Detailed description of project Back
In order to use the opportunities offered by the Union Programmes, on the 25th of November 2016 Kosovo signed with the European Commission the Framework Agreement on general principles for participation in the 17 EU Programmes in which Kosovo is eligible to participate. It entered into force on the 1st of August 2017.
Currently Kosovo is participating in six EU Programmes:
- Erasmus+ aiming at boosting skills and employability through modernising education, training and youth work;
- COSME for the competitiveness of enterprises, in particular SMEs;
- Creative Europe supporting protection and promotion of European cultural and linguistic diversity and strengthening its development;
- Europe for Citizens promoting common European ideals and strengthening the process of European integration;
- Fiscalis 2020, which aims to enable tax administrations to create and exchange information and expertise. It makes a substantial important contribution to the fight against tax fraud and supports revenue collection and therefore contributes to a reduction of the informal economy;
- Customs 2020, which enables customs administrations to create and exchange information and expertise. It aims to support the functioning and modernisation of the EU’s customs union.
Kosovo has limited experience with Union Programmes, which started in 2018 with the participation in ERASMUS+. The respective International Agreements have been signed for the six programmes mentioned above and ratified by the Kosovo Parliament. For Creative Europe, there will be a new Association Agreement needed to be signed in 2021 in order for Kosovo to fully participate in all strands (media as well) and it is required to align its legal framework with that of the EU, namely the directive Audio-visual Media Service Directive (AVMSD).
The objective of the contract is to improve Kosovo’s absorption of EU Programme funds by reinforcing management and implementation capacities of Kosovo’s administration and potential beneficiaries.
Type of services provided
- Provision of technical advice to the relevant institutions (Office of the Prime Minister / Development Cooperation Office, Desk Offices and line ministries) regarding the participation of Kosovo in the six (6) selected EU Programmes and potential new EU Programmes based on requests from the institutions;
- Provision of eighteen (18) tailor made trainings/workshops on all selected EU Programmes for relevant institutions and potential applicants. The workshops will include targeted hands-on support to applicants in preparation of the quality applications for all selected EU Programmes (on demand);
- Continuous information sharing about events organised by EU institutions/networks/etc. to potential applicants and institutions;
- Provision of support with implementation to the awarded grantees;
- Provision of targeted support to the relevant institutions to increase the visibility and awareness of EU programmes specific to each EU programme: development of a communication and visibility strategy to increase the participation of Kosovo in the existing and new EU Programmes with an action plan; develop and implement a public awareness campaign for each of the selected EU Programmes containing the key information on individual programmes open for Kosovo participation, published on social media and delivered in the information sessions at central and municipal level.
Main staff provided:
- EU Programmes Expert (190 w/d).
