for funds, organization for project implementation, informing the
public, implementation and completion of projects.
The management system for IPA Component II Cross-Border Cooperation is made up of the
following bodies:
The Ministry for Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management (MRDFWG) has been
entrusted with the management of IPA Component II (Managing Authority), whereby the
Agency for Regional Development (ARD)
is responsible for financial management of EU
programs and projects as the Implementing body responsible for contracting and
implementation of three cross-border cooperation programs for non-Member States (CroatiaBosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia-Montenegro, Croatia-Serbia) as well as two transnational
programs, South East Europe (SEE) and Mediterranean (MED). (After the accreditation in 2010,
it took over this role from the CFCA). The ARD and MRDFWF make up the Operating Structure.
The management system for IPA Component III Regional Development is made up of the
following bodies:
Strategic Co-ordinator - The Deputy State Secretary of the Central State Office for
Development Strategy and Co-ordination of EU Funds (CODEF)
Operating Structure - Each Operational Program (Transport, Environment and

Competitiveness) has its own Operating structure with CODEF as overall strategic coordinator
responsible for the co-ordination of the Regional Development Component.
IIIA Regional Competitiveness OP
Body responsible for the OP (Head of Operating Structure): The Ministry of Economy, Labour
and Entrepreneurship (Division for Preparation and Implementation of EU Programmes and
projects)
Head of the Operating Structure: the State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, Labour and
Entrepreneurship
Bodies within the OS responsible for individual priorities and measures within the OP:
Various Line ministries:
Ministry Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management (Directorate for
Integrated Regional Development)
Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship (Directorate for SMEs and
cooperatives, Directorate for Investment and Export promotion and the Division for
Preparation and Implementation of EU projects)
Ministry of Science, Education and Sports (Directorate for Science)
Implementing Agency:
The Central Financing and Contracting Agency is the Implementing Agency for all the
priorities/measures under the program.
The Sectoral Monitoring Committee (SMC) is co-chaired by the State Secretary of the
Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship (MELE) and a representative of the
Commission.
IIIB OP Transport
Body responsible for the OP and for the implementation of the individual priorities and
measures within the OP: The Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure (Directorate for
Strategic Infrastructure projects)
47
Head of Operating Structure: The State Secretary of the Ministry of Sea, Transport and
Infrastructure.
Implementing Agencies:
The Croatian Railways Infrastructure for the Priorities/measures related to the rail transport
system
The Central Financing and Contracting Agency for the priorities/measures related to the
Upgrading Croatias inland waterway system and the measures under Technical
Assistance.
The Sectoral Monitoring Committee (SMC) is co-chaired by the State Secretary of the Ministry
of Transport and a representative of the Commission.
IIIC OP Environment
Body responsible for the OP: The Ministry of Environment Protection, Physical Planning and
Construction (Directorate for Strategic and Integration Processes in Environmental Protection).
Head of Operating Structure: The State Secretary of the Ministry.
Bodies within the OS responsible for individual priorities and measures within the OP:
The Ministry of Environment Protection, Physical Planning and Construction (Directorate
for Strategic and Integration Processes in Environment Protection)
The Ministry of Regional development, Forestry and Water Management (Directorate for
Water Policy and International projects)
Implementing Agency/Bodies:
The Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund and
The Croatian Waters are Implementing Bodies for specific priorities/measures under the
program.
The Central Financing and Contracting Agency is the Implementing Agency for the
Technical Assistance Measures.
The Sectoral Monitoring Committee (SMC) is co-chaired by the State Secretary of the Ministry
of Environement and a representative of the Commission.
The management system for IPA Component IV Human Resources Development is made up of
the following bodies:
Strategic Co-ordinator - The Deputy State Secretary of the Central State Office for
Operating Structure:
Development Strategy and Co-ordination of EU Funds (CODEF)
Body responsible for the OP: The Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship
(Directorate for Labour and Labour Market, Department for European Integration and
Project Management)
Head of Operating Structure: The State Secretary for labour.
Bodies within the OS responsible for individual priorities and measures within the
OP:
The Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship (Directorate for Labour and
Labour Market, Department for European Integration and Project Management)
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (Directorate of Social Welfare Department for
Humanitarian Aid and Cooperation with Civil Society Organizations)
The Ministry of Science, Education and Sports (Directorate for Secondary Education)
Implementing Bodies:
The Croatian Employment Service (Department for Contracting and Financing) and
The Agency for Vocational Education and Training (Department for Financing and
Contracting of IPA)
48
The Sectoral Monitoring Committee (SMC) is co-chaired by the State Secretary of the
Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship and a representative of the
Commission.
The management system for IPA Component V Rural Development is made up of the following
bodies:
Managing Authority / Body responsible for the OP: the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Implementing Body (IPARD Paying Agency): The Paying Agency for Agriculture, Fisheries
Rural Development (Directorate for Rural Development)

and Rural Development
The Republic of Macedonia
In Macedonia, the institutional framework for Decentralised Implementation Structures (DIS) is
already established for all five IPA components and it is operating under the rules for
decentralized management of EU Funds (with exeption for Component II where the EU
delegation acts as contracting authority). The European Union granted conferral of
management powers to the national authorities for decentralised implementation of IPA assistance
with ex-ante control, under Components III and IV in 2009. The conferral of management powers
without ex-ante control (EDIS) for Component V (for three measures) was granted also in 2009,
while the conferral of management powers for Component I was awarded in December 2010. The
Accreditation package for IPA Component II is planned to be submitted to EC towards the end of
2011/beginning of 2012. The operating structures under components I, III and IV are preparing for
EDIS.
Key authorities and bodies operational and mandated to manage the IPA assistance under DIS in
the country are:
National IPA Coordinator (NIPAC): Secretariat for European Affairs, responsible of ensuring
overall coordination of IPA assistance and bears the overall responsibility for the coherence and
the coordination of the programs provided under the IPA Regulation, including overall
coordination of the programming for all IPA Components and the annual programming for the
transition assistance and institution building component at national level, as well as for the
coordination of the participation of the beneficiary country in the relevant cross-border
programs.
National Authorising Officer (NAO) the Head of the National fund in the Ministry of Finance
manages the operations of the National Fund and has the overall responsibility for financial
management of EU funds.
National Fund (NF) - is a central treasury body in the Ministry of Finance through which the
pre-accession funds from the European Communities are transferred to the national level and
which implements and ensures efficient and effective functioning of the management and
control systems.
Competent Accrediting Officer (CAO) the Minister of Finance, responsible for issuing,
monitoring and suspending or withdrawing the accreditation of the NAO and the NF.
Strategic Coordinator the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Responsible for
ensuring co-ordination of the assistance under Regional Development Component and Human
Resources Development Component.
Central Financing and Contracting Department (CFCD) in the Ministry of Finance - is the lead
body within the Operating structures for Components I, II, III and IV, solely responsible for
carrying out tendering, contracting, recording the transactions in the accounting system and
executing payments upon concluded contracts for projects financed within the IPA Components
49
I, III and IV, in line with the IPA decentralised implementation system. (Functions as Body
responsible for management of the OPs and as Implementing Agency)
Head of Operating Structure (HOS)/ Programme Authorising Officer (PAO) The Director
of CFCD manages the Operating Structures for implementation of IPA Components I, II, III and
IV for DIS with ex-ante control. The Programme Authorising Officer/ Head of Operating
Structure is responsible for management and implementation of the National Programme for
IPA Component I and the respective Operational Programmes by IPA Component, in line with
the principles of sound financial management and supervision over the implementation and the
execution of projects financed under IPA, according to the signed Operational Agreements.
Senior Programme Officers (SPOs) and IPA Coordinators, responsible for the technical
aspects of the projects to be implemented within the Line Ministry or the Beneficiary Institution,
helping the Programme Authorising Officer/Head of Operating Structure in adequate and timely
project preparation and implementation.
-
The Senior Programme Officer is an authority appointed within the Line Ministry or the
Beneficiary Institution under IPA Component I.
The IPA Coordinators relate to implementation of Operational Programmes under IPA

Components II, III and IV.
IPA II Ministry of Local Self Government
IPA III Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning
IPA IV Ministry of Labor and Social Policy
Beneficiary Institutions (BI) The Line Ministries/Beneficiary Institutions are part of the
respective Operating Structures are responsible for programming, technical implementation and
monitoring. The CFCD operates in close liaison with the Line Ministries/ Beneficiary Institutions,
while the Head of OS bears the overall responsibility and exercise supervision for
projects/programmes implementation.
Managing Authority for IPARD: Ministry of Agriculture and IPARD Paying Agency as an
Implementing Agency. IPARD PA is an autonomous state administration body and as part of
the Operating Structure for the fifth IPA Component, is responsible for implementation and
efficient management, i.e. tendering, contracting, payments and accounting of all projects under
the fifth IPA Component, except for the technical assistance measure, for which the final
beneficiary and implementing agency are the Managing Authority of IPA Rural Development
Programme.
Audit Authority (AA) - as a functionally independent body from all actors in the management
and control systems is designated by the Beneficiary country and complies with internationally
accepted audit standards. AA is responsible for the verification of the effective and sound
functioning of the management and control systems.
Montenegro
IPA assistance to Montenegro (Components I and II) is still managed by the EU Delegation on
behalf of the Montenegrin authorities (centralised management). Since December 2010, as
candidate country, Montenegro is also eligible for IPA Components III, IV and V but the
implementation of these two components is preconditioned by the accreditation of the (E)DIS.
In 2008, the Government of Montenegro initiated the activities towards the establishment of a
Decentralized Implementation System (DIS) for the management of the IPA funds. The
Government of Montenegro has adopted the Decree on the organization of decentralized
management of IPA of the European Union (Official Gazette of Montenegro, No. 33/11),
complementing the provisions of the Law on Ratification of the Framework Agreement signed
between the Government of Montenegro and the Commission of European Communities on the
rules for cooperation concerning the EC financial assistance to Montenegro in the implementation
of the IPA, with the objective of precisely defining the functions and responsibilities of persons and
bodies, as well as the holders of tasks of the process for the management of the EU assistance
50
have been precisely defined for the first four IPA components, in accordance with the requirements
of the European Commission. DIS roadmaps have been adopted together with action plans for the
conferral of management of IPA funds.
For the component I and II a `gap assessment' mission was conducted at the end of 2009, and in
2010 and 2011 gap plugging activities have taken place. By the end of this year the compliance
assesment is expected to start and the conferal of management of powers is foreseen for mid next
year. In April 2011 the national Roadmaps for IPA III and IV with the relating Actions plans for
implementation of the national Roadmaps were adopted by the Government. Further on, the
Government adopted a decision regarding the Operating Structures (OS) for IPA Component III and
IV and appointed responsible Head of OS. At the moment a gap assesment is taking place.
The key actors in the overall IPA Management Structure in Montenegro include:
Component I
National IPA Co-ordinator (NIPAC) State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and European Integration
Competent Accrediting Officer (CAO) - Minister of Finance;
National Authorising Officer (NAO) - Assistant to the Minister of Finance for State
Treasury Sector
National Fund (NF) in the Ministry of Finance
Programme Authorizing Officer (PAO) the Head of the Sector for Finance and
Contracting of the EU assistance in the Ministry of Finance (CFCU) who has the
position of Deputy Minister
Sector for Finance and Contracting of the EU assistance (CFCU) acting as Implementing
Agency
Operating Structure (OS (i.e. PAO/CFCU and SPOs/SPOs)
Internal Audit Units in all DIS bodies
Audit Authority - Supreme Audit Institution (SAI). This however will be changed in
compliance with the
Agreement between Government and SAI, which envisages a
separation of the AA until at the latest 31.12.2011

Component II
National IPA Co-ordinator (NIPAC) State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and European Integration
Competent Accrediting Officer (CAO) - Minister of Finance;
National Authorising Officer (NAO) - Assistant to the Minister of Finance for State
Treasury Sector
Operating Structure (OS) (i.e. PAO/CFCU and CBC Sector in Ministry of European
Integration)
Sector for Finance and Contracting of the EU assistance (CFCU) acting as Implementing
Agency
Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC)
Joint Technical Secretariat (JTS)
Internal Audit Unit (IAU) in the CBC Sector within the Ministry of European
Integration
Audit Authority - Supreme Audit Institution (SAI)
Component III
National IPA Co-ordinator (NIPAC) State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
European Integration
51
Strategic Co-ordinator High-level Official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European
Integration
Competent Accrediting Officer (CAO) - Minister of Finance
National Authorising Officer (NAO) - Assistant to the Minister of Finance for State Treasury
Sector
Head of OS for IPA Component III - Assistant to the Minister at the Ministry of Sustainable
Development and Tourism
The Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism as Body Responsible for OP and
Body responsible for priority/measure (BRPM)
The Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs as BRPM
Audit Authority - Supreme Audit Institution
Component IV
National IPA Co-ordinator (NIPAC) State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Strategic Co-ordinator High-level Official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European
Integration
Competent Accrediting Officer (CAO) - Minister of Finance

National Authorising Officer (NAO) - Assistant to the Minister of Finance for State Treasury
Sector
Head of OS for IPA Component IV - Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Labour and Social
Welfare
the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare as Body Responsible for OP and Body
responsible for priority/measure (BRPM)
the Ministry of Education and Sport as BRPM,
the Ministry of Science as BRPM
the Sector for Finance and Contracting of the EU assistance (CFCU) acting as IB
Audit Authority - Supreme Audit Institution
Component V
The Implementing structures (as well as the IPARD Program of Montenegro) are currently being
developed within the EU-funded twinning project named Support to establish an IPA Rural
Development (IPARD) Programming and Implementation System, which has been officially
launched in March 2010. The beneficiary institution is the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and
Water Management which will be the Managing Authority. In addition an IPARD Implementing
Agency is being established.
Turkey
The assistance under IPA components I-IV in Turkey was implemented primarily through
decentralised management with ex-ante controls by the EU Delegation, with exceptions
related to the Turkey-Bulgaria CBC programme under Component II, which was implemented by
shared management with the participating EU Member State.10
10
also one project under the National Programme 2008, which due to its nature was implemented by centralised management
through an administrative arrangement between the EU Delegation and the Joint Research Center (the Institute for Reference
Materials and Measurements); the multi-beneficiary Energy Efficiency Crisis response facility, implemented centralised by the
Regional Programmes Unit in DG Enlargement through contribution agreements with the European Investment Bank and the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
52
Turkey was conferred decentralised management powers (with ex-ante controls) for the operational
programmes under Component III and IV in July and August 2009. By the end of 2009 Turkey had
prepared roadmaps for full decentralisation of management of EU funds without ex-ante
controls. These roadmaps were reviewed in 2010 and will set benchmarks and target rates for full
decentralisation.
During a transition period running from 2007 to 2010, the operating structures for implementing the
operational programmes under Component III and IV (Ministry of Environment and Forestry,
Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Industry and Trade and Ministry of Labour and Social Security)
delegated certain functions related to tendering and contracting of projects to the CFCU, to
give themselves time to prepare for these tasks. Since the CFCU had previous experience from
tendering and contracting under the Turkish Pre- Accession Instrument between 2002 and 2006,
this was agreed to be the best solution while the relevant Ministries completed the necessary
accreditation processes. At the same time this stretched further the capacity of the CFCU in
handling the tendering procedures under Components I-IV, with a substantial number of contracts
to be handled. Since 2011 the Ministry of Environment has taken over from the CFCU the
responsibilities related to the tendering and contracting for the measures under the OP
Environment. It is expected that in t he beginning of 2012 the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry
of Industry and Trade, and the Ministry of labor will also fully take over the tendering, contracting
and payment responsibilities from the CFCU for their respective OPs.
With regards to the IPA Component V, in the summer of 2011 the the accreditation process was
completed, but the decision for the conferral of management powers without ex-ante control
is expected for the beginning of 2012. Upon the conferral, the Ministry of Agriculture will be the
Managing Authority and the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institute (ARDSI) the
IPARD Agency.
The key actors in the overall IPA Management Structure in Turkey include:
National IPA Co-ordinator (NIPAC) Ministry of EU Affairs (former General Secretariat for EU
Affairs)
Strategic Co-ordinator High-level Official at the Ministry of Development (former State

Planning Organisation)
Competent Accrediting Officer (CAO) - State Minister in Charge of the Treasury
National Authorising Officer (NAO) - Undersecretary of the Treasury
Operating Structures:
Component I and II: Ministry of EU Affairs and CFCU
Componet III:
Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation (OP Environment)
Ministry of Transport and Communications (OP Transport)
Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology (Regional Competitiveness OP)
Component IV: Ministry of Labour and Social Security

Component V: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Husbandry
Implementing Agency
Component I-II: CFCU
Component III:
CFCU (for Transport and Regional Competitiveness OPs)
Ministry of Environment (for Environment OP)
Component IV: CFCU
53
Component V: The Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institute (IPARD Agency)
(expected in 2012)
Audit Authority
: Board of Treasury Controllers
Potential Candidate countries

As potential Candidate Countries, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo under UNSCR 1244
and Serbia have access to IPA Components 1 and 2. The programs and projects financed by IPA in
this group of countries are managed centrally by the EC Delegations in the respective
countries. These countries will gain access to the rest of IPA components upon obtaining
candidate status. However, these countries are intensively preparing for decentralised
management of EU funds, i.e the structures have been established andspecific activities are
being taken in relation to the different stages of the accreditation process.
Albania
In Albania, IPA is managed by the EC delegation in Tirana in a centralized manner. Under IPA
2008 5 projects are being implemented by indirect centralised management with Deutsche
Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).
Further exceptions to the centralised (de-concentrated) management more are the infrastructure
support projects (rural roads and water infrastructure) in Part I of the 2009 IPA programme which
are/will be implemented by joint management with the Council of Europe Development Bank
(CEB) in cooperation with Kreditanstalt fr Wiederaufbau (KfW).
In relation to the DIS, by the end of 2009, Albania had established most of the framework for
the management and control system. The structures were designed and respective DIS
accreditation road maps per components were prepared and sent to the EC. Under IPA Component
I, on 12th of January 2011 the the Council of Ministers of Albania has adopted the Decision on
Designation of the functions, responsibilities, and relationships amongs the authorities and the
structure of the decentralised management of the eu instrument for preaccession assistance IPA,
Component I. The Compliance Assessment for this component has been completed and the
accreditation is expected in the first half of 2012.
The directorates responsible for the IPA components II, III, IV, V officially launched preparations for
decentralised management in early 2010. The gap plugging for components II, III and IV is
expected to start by the end of the year and according to the DIS Roadmaps, the compliance
assessment is foreseen for first half of 2012, and the accreditation itself by December 2012.
For Component V, the compliance assessment has been completed and the accreditation package
has been prepared but its submission to the EC depends on obtaining the candidate status of the
country.
The key actors in the overall IPA Management Structure in Albania include:
Component I
National IPA Coordinator (NIPAC): the Minister in charge for European Integration
Competent Accrediting Officer (CAO): the Minister of Finance
National Authorizing Officer (NAO): Deputy Minister of Finance / is the Head of the National
Fund
National Fund: the central treasury body in the Ministry of Finance
Programme Authorizing Officer, (PAO): Head of the CFCU in the Ministry of Finance,
designated by NAO after consultation with NIPAC, heading the Implementing Agency of IPA
Component I, responsible for the operations of the Implementing Agency and of the Senior
Programme Officers
54
Senior Programme Officers in the Line Ministries (SPOs): Directors of EU Integration

Directorates in all Line Ministries nominated by the line Ministers and appointed by PAO, within the
line ministry or the beneficiary institution under IPA Component I, responsible for the technical aspects
of the projects
Head of Operating Structures: NIPACs Office - Secretary General of the Ministry of
Implementing Agency headed by the PAO: the Central Financing and Contracting Unit in
the Ministry of Finance
IPA structures within line ministries and other institutions that implement projects
financed under IPA Component I, headed by the SPO
Nominated auditors of IPA Funds, from the relevant internal audit services in the line
Ministries and other institutions that implement project financed under IPA Component I.
Audit Authority: Agency for Audit of EU programmes
Sectoral Monitoring Committee of Component I
Component II
National IPA Coordinator (NIPAC): the Minister of European Integration

CBC Coordinator: Deputy Minister of European Integration
CBC body/unit within the Ministry of European Integration
Competent Authorising Officer (CAO): the Minister of Finance
National Authorising Officer (NAO): the Deputy Minister of Finance
Programe Authorising Officer (PAO): Head of the CFCU
Senior Programme Officers (SPOs) in line ministries
Joint Monitoring Committees (JMC)11
Joint Technical Secretariat (JTS)12
Antenna Offices13
Joint Steering Committee (JSC)14
Implementing Agency/Contracting Authority: Central Financing and Contracting Unit
Component III
Strategic Coordinator: Deputy Minister of European Integration
Head of Operating Structure: Ministry of Public Works and Transport / Deputy Minister of
Transport Head of OS
Body Responsible for OP: Ministry of Public Works and Transport
Bodies Responsible for Measures and Projects:
Ministry of Public Works and Transport
Ministry of Environment
Ministry of Economy
Sectoral Monitoring Committee for Component III
11
For both IPA CBC Albania-Montenegro and For IPA CBC Macedonia-Albania
ibid
ibid
14
ibid
12
13
55
Component IV
Strategic Coordinator: Deputy Minister of European Integration
Head of Operating Structure: Ministry of labor / Ministry of Labor, social affairs and equal
opportunities is Head of OS
Body Responsible for OP: Ministry of Labor, social affairs and equal opportunities
Bodies Responsible for Measures and Projects:
Ministry of Labor, social affairs and equal opportunitie
Ministries of: Education
National Employment Service
Agency for Vocational Training
Sectoral Monitoring Committee for Component IV
Component V
IPARD Managing Authority: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection/General

Directorate for Agricultural Policies/ Rural Develpment Directorate
IPARD Paying Agency: Agriculture and Rural Development Agency (ARDA)
Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Bosnia and Herzegovina the majority of the IPA funded projects are implemented on a
centralised (de-concentrated) basis by the EU Delegation in Sarajevo. Exceptions are
infrastructure support projects under Part I of the 2009 IPA programme which are implemented by
joint management with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the
European Investment Bank (EIB) and by indirect centralised management through a delegation
agreement with the Kreditanstalt fr Wiederaufbau (KfW).
The preparations for DIS in Bosnia and Herzegovina started in December 2004 when the first
version of DIS Strategy based on the CARDS methodology was adopted and the National Aid
Coordinator was appointed. In 2005 the first CFCU and NF were established and blueprint
procedures and manuals were developed. In 2006 the appointment of NAO and PAO in accordance
with the CARDS regulations was made. In 2007 with the introduction of IPA, NAC was renamed as
NIPAC and its office started preparing to be fully operational under DIS. In July 2008 a new version
of DIS Strategy in accordance with IPA regulation, for IPA Components 1 and IPA 2 was
adopted, followed by individual decisions of the Council of Minister on appointment of NIPAC and
IPA Coordination Board, on establishment of the Units for European Integration, on the function of
the SPOs. The NIPAC, NAO and CAO were appointed in April 2010. The DIS Operating structure
for IPA component II was adopted by the Council of Ministers in September 2011. The Council of
Ministers is expected to adopt decisions on nomination of SPOs and the PIUs; the DIS Operating
structures for IPA component I and the DIS Roadmap. In addition, the Strategic Coordinator for IPA
Componenets III and IV, the structures for IPA III, IV and V, and an Audith Authority need to be
nominated/established in future.
The key existing actors in the overall IPA Management Structure in Bosnia and Herzegovina
include:
56
National IPA Coordinator (NIPAC): Director of Directorate for European Integration
CBC Coordinator: NIPAC/Directorate for European Integrations of BiH/Sector for Coordination

of EU Assistance Programmes/Department for CBC Programmes
Competent Authorising Officer (CAO): the Minister of Finance and Treasury
National Authorising Officer (NAO): the Assistant Minister of Finance in charge of the
Treasury
National Fund: Unit withing the Treasury Department in the Ministry of Finance and Treasury
Programe Authorising Officer (PAO): Head of the CFCU
Central Financing and Contracting Unit in the Ministry of Finance and Treasury
Joint structures for the CBC Programs: JMC, JTS&A
Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244/9)

The IPA programme in Kosovo is implemented under centralised deconcentrated management by
the European Commission Liaison Office (ECLO) in Kosovo. Some projects are implemented by
joint management with international organisations. As any other IPA beneficiary, Kosovo needs to
establish a roadmap for the decentralisation of management of EU funds, initially with ex ante
controls by the Commission. Kosovo is still at a very early stage of this process. In April 2009, the
government appointed the chief executive of the Agency for the Coordination of Development and
European Integration in the Prime Minister office as Kosovo's IPA coordinator - NIPAC. In the line
ministries, Senior Programming Officers (SPOs) have been appointed and their role is to actively
participate in the programming process of IPA funds.
Serbia
15
In Serbia the EU Delegation in Belgrade is in charge of the managementof IPA Component I
as the contracting authority on behalf of the Serbian authorities. IPA Component II

programmes in Serbia are implemented under two different management modes: centralised and
shared management. CBC programmes at internal borders (those with Croatia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina and Montenegro) are implemented on a centralised basis, where the EU Delegation is
the contracting authority. However, differently from other grant schemes run in centralised
management (where selection of project proposals is a direct responsibility of the EU Delegation),
the selection of applicants is carried out under the responsibility of a joint body established by the
operating structures in the two participating countries. The programmes with Members States and
the Adriatic programme are implemented under shared management. In this case implementation
of the entire programme is under the responsibility of a single managing authority located in the
participating Member State.
The Serbian authorities adopted a roadmap for a Decentralised Implementation System (DIS) in
January 2008, up-dated in March 2009, while a strategy for the preparation of DIS accreditation
was submitted to the Commission in April of that same year. All key DIS stakeholders on the side of
the Serbian administration are established and they have passed the stages 0-2 of the DIS
Roadmap. The start of the Compliance assesment of the structures and procedures for
components I, II, III, IV and V (stage 3) is expected for the end of October/beginning of November
2011. The Government of Serbia will submit the accreditation packages to the European
Commission upon obtaining the candidate status.
The key existing actors in the overall IPA Management Structure in Serbia include:
National IPA Coordinator (NIPAC): the Deputy Prime Minister for EU Integration
Technical Secretariat of NIPAC EU Integration Office
15
Commission staff working document, Background document to the report from the Commission to the Parliament, the Council
and the European economic and social committee 2009 Annual Report on the implementation of the Instrument for Preaccession Assistance (IPA) COM(2010) 687, Nov 2010
57
Competent Accrediting Officer (CAO): the Minister of Finance
National Authorizing Officer (NAO): State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance
National Fund: Department in the Ministry of Finance, headed by an Assistan Minister
Central Financing and Contracting Unit in the Ministry of Finance as Implementing Agency for
components I-IV, headed by the PAO/Assistant Minister
Programe Authorising Officer (PAO) for components I-II: Head of the CFCU
Senior Programme Officers in the Line Ministries (SPOs): Heads of the Programme
Management Units (PMUs) in 16 Line Ministries under IPA Component I
Strategic Coordinator for IPA Components III and IV: The Deputy Director of the EU
Integration Office within the cabinet of the Dpeuty Prime Minister for EU Integration (NIPAC)
Head of Operating Structures for Component I and II: NIPACs Office
SPOs in Line ministries part of Operating Structure for Component I
Joint structures for the CBC Programs: JMC, JTS&A
Central Financing and Contracting Unit in the Ministry of Finance - Body responsible for
Operational Programme for Component III (the Assistant Minister as Head of Operating
Structures)
Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, Ministry of Economy
and Regional Development, Ministry of Agricutlrue, Forestry and Water Management,
Ministry of Science and Technological Development are appointed as the Bodies
Responsible for Priorities/Measures under OP for Component III
The Sector for Employment within the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development is
appointed as Body responsible for Operational Programme for Component IV, and the
Assistant to the Minister of Economy and Regional Development, is the Head of Operating
Structure
The Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, Ministry of Education and Ministry of
Labour and Social Policy are appointed as Bodies Responsible for Priorities/Measures
under OP for Component IV
Implementing Agency: the Central Financing and Contracting Unit in the Ministry of
Finance (for components I-IV)
IPARD Managing Authority: The Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water
Management/Department for Rural Development
IPARD Paying Agency: Directorate for Agrarian Payments in the Ministry of Agriculture, Trade,
Forestry and Water Management
58
Audit Authority: establishment in progress
IPA Monitoring Committee
Sectoral Monitoring Committees per component
Exercise:
The participants will be asked (groups formed by country) to discuss:
the state of play in their countries with regards to DIS
to identify the main further steps to be taken with regards to DIS or EDIS accreditation
what frameworks, structures, procedures still need to be put in place?
what type of training and capacity building they need?
Expectations for accreditation (according to their national Road Maps)?
Challenges and problems they face with running the DIS operations (for Turkey,
Croatia and Macedonia only)?
What would they change if in a position to influence the design of the system (at EU
level)?
59
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Watermanweg 44
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The Netherlands
T +31 (0)10 453 88 00
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W www.ecorys.nl
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BELGIUM BULGARIA - HUNGARY - THE NETHERLANDS POLAND - RUSSIAN FEDERATION SOUTH AFRICA - SPAIN - TURKEY UNITED KINGDOM

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3 IPA Implementing Structures

M 1.3 IPA Implementing Structures

Ecorys Region, Strategy & Entrepreneurship

The IPA instrument Brief overview

IPA Implementation structures and modalities

Examples of IPA Implementing Structures

M 1.3 IPA Implementing Structures Module

The IPA instrument Brief overview

IPA aims to support (potential)candidate countries in:

supporting the development of civil society

reforming the public administration

carrying out economic reforms

advancing regional co-operation

sustainable development and poverty reduction

policy development in the cohesion policy areas preparing countries to effectively

preparing for the programming, implementation and management of EU Cohesion

Investment (works), supplies, services or subsidies (grants)

Budget support (granted exceptionally and subject to supervision)

IPA legal basis

Council Regulation 1085/2006, adopted on 17 July 2006 (establishing the instrument)

Commission Regulation 718/2007 of 12 June 2007 (IPA Implementing Regulation)

Commission Regulation 80/2010 of 28 January 2010 amending Regulation 718/2007 and

Component I: Transition Assistance and Institution Building aiming at financing

II. Component II: Cross-border cooperation to support cross-border cooperation between

Figure 3 General Policy and programing framework

Commission, directly or indirectly, or by the beneficiary, or jointly with other donors, as

and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, candidate countries draft multi-annual

IPA Implementation structures and modalities

partnership between the EC and the beneficiary country/

a high ranking official responsible for

between the accession process and the use IPA overall

overall coordination of assistance under the

responsibility for IPA programming, monitoring and

IPA Regulations, and in particular in charge

implementation / coherence and coordination of the

programmes under the respective components annual

Strategic coordinator (SC)

under the responsibility of the national IPA coordinator no

- high-ranking official in the Government of

direct involvement in the implementation coordinates the

the beneficiary country

assistance under the regional development- and the human

Competent Accrediting Officer (CAO)

responsible for issuing, monitoring and suspending or

- high-ranking official in the Government of

withdrawing the accreditation of the National Authorising

the beneficiary country

Officer and theNational Fund

IPA Implementing Bodies

Head of the National Fund

- high-ranking official in the government of

overall responsibility for financial management of EU funds

the beneficiary country,

for the legality and regularity of the transactions

National fund (NF)

Central treasury in charge of financial management of IPA,

- body located in a state level Ministry of the

under the responsibility of the NAO.

beneficiary country with central budgetary

In particular in charge of:

organising the bank accounts

Operating Structure (OS)

management and implementation of assistance under specific