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ERDF and ESF expenditures / EU funds
01 February 2005
Request:
Documentation relating to the administration of ERDF and ESF expenditures and the administration of EU funds/expenditures under the 1994 to 1999 Community Support Programme. Confirmation that HMG signed Bi-Lateral Administrative Agreements with the EU Commission relating to the implementation of EU regulation 2064/97
Disclosure :
Regulation 2064/97 covered the 1994-1999 Structural Fund Programmes. The current programming period, 2000-2006, is covered by Regulations 1260/99 (general) and 438/2001 (financial control).
UK Government departments signed bilateral protocols with the European Commission in 1997, on co-operation in carrying out audit of Structural Fund payments. This was a result of a Commission initiative – there was no requirement in Regulation 2064/97 to do this. An example of a signed protocol (that for DETR) is below.
The legislation covering the current programming period (Article 38(3) of Regulation 1260/99) does make the signing of an “administrative agreement” a requirement. A copy of a blank agreement in the format agreed between the UK and the Commission is attached.
To date, administrative agreements have been signed between the following government departments and devolved administrative agreements, and the Directorate-General for Regional Policy (acting on behalf of the Commission):
- Department for Trade and Industry
- Department for Work and Pensions
- Scottish Executive (2 agreements)
- National Assembly for Wales
- Department of Finance and Personnel, Northern Ireland
- Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Northern Ireland
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Northern Ireland
- Department of the Environment, Northern Ireland
- Department of Education, Northern Ireland
- Department of Health and Social Security, Northern Ireland
- Department for Regional Development, Northern Ireland
- Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Northern Ireland
- Department for Employment and Learning, Northern Ireland
- Department of Social Development, Northern Ireland
- Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, Northern Ireland
- Special EU Programmes Body, Northern Ireland
Machinery of government changes introduced by the present government, and further departmental organisational changes, meant that some agreements were delayed. The remaining agreements, covering the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Rural Payments Agency, are now in hand.
Documents containing relevant information to be disclosed:
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