LATVIA - LITHUANIA CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION PROGRAMME Under European Territorial Cooperation Objective 2007-2013 CCI No. 2007 CB 163 PO 070 Operational Programme part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund LATVIA - LITHUANIA CBC PROGRAMME 23.10.2007. TABLE OF CONTENT INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................................... 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE JOINT PROGRAMMING PROCESS........................................................................... 4 1. PROGRAMME AREA.......................................................................................................................................... 6 2. DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA ............................................................ 7 3. PREVIOUS CROSS BORDER COOPERATION EXPERIENCE.....................................................................36 4. SWOT...................................................................................................................................................................37 5. VISION AND JOINT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.......................................................................................39 6. PROGRAMME PRIORITIES.............................................................................................................................42 PRIORITY I ENCOURAGEMENT OF SOCIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMPETITIVENESS OF THE REGION................42 THE MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES FOR SUPPORT IS INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAMME MANUAL. .....................................................................................................................................44 7. PROGRAMME INDICATORS...........................................................................................................................44 1.1. PRIORITY I: ENCOURAGEMENT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMPETITIVENESS OF THE REGION 46 IMPROVEMENT OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ACCESSIBILITY OF THE BORDER REGIONS.........48 DEVELOPMENT OF LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORT; CONNECTIONS.........................................................48 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY ..........................................................................48 1.2. PRIORITY II ATTRACTIVE LIVING ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY ............49 JOINT PUBLIC SERVICES ...................................................................................................................................49 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT....................................................................................................50 8. COHERENCE WITH EU POLICIES AND NATIONAL PROGRAMMES .....................................................52 9. IMPLEMENTATION STRUCTURE..................................................................................................................57 9.1. PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT .............................................................................................................................57 9.2. MANAGING AUTHORITY ...................................................................................................................................59 9.3. CERTIFYING AUTHORITY ..................................................................................................................................62 9.4. AUDIT AUTHORITY ...........................................................................................................................................63 9.7. JOINT TECHNICAL SECRETARIAT .......................................................................................................................68 10. PROGRAMME BENEFICIARIES ...................................................................................................................70 11. GENERATION, APPLICATION AND SELECTION OF OPERATIONS......................................................72 12. FINANCING OF ACTIONS ..............................................................................................................................74 13. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL ............................................................................................75 14. MONITORING ..................................................................................................................................................77 15. EVALUATION...................................................................................................................................................77 2 LATVIA - LITHUANIA CBC PROGRAMME 23.10.2007. 16. PROCEDURES FOR THE EXCHANGE OF COMPUTERISED DATA TO MEET THE PAYMENT, MONITORING AND EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................79 17. INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY .................................................................................................................79 18. LIST OF ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS AND COMMON TECHNICAL TERMS..................................80 19. REFERENCE DOCUMENTS ...........................................................................................................................82 20. ANNEXES TO THE PROGRAMME................................................................................................................83 ANNEX 3: THE STATEMENT FORESEEN BY ARTICLE 9(1)(B) SUMMARISING HOW ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS AND THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT...............................................................................................................................................................83 3 LATVIA - LITHUANIA CBC PROGRAMME 23.10.2007. INTRODUCTION Latvia and Lithuania Cross-border Co-operation Programme (hereafter referred to as the “Programme”) will be implemented under the European Territorial Co-operation Objective. The Programme has been prepared jointly by Latvia and Lithuania. The Latvian Ministry of Regional Development and Local Governments and Lithuanian Ministry of Interior have been following the principle of partnership in developing the arrangements for preparing and implementing the Programme. Latvia and Lithuania will implement the Programme in close co-operation and in the most efficient way for it to result in common benefit and success. The Programme is based on mutual respect, understanding and co-operation. The shared historical and cultural heritage, similar path of the two countries over the centuries provide an almost uniform platform for development, with common challenges, as well as needs for the future. Latvia and Lithuania have built an intensive co-operation relationship during implementation of the Latvia - Lithuania - Belarus INTERREG IIIA Priority within the Baltic Sea Region INTERREG IIIB Neighbourhood Programme, which was the instrument to provide significant financial support to co-operation activities between Latvian and Lithuanian border regions, and which resulted in many new and renewed partnerships, and jointly implemented projects in various fields, all aiming at the wellbeing of inhabitants in the border area. The implementation of the Programme will lead this co-operation into a new level with significantly enlarged budget and the motivation to accelerate further the socio-economic development of the Programme area. The Programme has been prepared in accordance with the Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund (hereafter referred to as the “General Regulation”), with the Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Regional Development Fund (hereinafter referred to as the “ERDF Regulation”), with the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1828/2006 setting out rules for the implementation of the General Regulation and the ERDF Regulation (hereafter referred to as the “Implementing Regulation”), and Community Strategic Guidelines. Latvia and Lithuania have agreed to establish the joint management structure for joint implementation of the Programme, located in Latvia, Rīga. Latvia and Lithuania will lay down rules governing their relations with the authorities referred to in Article 14 of the ERDF Regulation in the Agreement between Latvian Ministry of Regional Development and Local Governments and Lithuanian Ministry of Interior. DESCRIPTION OF THE JOINT PROGRAMMING PROCESS Starting the programming process of Latvia - Lithuania cross-border cooperation (CBC) programme in early 2006, Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts composed a Joint Task Force (JTF), and agreed on the date of the first JTF meeting as well as time schedule of the Programme preparation process. In Latvia the programming process was led by the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Governments, in Lithuania – by the Ministry of the Interior. Also the JTF included representatives of the respective eligible regions and of local governments from both countries. 4 LATVIA - LITHUANIA CBC PROGRAMME 23.10.2007. For ensuring the wider partnership, National Committee in Latvia and National Commission in Lithuania were established, dealing as advisory boards for the programming process and included representatives from the line ministries, regional and local government level, also socio-economic partners. They meet regularly and were the main forums for coordination and information spread regarding the programming process to its members. They also