Euroregion Silesia-CZ
Pekařská 4
746 01 Opava
Česká republika
Since the first EU programmes supporting Czech-Polish cross-border cooperation (CBC), the Euroregion Silesia has developed its own activities in order to help with execution of the CBC programmes as well as possible. The Euroregion Silesia quickly realised its role in the field: the main task was not execution of its proper projects funded by these programmes but technical assistance provided to applicants for subsidies. In this way the Euroregion Silesia followed the cooperation with authorities that are in charge of the programmes at both sides of the border, and together with the other Euroregions in the Czech-Polish cross-border area, it has arrived at its current role. The Euroregion Silesia has been represented in bodies responsible for the choice of projects and for execution of cross-border cooperation programmes (e.g. Steering Committee, Monitoring Committee). Its indispensable role is in managing the "Small Project Funds".
The tasks of the Euroregion Silesia within the Phare CBC Programme were a little bit different from the present ones on both sides of the border and they were limited by valid rules concerning the non-member states of the EU. After the accession of both the countries to the EU and joining the programme of the INTERREG IIIA Initiative, the activities of the Euroregion as a so-called Manager and Administrator of Micro-project Fund were harmonised on both sides of the border and today the tasks concerning the administration of the Micro-project Fund are accomplished by both the authorities of the Euroregion in mutual close cooperation. Not only within the INTERREG IIIA programme concerning the period of 2004-2006, but also within the "Operational Programme of Cross-border Cooperation the Czech Republic - the Republic of Poland 2007-2013", it was necessary to introduce regulations of the Micro-project Fund for applicants from the area within the authority of the Euroregion Silesia, which is larger than the member area and which is strictly delimited by district lines as shown below:
It was necessary to process basic documentation of the Micro-project Fund, to institute so-called Euroregional Managing Committee that investigates and select subsidy applications and monitors the Fund execution, and to set exact regulations of the proceedings. The Committee is a common Czech-Polish body of representatives of municipalities in the area of the Euroregion Silesia, Moravian-Silesian Region, Silesian and Opole Voivodeships and other institutions of non-profit sector. The meetings are held according to rules of procedure approved by appropriate authorities of the Euroregion Silesia. The activity of the Committee and observing the rules of the programme are supervised by observers representing state institutions (Ministry of Local Development of the CR, Ministry of Regional Development of the Republic of Poland, Centre for Regional Development of the CR and Silesian Voivodeship Office). The Committee meetings are held by turns in the Polish or Czech areas of the Euroregion Silesia several times per year.
Issues figuring on the agenda of Czech and Polish secretariats fulfilling the role of the Manager and Administrator of the Micro-project Fund:
- giving information on the Micro-project Fund via seminars, individual consultations, web site, press, publicity material etc.
- providing methodical assistance to applicants
- collecting and registering subsidy applications, formal requirements and acceptability checking
- evaluating financial and objective quality and cross-border nature of projects according to set criteria set via independent regional experts
- preparing materials for the Euroregional Managing Committee (EMC), organizing the meetings
- informing applicants about the EMC decisions
- concluding contracts with successful applicants
- continuous factual, financial and formal checking of projects including "on-site" inspection
- processing of applications concerning project modifications
- checking and evaluation of final reports and applications, payment of completed projects
- processing of complex applications for reimbursement of completed projects
- running reports on Micro-project Fund in both the languages
- making payments to applicants
The Euroregional Managing Committee of the Euroregion Silesia consists of 11 Czech and 11 Polish members. The duties of co-chairwomen are executed by Ms Jana Novotná Galuszková (CZ) and Ms Daria Kardaczyńska (PL). The meetings of the Committee are held twice or three times a year. The languages spoken at the meetings are both Czech and Polish, no interpreters are used.