The Partnership Agreement
of The Netherlands: the
Dutch bottom-up approach
BAS VAN DEN BARG
ASSOCIATION OF NETHERLANDS MUNICIPALITIES (VNG)
EP HEARING ‘PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS: WHERE ARE WE
NOW?’
19 MARCH 2014, BRUSSELS
Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten
Index
-
THE ROAD TO THE PARTNERSHIP
AGREEMENT OF THE NETHERLANDS
THE PARTNERSHIP PRINCIPLE
THE DRAFTING PROCESS OF THE PA: SOME
FIRST REMARKS
Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten
2010: EARLY START
• April 2009: Dutch MP asks national government to
discuss with stakeholders, especially local and regional
authorities (LRA), common approach for next
programming periode Structural Funds (especially
ERDF)
• January 2010: first meeting between minister for
Economic Affairs and representatives LRA to discuss
common approach Structural Funds
• June 2010: common position paper of national, regional
and local government of The Netherlands on the future
of EU Cohesion Policy 2014-2020:
– Framework for national government for negotiations
in Council
– Starting point for national negotiations on PA and
OPs
Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten
2010-2011: FIRST DISCUSSIONS
Preparation of the negotiations – structural
dialogue between national government
and LRA on the future of EU Cohesion Policy:
- MFF 2014-2020: position of national government vs.
LRA (agreement to have an option B in case NL
becomes Structural Funds)
- Discussions on implementation EU Cohesion Policy
2014-2020 in The Netherlands: national or regional
programs?
-> Final outcome: national ESF program; 4 regional
ERDF programs; national EAFRD with four regional
parts; national EFF program
Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten
2012-2013: DRAFTING THE PA
• Establishment of a broad working group of national,
regional and local representatives for drafting the
Partnership Agreement (PA) under chairmanship of PA
program manager
• Structural political meetings between ministries and
LRA per fund (ERDF, ESF and finally EAFRD)
• Discussions per fund leads to bottom-up approach for
PA: objectives, (financial) instruments, etc. determined
per fund
• Establishment special working group in 2013 in order to
realize synergy between ESI funds
Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten
2014: PA READY FOR APPROVAL/
FOLLOW UP
• PA sent to Commission for approval with
ERDF, ESF and EAFRD programs at beginning
of March 2014
• Representatives of LRA will be involved in
negotiations with Commission
• Discussions with Associations (municipalities
and provinces) how to proceed with
cooperation after approval PA and programs
Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten
THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
Partnership Agreement of NL is:
• Umbrella strategy for four programs:
ERDF, ESF, EAFRD and EFF
• Real platform for realizing synergy
between the ESI funds
• Common analysis of economic, social and
territorial cohesion
• Overview of all horizontal principles
• Round up of national objectives based on
decisions per fund
Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten
PARTNERSHIP PRINCIPLE
• Local and regional authorities involved from
the very beginning in drafting process PA and
OPs and in discussion with Commission
services on PA and Ops
• OPs leading for PA (bottom-up approach)
• Broad consultation of other relevant partners
(social, economic, NGOs)
• Transparant drafting process PA: every
concept version was distributed under LRA for
consultation
Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten
THE DRAFTING PROCESS OF PA:
some first remarks (+ and -/-)
Positive experiences:
• PA brings different stakeholders around the table AT
THE SAME TIME
• Bottom-up approach (fund programs are leading) leads
to strong commitment at regional and local level
• Condition to realize synergy between ESI funds leads to
serious effort at national and regional level to realize
coherence between EU funds – concrete multifund
approach (ERDF/ESF) in ITI’s in ERDF program West of
the Netherlands
Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten
THE DRAFTING PROCESS OF PA:
some first remarks
Negative experiences:
• Transparant but diffuse: different approach (in Brussels
and in The Hague) and drafting process per fund leads
to coordination problems (quick start ESF/ERDF, slow
start EAFRD)
• Long decision making process in Brussels leads to
long drafting process with uncertainties (funding,
format, etc.)
• Small ESI budget for The Netherlands (1,8 billion EUR)
leads to huge effort to meet conditions and rules
• Conditions of PA lead to extra administrative burden for
national, regional and local government
Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten
Thank you for your attention!