STEPS FOR FUNDING ELI-NP

March 11st 2011

Dan Cutoiu

INTRODUCTION• For the period 2007-2013, € 308.41 billions are allocated to the 27

EU member states• General aim: to strengthen economic and social cohesion in order to

promote the harmonious, balanced and sustainable development of the EU regions

• Specific aim for the least-developed Member States (which join EU in 2004 and 2007) and regions : catch up more quickly with the EU average by improving conditions for growth and employment; € 251.163 billion are allocated

• EU funds:structural (regional development and social): regions with

≤ 75% average EU GDPcohesion: member states with ≤ 90% average EU GDP

INTRODUCTION• Rule: Assistance from the Funds is transparent• Rule: After assistance approval, Member State

decide how the funds are used → there is no restriction concerning the country to whom belongs the winners of the tenders

• Rule: Member States receive max 4% GDP → Romania gets € 19.668 billion

• Member States adopt a national strategic reference framework

National Strategic Reference Framework

• Identify overlap of national priorities with EU priorities• Output: strategic objectives• Each strategic objective generates a Sector Operational

Program (Romania: 9 SOP)• Authority for the Coordination of Structural Instruments

(under Ministry of Finance coordination): coordinates and monitor the management of EU funds

• Authority for Certifying and Payment (department in the Ministry of Finance): for reimbursement

• Authority for Audit (department in the Romanian Court of Auditors): for payments control

(Romania made first payments and after that, based on invoices, is reimbursed by ECC)

Sector Operational Program for Increasing the Economic Competitiveness

• Management Authority: Ministry for Economy, Trade and Business Environment• European fund: European Fund for Regional Development (structural funds)

• Priority axes:1. …….. ELI-NP2. Competitiveness through research and development3. ………4. ………5. ……….

• Total funds for the 5 axes for the period Jan 1st 2007 – Dec 31, 2013 according to ECC decision 3472/12.07.2007: € 3,011,102,426 (84.82% ECC, 15.18% Ro)

(fixed amount – cannot be modified; the same for payments/year)

Priority Ax 2: Competitiveness through research and development

• Intermediate body: Research Authority• Points:

2.1 …… ELI-NP2.2 Investments for research, development and innovation

infrastructure2.3 ……

• Total Funds for the 3 points for the period Jan 1st 2007 – Dec 31, 2013 according to ECC decision 3472/12.07.2007:

€ 646,259,176 (83% ECC, 17% Ro) (fixed amount – cannot be modified; the same for payments/year)

Contracted till now: about € 400 millionclosing contracts: December 31, 2013; closing payments: December 31, 2015

2.2 Investments for Research,Development and Innovation Infrastructure

• 2.2.1 Development of existing infrastructure and creation of new infrastructure

this is the place for ELI-NP 2.2.2 ….. 2.2.3 …..• No call for 2011 (budget spent: former calls in 2007 and 2009)• ELI-NP project has not yet applied for funds

• BUT: at Dec 31, 2010 Romania absorbed only € 1.9 billion (10%) through 5000 signed projects; total value of applied projects: € 40 billion

• Absorption rate for other countries: between 20 - 30%

Status of ELI-NP project• December 8, 2010: the Romanian Government approved a

note:- ELI-NP priority project- Research Authority has to submit the project to

JASPER for evaluation of conformity and evaluation of the amount of requested money

(Joint AsSistance for Preparing Projects in European Regions) JASPERS is a partnership between the Commission (DG Regional Policy), the European

Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Reconstruction Credit Institute (KfW) which became operational in 2006. JASPERS offers technical assistance to the twelve Member States that joined the EU in 2004 and 2007 to prepare major projects for EU support. JASPERS can provide free of charge comprehensive assistance for all stages of the project cycle. JASPERS focuses its action on large projects supported by the EU funds (costing more than € 50 million) .

- Ministries should find solution to finance the project (relocation of funds between programs and axes)

Status of ELI-NP project• January 2011: Research Authority has submitted the project

to JASPER (JASPER receives projects only at the beginning of the year).

- JASPER review the project and discuses it with DG REGIO and the Romanian Management Authority

(and the Intermediate Body and the Beneficiary)Evaluation time: min 3 month (April 2011)

max 6 month (July 2011)- JASPER assistance finalized by report (April 2011)

• The Monitoring Committee of the Management Authority will introduce the project in the Action Plan (May 2011)

• Romanian Government will confirm funding ELI-NP project in the amount established by JASPER through relocation between programs and axes (May - June 2011)

Status of ELI-NP project

Status of ELI-NP project• Project sent to European Commission (DG Regional Policy) for

relocation approval• Evaluation time: 3 month (September 2011)• Project sent to European Commission (DG REGIO) for project

approval• Evaluation time: 3 month (December 2011)

Average elapsed days between grant application and approval:

232 with JASPER assistance• Signing the contract between IFIN-HH and the Romanian

Research Authority• Estimated date: end of 2011: now IFIN-HH will start the

auction procedure

Status of ELI-NP project• According to art.122 b and d from bill 34/2006 IFIN-HH

could negotiate with the producer of the equipment without public announcement

• ECC wants international open public auction. Necessary steps:

- elaboration of specification for gamma source- publication of the announcement- receiving offers- analyzing bids and announcing the winner- solving appeals- signing the contract with the winner

Status of ELI-NP project• Estimated date for signing the contract

between IFIN-HH and the auction winner: earliest February 2012

• Rule: Romania will be reimbursed only for expenditure made AFTER signing the commercial contract

• Research Authority should ask DG REGIO to approve for reimbursement some expenditure (tender, design etc) before ELI-NP project approval

Status of ELI-NP project

If we get this approval:

1.Optimistic date for signing the contract between IFIN-HH and the auction winner: November 2011

2.Optimistic date to start financing: December 2011