Partnership Agreement for the EU Funds Programming Period 2014 – 2020 Project RIGA 2014 Partnership_Agreement_ENG.docx; Partnership Agreement for the EU Funds Programming Period 2014 – 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS AND TERMS USED .......................................................................................... 4 1. Interconnection of partnership agreement with thematic objectives of „Europe 2020” strategy ................................................................................................................................................ 7 1.1. Analysis of differences, development needs and growth potential ....................................... 7 1.2 Summary of Ex-ante evaluations ............................................................................................. 58 1.3. Selected thematic objectives and investment priorities........................................................... 60 Strengthening research, technological development and innovation .................................... 60 Enhancing access to and use and quality of ICT ................................................................... 62 Enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs, the agricultural sector (for the EAFRD) and the fisheries and aquaculture sector (for the EMFF). .................................................................. 63 Supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors ....................................... 65 Promoting climate change adaptation and risk prevention and management ....................... 66 Protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency ............................................ 67 Promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructure .. 72 Promoting stable, quality employment and supporting labour mobility ............................... 74 Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty and any kind of discrimination .... 76 Investing in education, skills and lifelong learning ............................................................... 80 Enhancing institutional capacity of public institutions and stakeholders and efficient public administration ........................................................................................................................ 84 1.4. Indicative breakdown of funding by thematic objectives (EUR) ............................................ 98 1.5. Horizontal principles ............................................................................................................. 101 1.5.1. Partnership principles ................................................................................................ 101 1.5.2. Promotion of equal opportunities for men and women, non-discrimination and accessibility ......................................................................................................................... 106 1.5.3. Sustainable development ........................................................................................... 108 1.5.4. Horizontal policy aim ........................................................................................... 109 1.6. List of ERDF, ESF, CF, YOI programmes, except the ones implemented within framework of European Territorial cooperation objective, as well as EAFRD and EMFF with indicative financing from ESI funds allocation by years ............................................................. 111 1.7. Planned changes of structural funds investment by categories of regions ........................ 113 1.8. Transformation from ETC targeted investments to Growth and employment objectives 113 1.9. Technical assistance transformation request EC ............................................................... 113 1.10. Information on planned financing for Execution reserve allocation by ESI funds, where applicable, regional categories and not attributable financing volumes for calculation of Execution reserve (EUR) ............................................................................................................. 114 2. measures towards efficient implementation of ESI funds ...................................................... 115 2.1.Coordination of the Aid.......................................................................................................... 115 2.2.Ex-ante verification of compliance with the complementarity terms .................................... 123 2 Partnership_Agreement_ENG.docx; Partnership Agreement for the EU Funds Programming Period 2014 – 2020 2.3. Summary on fulfilment of the ex-ante conditionalities ......................................................... 123 2.4. Methodology and mechanism towards ensuring the functionality of the performance framework .................................................................................................................................... 134 2.5. evaluation of the necessity to increase administrative capacity of the institutions involved in OP management and control and, if applicable, of beneficiaries, and summary of actions to be implemented for this purpose, if necessary ............................................................................. 134 2.6. summary on the planned actions in the programmes for reduction of administrative burden for beneficiaries, including indicative schedule for their implementation ................................... 140 3. Integrated development of the territories ................................................................................ 145 3.1. measures towards ensuring integrated development of the territories .................................. 148 3.1.1. Local development directed by society ..................................................................... 148 3.1.2. Integrated territorial investments (ITI) ...................................................................... 148 3.1.3. Sustainable development of urban environment ....................................................... 148 3.1.4. ETC, areas of cooperation and BSRS ........................................................................ 150 3.1.5. Territories with the highest level of poverty, greatest risk of discrimination or social exclusion, especially in the risk groups. .............................................................................. 152 3.1.6. Demographic challenges in the regions ..................................................................... 154 4. implementation of efficient pa and operation programmes ................................................... 156 4.1.E-funds ................................................................................................................................... 156 3 Partnership_Agreement_ENG.docx; Partnership Agreement for the EU Funds Programming Period 2014 – 2020 ABBREVIATIONS AND TERMS USED HEI Higher Education Institutions RES Renewable energy sources ARACHNE EU risk scoring tool which can increase efficiency of selection of projects, management audits and support fraud detection, discovery, prevention. MFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs BEMIP Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan BSRS European Union Baltic Sea Region Strategy COSME Programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises CEF Connecting Europe Facility CFCA Central Finance and Contracting Agency OP Operational programme NRS Natural Resources Tax EIB European Investment Bank EEA European Economic Area EPS Electronic Procurement System EMFF European Maritime and Fisheries Fund ESF Economic size category of agricultural farms EC European Commission EC Position Document European Commission Position Document, presented on 4 December 2012 EMT Electrical means of transportation EAFRD European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development MoE Ministry of Economics E-government Information technology solutions for supporting implementation of ESI ERDF European Regional Development Fund EU European Union Strategy „Europe 2020” Europe 2020: strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth ESF European Social Fund ESI funds ESF; ERDF; CF;EAFRD; EMFF EU Council European Union Council Recommendations on Latvia’s National Recommendation Reform Programme 2013 and delivering Council Opinion on Latvia’s Convergence Programme 2012 - 2016 ESCO Energy Service Company ETC European Territorial Cooperation EUR Euro of European Union MoF Ministry of Finances MIA Ministry of Internal Affairs ICT Information and Communication Technologies GDP Gross Domestic Product MES Ministry of Education and Science YEI Youth Opportunities Initiative CF Cohesion Fund MoC Ministry of Culture 4 Partnership_Agreement_ENG.docx; Partnership Agreement for the EU Funds Programming Period 2014 – 2020 CAP Common Agricultural Policy CP Cohesion Policy CP funds ESF, ERDF, CF CCFI Climate Change Financial Instrument RSS Rural Support Service LAP 2014-2020 „Latvian Rural Development Programme 2014-2020” (EAFRD) RDP Rural Development Policy AL Arable Land ECL Employers’ Confederation of Latvia TFEU Treaty on Functioning of European Union MW Ministry of Welfare Cabinet The Cabinet of Ministers NDP 2020 Latvian National Development plan 2014 – 2020 NIP National Industrial Policy Guidelines 2014 - 2020 LALRG Latvian Association of Local and Rural Governments NRP Latvian National Reforms Programme for Implementation of „Europe 2020” Strategy ESA Employment State Agency SME Small and medium sized enterprises R&D research and development CSCC Cross-Sectoral Coordination Centre PA Partnership Agreement