Steering Committees have been established to providing the Managing Authority with opinions and recommendations for accepting the implementation of Measure Implementation Framework Plans and projects selected in the special procedure.
Measure Implementation Framework Plan is a document specifying the manner of selecting projects, time schedule and scope of the announced calls for proposals, distribution of funds to individual schemes and preferred types of projects in a given budget year. Projects selected in the special procedure are the projects that are prepared and implemented by final beneficiaries, substantive departments of ministries and public labour market institutions.
Steering Committees were established within the Sectoral Operational Programme Human resources Development (SOP HRD) by orders of the Minister of Economy and Labour, according to article 23 section 2 of the Act of 20 April 2004 on the National Development Plan. They superseded Teams-Steering Committees for individual priorities of SOP HRD, which operated until June 2004.
Four Steering Committees operate within SOP HRD:
- Steering Committee for Priority 1 SOP HRD,
- Steering Committee for Measures 2.1 and 2.2 SOP HRD,
- Steering Committee for Measures 2.3 and 2.4 SOP HRD,
- Steering Committee for Priority 3 SOP HRD.
Main tasks of Steering Committees include:
- submission to the Managing Authority opinions and recommendations on annual distribution of funds to projects submitted by final beneficiaries, which are to be financed from the European Social Fund,
- provision of opinions and recommendations to the Managing Authority of Measure Implementation Framework Plans, submitted by final beneficiaries,
- periodic verification of the progress of implementation of Measure Implementation Framework Plans implemented by final beneficiaries,
- provision of opinions and recommendations to the Managing Authority of projects selected in the special procedure, including projects of technical assistance.
Meetings of Steering Committees are convened at least four times a year.
The composition of every Steering Committee includes representatives of the Managing Authority, Intermediate Body, ministers competent for the typo of activity covered with the operational programme, ESF Monitoring and Control Unit, national territorial self-government units and social partners.
Members of the Committee are not remunerated for the participation in the works of the Committee. Members residing outside the location of the meetings of the Committee may obtain, from SOP HRD funds or from the Ministry of Labour and Economy, reimbursement of:
- costs of travel by public means of transportation,
- costs of travel by non-public means of transportation, up to the amount of costs of travel by public means of transportation on the same distance,
- costs of accommodation.
Thematic scope of individual Steering Committees within SOP HRD
1. Steering Committee No. 1 for Priority 1 SOP HRD:
- development and modernization of labour market instruments and tools;
- prevention of long-term unemployment;
- enhancement of perspectives for the youth;
- vocational and social integration of disabled persons;
- prevention of social exclusion;
- vocational integration and reintegration of women;
2. Steering Committee No. 2 for Measures 2.1 and 2.2 SOP HRD:
- promotion of the knowledge-based society;
- promotion of life-long learning;
- increase of access to education;
- enhancement of the quality of education related to the needs of the labour market;
3. Steering Committee No. 3 for Measures 2.3 and 2.4 SOP HRD:
- development of staff for modern economy;
- strengthening administrative capacity;
4. Steering Committee No. 4 for Priority 3 SOP HRD:
- technical assistance regarding the support of the SOP HRD management;
- information on and promotion of activities of SOP HRD;
- purchase of hardware.