European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument 2007–2013 Cross-Border cooperation CROSS BORDER COOPERATION PROGRAMME LATVIA-LITHUANIA-BELARUS Final draft November 2008 LATVIA-LITHUANIA-BELARUS PROGRAMME FINAL DRAFT TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. PROGRAMME SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................... 4 2. DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS CONCERNED BY THE PROGRAMME ................................................................................................................................................................ 7 2.1. PROGRAMME AREA AND POPULATION...................................................................................................................... 7 2.2. DEMOGRAPHIC SITUATION ....................................................................................................................................... 9 2.3. LABOUR MARKET AND EMPLOYMENT ...................................................................................................................... 9 2.4. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ..................................................................................................................................... 11 2.5. REGIONAL ECONOMY ............................................................................................................................................. 11 2.6. ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SME DEVELOPMENT ..................................................................................................... 13 2.7. EDUCATION ........................................................................................................................................................... 14 2.8. RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT & INNOVATION ........................................................................................................ 15 2.9. HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE .................................................................................................................................... 16 2.10. INFRASTRUCTURE ................................................................................................................................................ 17 2.11. NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................................... 19 2.12. TOURISM AND CULTURE ...................................................................................................................................... 20 2.13. SWOT ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................................ 22 3. COHERENCE WITH OTHER PROGRAMMES AND EXISTING STRATEGIES .......................................... 26 3.1. PREVIOUS CO-OPERATION EXPERIENCE IN THE PROGRAMME AREA ....................................................................... 26 3.2. COHERENCE WITH OTHER PROGRAMMES AND EXISTING STRATEGIES .................................................................... 27 4. OBJECTIVES, PRIORITIES AND MEASURES OF THE PROGRAMME ...................................................... 31 PRIORITY 1: PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.......................................................... 31 PRIORITY 2: ADDRESSING COMMON CHALLENGES........................................................................................................ 31 4.1. PRIORITY 1: PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ................................................... 33 4.2. PRIORITY 2: ADDRESSING COMMON CHALLENGES ................................................................................................. 36 4.3. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ........................................................................................................................................ 40 5. STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT .............................................................................................. 41 5.1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................... 41 5.2. INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS INTO THE PROGRAMME ...................................................... 41 5.2.1. General remarks to the Programme ............................................................................................................ 41 5.3. INTEGRATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMMENTS RECEIVED DURING PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS ................... 43 5.3.1. Public consultations on Scoping report ....................................................................................................... 43 5.3.2. Public consultations on SEA report ............................................................................................................ 43 5.4. REASONS FOR CHOOSING THE ADOPTED PROGRAMME ........................................................................................... 44 6. INDICATORS ............................................................................................................................................................ 45 7. INDICATIVE FINANCING PLAN .......................................................................................................................... 48 7.1. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BUDGET ......................................................................................................................... 48 8. JOINT STRUCTURES AND DESIGNATION OF COMPETENT AUTHORITIES ......................................... 50 8.1. JOINT MONITORING COMMITTEE ........................................................................................................................... 50 8.1.1. Functions of the JMC .................................................................................................................................. 51 8.1.2. Composition, chairmanship and decision making of the Joint Monitoring Committee ............................ 51 8.1.3. Rules of Procedures of the JMC .................................................................................................................. 52 8.1.4. Conflict of interest ........................................................................................................................................ 52 8.1.5. National Sub-Committees ............................................................................................................................ 52 8.2. JOINT MANAGING AUTHORITY .............................................................................................................................. 53 8.2.1. The responsibilities of the JMA ................................................................................................................... 53 8.2.2. Financial commitments ............................................................................................................................... 53 8.2.3. Division of functions within units of the JMA ............................................................................................ 54 8.3. JOINT TECHNICAL SECRETARIAT ........................................................................................................................... 57 8.3.1. Functions of the JTS .................................................................................................................................... 57 2 LATVIA-LITHUANIA-BELARUS PROGRAMME FINAL DRAFT 8.3.2. Staff within JTS ........................................................................................................................................... 58 8.3.3. Branch offices .............................................................................................................................................. 58 8.4. OVERVIEW OF THE STAFF RESOURCES DEDICATED TO PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT ............................................ 59 8.5. COMPUTERISED PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ......................................................................................... 59 9. PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION .................................................................................................................... 60 9.1. MANAGEMENT OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS ....................................................................................................... 60 9.1.1. Beneficiaries and Project Partners .............................................................................................................. 60 9.1.2. Nature of Projects ........................................................................................................................................ 61 9.1.3. Types of interventions .................................................................................................................................. 61 9.1.4. Large Scale projects ..................................................................................................................................... 62 9.1.5. Generation of Applications .......................................................................................................................... 63 9.1.6. Assessment and Selection of Project Applications ...................................................................................... 63 9.1.7. Contractual procedures ...............................................................................................................................