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Meeting of the CEAOEF with the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission
08/12/2010
The Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds held a meeting with Ms. Monique Pariat – Head of Directorate “Mediterranean and Black Sea” within the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission, and her colleagues. They are in Bulgaria, because of the Monitoring Committee of Operational Programme “Fisheries Sector Development” 2007-2013, which will take place on 9th December.
The Chairwoman of the CEAOEF, Ms. Monika Panayotova, greeted the guests and pointed out that the Operational Programme is subject to parliamentary monitoring and control. The progress made under the Programme is monitored through regular hearings of the OP’s Managing Authority by the CEAOEF.
Ms. Panayotova recalled that on the same day /8th December/ last year, the CEAOEF held its first meeting with the DG for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. One year later, it’s clear that the procedure of approving the Compliance Assessment came to its final stage. Ms. Panayotova emphasized on the successful transfer of the Programme Audit Authority to the Ministry of Finance in mid-2010.
Ms. Pariat, for her part, congratulated the Bulgarian efforts on increasing the absorption rate and expressed her confidence that the process would continue in positive direction.
Along with the positive remarks, Ms. Pariat gave some recommendations on accelerating the contracting and payment rates by using the Programme’s Guarantee Fund resources. Ms. Pariat called upon the Bulgarian Authorities to consider the option to provide lower interest rates on the bank loans for the Programme beneficiaries in the near future, with the margin being financed by the Guarantee Fund. This approach would make the Programme more attractive to investors- they would repay cheaper loans without jeopardizing the banks’ stability. In this regard, Mr. Svetlin Tanchev, a member of the CEAOEF, asked whether the financing of the interest rate margin by the Fund would affect the State budget. Ms. Pariat explained that the Fund (financed in proportion: 75% by the EU and 25% by the Member State) should carry the entire burden.
Ms. Pariat also recommended a better utilization of the Programme technical assistance funds through expanding the scope of activities which can benefit from it. In this context, she suggested that foreign expertise could be used to assess the economic viability of the investment projects. Ms. Pariat encouraged the MPs to support the Managing Authority in the realization of the EC recommendations and work more intensively to popularize the opportunities, given by the OP. Ms. Panayotova confirmed that the CEAOEF focus on public diplomacy and reassured the EC representatives that the Committee, she chairs would continue to boost public interest and guarantee a better understanding of the Programme.
Ms. Meglena Plugtschieva, Deputy Chairperson of the CEAOEF congratulated the EC representatives for their clear messages to Bulgaria and declared her position on the need of a politically unbiased approach in the management of all OPs.
The Chairwoman of the CEAOEF, Ms. Monika Panayotova, greeted the guests and pointed out that the Operational Programme is subject to parliamentary monitoring and control. The progress made under the Programme is monitored through regular hearings of the OP’s Managing Authority by the CEAOEF.
Ms. Panayotova recalled that on the same day /8th December/ last year, the CEAOEF held its first meeting with the DG for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. One year later, it’s clear that the procedure of approving the Compliance Assessment came to its final stage. Ms. Panayotova emphasized on the successful transfer of the Programme Audit Authority to the Ministry of Finance in mid-2010.
Ms. Pariat, for her part, congratulated the Bulgarian efforts on increasing the absorption rate and expressed her confidence that the process would continue in positive direction.
Along with the positive remarks, Ms. Pariat gave some recommendations on accelerating the contracting and payment rates by using the Programme’s Guarantee Fund resources. Ms. Pariat called upon the Bulgarian Authorities to consider the option to provide lower interest rates on the bank loans for the Programme beneficiaries in the near future, with the margin being financed by the Guarantee Fund. This approach would make the Programme more attractive to investors- they would repay cheaper loans without jeopardizing the banks’ stability. In this regard, Mr. Svetlin Tanchev, a member of the CEAOEF, asked whether the financing of the interest rate margin by the Fund would affect the State budget. Ms. Pariat explained that the Fund (financed in proportion: 75% by the EU and 25% by the Member State) should carry the entire burden.
Ms. Pariat also recommended a better utilization of the Programme technical assistance funds through expanding the scope of activities which can benefit from it. In this context, she suggested that foreign expertise could be used to assess the economic viability of the investment projects. Ms. Pariat encouraged the MPs to support the Managing Authority in the realization of the EC recommendations and work more intensively to popularize the opportunities, given by the OP. Ms. Panayotova confirmed that the CEAOEF focus on public diplomacy and reassured the EC representatives that the Committee, she chairs would continue to boost public interest and guarantee a better understanding of the Programme.
Ms. Meglena Plugtschieva, Deputy Chairperson of the CEAOEF congratulated the EC representatives for their clear messages to Bulgaria and declared her position on the need of a politically unbiased approach in the management of all OPs.
