Guidelines for closure of Structural Funds 200006

1
Guidelines for closure of Structural Funds
2000-06

• Charlie Grant,
• DG Regional Policy

2
Modification of programmes

• Possible before the final date of eligibility
• BUT no modification of the financing plan annexed
  to Commission decision after 31/12/2006
• Too late to make changes between Funds and
  programmes (deadline was 30/9/06)

3
Changing Programme Complements

• Can be approved by Monitoring Committee until
  31/12/08 (then sent to Commission within one
  month of approval)
• Financial plan must be coherent with financial
  plan of the decision
• Changes to national public funding (central,
  regional, etc.) permitted if total of national
  public funding remains same as decision
• Last opportunity to make sure financial table is
  correct

4
State Aids

• New Commission regional aid guidelines for
  2007-13
• Extending aid schemes to 2007-08 notifying the
  Commission
• Changing programming documents
• Applicable rules those in force on date of
  legally binding commitment to pay aid to
  beneficiary

5
Final date for eligibility of expenditure

• 31/12/2008
• 30/4/2009 for expenditure by bodies that grant
  aid

6
Submission of closure documents

• Deadline 6 or 15 months after the final date of
  eligibility of expenditure
• Consequences of non-submission automatic
  decommitment, financial correction
• Content of 3 closure documents
• Possibility of "closure by Fund"

7
Unfinished projects at closure

• If no co-financing in 2007-2013 project must be
  completed within 2 years of deadline for
  submission of final report
• If co-financing in 2007-2013 measures to be
  taken to avoid double financing

8
Projects suspended due to legal or
administrative proceedings

• Necessary to decide if such projects are to be
  maintained or replaced
• Decision to be taken before deadline for
  submission of closure documents

9
Financial 'flexibility' at closure

• Possibility to modify financing plan of the
  programme complement until final date of
  eligibility (limits)
• In addition, flexibility of up to 2 between
  priorities

10
Retention of documents

• All supporting documents to be kept for 3 years
  from date of closure
• Interruption of period if legal proceedings or
  motivated request of Commission