About this learning event

The instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) is one of the sources through which countries can finance their structural reforms. Therefore, coordination with the IPA programming process should be taken into account when planning and developing the Economic Reform Programme (ERP), a central document that provides the overview of the planned structural reforms in the next three years. When designing IPA-funded projects, countries should put them in the wider framework of expected reforms, in order to secure funding sources to cover the costs of these reforms.

At this workshop, we will address the connection between IPA programming and the process of ERP preparation. their timing, frameworks, as well as the main challenges faced. 

In addition, we will also evaluate these two processes in the greater context of negotiations for the EU membership. Together with the participants, we will identify potential implications of the new EU enlargement methodology, correlation with economic criteria as part of accession negotiations, and IPA III as a support mechanism for economic reforms.

During the event we will:

• Get a better understanding of IPA as a funding source for structural reforms
• Review the conceptual link between IPA programming and programming of structural reforms outlined in the ERP
• Identify challenges the officials from IPA and ERP units face when coordinating ERP and IPA processes and possible solutions for improved efficiency of these two processes 
• Give an overview of country-specific cases related to the ERP and IPA coordination 

Who should attend

Invited to join us at this workshop are: 

• Officials from the IPA units in ministries of finance and line ministries, working in the area of IPA programming process 
• Officials from line ministries working on the programming of structural reforms for the ERP 
• ERP coordinators and their team members
• IPA coordinators and their team members

Faculty

This event will be facilitated by:

• Mojmir Mrak, CEF Expert, Professor at the University of Ljubljana
• Dragan Tilev, State Counselor for EU Affairs, Secretariat for European Affairs, Government of the Republic of North Macedonia
• Marsed Harizi, PFM Expert
• Andreja Jerina, CEF Expert

Practical Information

• Interested participants are invited to apply by March 2, 2023, by filling in the application form. Participants who need visas, are invited to submit their application as soon as possible, latest by February 20, 2023.
• For all the necessary information please read the General Information on Learning at CEF.
• Flights, transfers, accommodation in Slovenia, and meals during the event will be fully funded for up to three selected officials per FISR2 beneficiary country.
• Additional relevant participants will be accepted as self-funded.
• We will offer welcoming, interactive, and people-centered learning methods that stimulate knowledge absorption.
• Upon the successful completion of this event, participants will receive a certificate.

Partners

This event is delivered as part of the EU-funded multi-beneficiary project “Structural Reforms Better Integrated Within Fiscal Frameworks” (FISR2) implemented by the CEF.