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ESF Glossary
A
Audit - all measures through which an independent assessment of operations of institutions, their legality, thriftiness, purposefulness, reliability is conducted; an audit is usually executed by a separate unit subordinated directly to the top management of an institution (internal audit), or is executed by an external auditing company (external audit).
B
Ultimate beneficiary - individual, institution or milieu (social group) taking direct advantage of assistance, for example participating in training organized by project providers.
C
Community Initiatives - programmes financed by Structural Funds aimed at solving the European Union-wide problems. Number and nature of Community Initiatives change depending on identified problems that influence the European Union functioning. In 2000-2006 these are: EQUAL, INTERREG, LEADER + and URBAN. In Poland, during that period, EQUAL and INTERREG Initiatives are implemented and, as Measure 2.7 of Sectoral Operational Programme “Restructuring and modernization of food sector and development of rural areas”, Pilot Programme LEADER +.
Community Support Framework (CSF) - a document adopted by the European Commission, in consensus with any Member State, after assessment of the National Development Plan. It contains a strategy and priorities of Funds’ and Member State activities, their specific objectives, the volume of Funds’ contribution and other financial resources. The document should be divided into priorities and implemented through one or few operational programmes.
E
Eligible costs – costs necessary for implementation of the project, which have been taken account of in the budget of the project, meet the requirements of effective financial management, are evidenced by relevant documents and comply with EU and national regulations.
EQUAL - one of the Community Initiatives. Support within its framework is targeted at projects aimed at promoting new ways in combating all forms of discrimination and inequality of both employed and unemployed persons in the labour market. This initiative is financed by ESF.
ESF Monitoring and Control Unit - a unit co-operating with the Managing Authority and the Paying Authority, responsible for monitoring and control of eligibility of expenditures for ESF funding as well as the control of observance of fixed procedures and principles of granting ESF assistance.
ESF policy fields - Regulation of Council and Parliament No 1784/1999 on ESF lays down areas supporting and complementing measures aimed at the development of human resources and the labour market - the so called ESF policy fields. They include:
- active labour market policy,
- counteracting a social exclusion phenomenon,
- lifelong learning,
- development of staff for economy and entrepreneurship development,
- equality of labour market opportunities of women and men.
European Community (EC) - a community, whose objective is to establish a common market and an economic and monetary union, as well as - thanks to implementation of common policies and activities – to support within the community territory of harmonious and sustainable development of economic activities, attainment of high employment and social protection levels, equal rights for men and women, a sustainable and non-inflationary growth, high level of competitiveness and economic cohesion, high level of protection and improvement of environment, an increase of living standards and life quality, economic and social cohesion and solidarity between Member States. Community measures are regulated by common policies, such as: Common Agricultural Policy, Common Trade Policy, Common Transportation and Environment Policy, European Community Regional and Structural Policies, Economic and Monetary Union, Common Foreign and Security Policies.
European Social Fund - one of Structural Funds, which has been established to support the Community social policy. It funds the activities of Member States in the field of counteracting unemployment and human resources development. The ESF mainly finances vocational training, scholarships, apprenticeships, vocational guidance and job placement, labour market analyses and studies, etc.
Evaluation - an assessment of impact of the Community structural assistance in reference to objectives and analysis of its impact onto specific structural problems. It is carried out before the programme implementation has started - ex-ante evaluation, in the course of the programme – the interim evaluation and upon completion of the programme - ex-post evaluation.
F
Financial control - mechanisms and measures ensuring proper functioning of the process of collection and disposing of Community funds.
I
Implementation – project / programme realization. Implementation stage follows the programming stage.
Implementing institution – a unit responsible for commissioning to the recipient (Project Provider) the project implementation. It is the body which grants the aid. The obligations of implementing institutions also include among other organising the competition, carrying out formal assessment of applications, organisation of works of the Projects Evaluation Commission, signing contracts with Project Providers, monitoring project implementation, payment/ refunds of costs incurred by Project Providers, filing payment applications to the Intermediate Body and submitting to this institution reports on measure implementation. The following are implementing institutions for SOP HRD: the Ministry of Economy and Labour (Department for ESF Implementation), the Ministry of National Education and Sports (Bureau for ESF Implementation), voivodship labour offices, State Fund of Rehabilitation of the Disabled Persons, Polish Agency for Enterprise Development and the Civil Service Office (Department of Training and Development of the Civil Service). Each institution being the implementing institution has a consultation point where information will be provided on application for funding and requirements concerning projects’ implementation.
Intermediate Body - a public or private entity subjected to the Managing Authority, to which the Managing Authority delegates part of its powers. The tasks of the Intermediate Body include, inter alia, guaranteeing the correctness of financial operations, submitting and confirming payment applications to the Managing Authority, preparation of an annual forecast of expenditures and the annual report on irregularities in programme implementation. The following will be Intermediate Bodies for SOP HRD: the Ministry of Economy and Labour the Ministry of National Education and Sports.
L
Labour market institutions - include: public employment service (PES), Volunteer Labour Corps, employment agencies, training institutions, social dialogue institutions, local partnership institutions, and all institutions affecting labour market by development and servicing processes that take place therein.
M
Managing Authority – institution authorised by a Member State, responsible for management of operational programme or a single programming document. In the case of SOP HRD this function is fulfilled by Department for ESF Management in the Ministry of Economy and Labour.
Measure - a group of projects implementing the same objective. A measure is an intermediate stage between a priority and a project. For example in SOP HRD, within the framework of Priority 1 we distinguish 6 measures.
Monitoring - a process of systematic collection and analysis of reliable financial information and statistical data on implementation of projects. It is aimed at ensuring conformity in implementation of projects and programmes with the previously approved implementation assumptions. It may relate to the management of resources coming from the Structural Funds or progress in programmes and projects’ implementation.
Monitoring Committee – a committee appointed by the Managing Authority to ensure correct monitoring, evaluation and effective implementation of the Operational Programme. Its task is, inter alia, to prevent unilateral assessments, draw up criteria and programme assessment methods, supervise progress in achieving the assumed goals and results of operational programme implementation, as well as to take decisions on changes in programme implementation. It is composed of representatives of all units and milieus involved in SOP HRD management and implementation, as well as the representatives of social partners and regional authorities.
N
National co-financing – resources coming from the state budget, the Labour Fund, the State Fund of Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, budgets of territorial self-government units and resources of the Polish Agency of Enterprise Development, which depending on the Measure ensure co-financing of projects implementation. National co-financing also provides for private input.
National Development Plan for 2004-2006 - a programming document being a foundation for planning particular categories of structural intervention. It contains proposals of objectives, activities and the volume of intervention from Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund aiming at bridging the gap in social and economic development between countries of the European Union. Based on this document, a country conducts settlements with the European Commission in respect of Community Support Network.
O
Operational programme - a document approved by the Commission to implement the Community Support Framework and built of concise sets of priorities, containing multi-year activities which may be implemented through one or several Funds, and one or few other available financial instruments. They may have horizontal character or refer to specific sectors of economy. Sectoral Operational Programme for Human Resources Development is one of five sectoral operational programmes.
P
Partnership - inclusion into the decision-making and decision implementation processes of appropriate levels of the Community and national authorities, as well as regional and local institutions and social environments knowing best the needs and opportunities of their regions. This is one of principles of implementation of the Structural Funds.
Paying Authority - one or a number of institutions or national, regional or local bodies nominated by a Member State to prepare and submit payment applications and to receive payments from the European Commission. In Poland, Department for Paying Authority, Ministry of Finance will play a role of the Paying Authority.
Payment application – an application filed by the Managing Authority to the Paying Authority for the purpose of making periodic payments in favour of implementing institutions. These payments allow for reimbursement of costs incurred by Project Providers.
Programme Complement – a document containing detailed elements of the operational programme. It is drawn up by a Member State or the Managing Authority, subject to correction, if the need be. The document presents all detailed project selection criteria, implementation system and the budget. In the case of SOP HRD, the Programme Complement is drawn up by the Managing Authority.
Programming - a process of organising, taking decisions and financing - leading to drawing up programme documents. It is conducted in several stages and is mainly aimed at preparation of programmes implementation, on the basis of multi-year cooperation and the joint Community and Member States activities.
Programming (operational) documents - documents in a form of programmes or development plans, worked out for the purpose of expending the resources initially approved (allocated) to a given area or sector by the European Commission within the framework of Structural Funds. The documents determine among others the objectives and main directions of expending resources based upon analyses of current situation and development trends within a given area or sector, criteria and ways of implementation of specific projects, individuals and institutions responsible for carrying out of determined tasks, as well as an assessed amount and split of resources, while taking under consideration co-financing from all available budgetary sources. Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources Development, its Complement are such documents.
Programming period - period of application of programming documents constituting a basis for applying for the Structural Funds assistance. Present programming period encompasses years 2000 – 2006. For Poland programming period covers years 2004-2006.
Project Evaluation Commission – a commission appointed by the implementing institution for substantial assessment of the financial application. Assessment by the Commission will constitute a basis for drawing up a ranking list of projects and for recommending projects to the director of the implementing institution. The Commission will be composed of representatives of the implementing institution. It may be also attended by independent experts.
Project Provider / final recipient - a unit filing an application with the implementing institution concerning financing of the implementation of project.
Project selection criteria - a determined set of formal and substantial requirements, contained in the Programme Complement, which should be met by projects to receive co-financing from assistance means. In case of SOP HRD the project selection criteria are formulated by the Managing Authority and then approved by the Monitoring Committee.
Public procurement – a paid agreement, concluded between an orderer and a contractor, the subject of which covers services, deliveries or construction works.
R
Reporting – reporting by the Managing Authority of the progress in ESF managing. Reporting also concerns Project Providers, who are obliged to submit to the implementing institution the quarterly, annual and final reports to inform on the progress and potential problems in project implementation.
Results - direct and immediate effects of implemented programme or project. Results provide information on changes being a consequence of implementation of a programme or a project at the ultimate beneficiaries of assistance, directly after they receive support.
S
Steering Committee – within SOP HRD, 4 Steering Committees have been set up – for Priority 1, for Measures 2.1 and 2.2, for Measures 2.3 and 2.4, and for Priority 3. Committees are appointed by an ordinance of the minister competent for labour issues. They are responsible, among others, for providing the Managing Authority with Framework Plans of Measure Implementation of implementing institution and projects implemented as non-competition ones.
Structural Funds - EU financial resources to implement the structural policy. The objective of the structural policy is to assist more poorly developed regions and sectors of economy of Member States, and in consequence to bridge the gap in the level of development and living standard between individual areas. Structural Funds comprise: the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF), the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG).
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