About this online course

What do the new Cohesion Policy regulations for 2021-2027 look like after the tripartite Council – Parliament – Commission negotiations? And how will new Programmes differ from the 2014-2020 programmes?
How can the new Structural Fund Programmes best complement the RRF and the Recovery and Resilience Plans of Member States? What are the key lessons to learn from current programmes and REACT funding measures?

Structural and Cohesion Funds programmes (2021-2027) are presently being finalised and negotiated with the European Commission. They must reflect the new Regulations, address the twin Green and Digital Agendas, and support an urgent and sustainable economic recovery.  The Recovery and Resilience Plans cover many of the same objectives as Cohesion Policy. How can Member States coordinate and demarcate the interventions and generate synergies between the policies and Funds?

What you will learn includes:

• Changes in Cohesion Policy regulations 2021-2027, compared to 2014-2020
• The link between new Programme priorities and the European Semester
• What financial planning and flexibility will look like in 2021-2027
• How to create synergies between SF programmes and the RRF
• What are the key reforms being pursued within Recovery and Resilience Plans?
• How to simplify programmes, reduce the administrative burden, and maintain a strong project pipeline
• Monitoring and payment procedures for Cohesion Policy programmes and the RRF

We will also enjoy special sessions, with guest speakers, on how the State Aid rules are to change and how Member States can harness and widen the impact of their smart specialization strategies in an interregional context.

How we work

Besides our expert interventions from the European Commission and Member States, you will have comprehensive sessions with Robin Smail and Marco Lopriore, experienced Structural Funds experts who have worked across the EU, and gathered evidence from numerous programmes. You will meet online with other national and regional practitioners and have the opportunity to exchange experience and put new ideas into practice.

The course provides ample time for question and answer sessions and discussions, as well as practical workshops and exercises.