FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is IPA; What are IPA components and what is the it worth?

Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) is designed as a comprehensive support to the European integration process through the provision of technical, professional and financial support to candidate countries and potential candidates for the EU membership.
IPA came into force on January 01, 2013 and so far Montenegror receives close to 35 million euros annually, through IPA 2007-2013.
IPA has five components and Montenegro as a candidate country has access to all of them:
  1. Assistance for Transition and Institution Building
  2. Cross-Border Cooperation
  3. Regional Development
  4. Human Resources
  5. Rural Development.

Who are the users of eu assistance funds?

Direct beneficiaries of the IPA are non-profit institutions, such as ministries and government bodies, municipalities, NGOs, associations and organizations, universities, schools, hospitals, cultural institutions, research centers, and so on. Current experience of using funds has shown that conducted activities have contributed not only to strengthening the capacity of institutions and harmonization of legislation, but also to the concrete results in various areas of significance to lives of citizens. Therefore, citizens of Montenegro are the final beneficiaries of available funds.

Which reform areas are supported in montenegro through the IPA funds?

So far, the EU assistance funds were mostly used for the support to the harmonization of legislation, environmental protection, improvement of transport, strengthening the area of justice and home affairs, public administration reform, social development, human rights, agriculture and rural development, as well as for cross-border and transnational cooperation projects. In the next seven years, support will be focused on the eight identified sectors.

Does Montenegro have the capacity to use the available funds?

Montenegro started using funds from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) in 2007. Over the past seven years, institutions and organizations in Montenegro, improved their ability to meet the obligations of the accession process through the strengthening of cooperation and the development of skills and practical knowledge.
This wasn't an easy task, especially given the complexity of the instruments and procedures. However, it is important to emphasize that we have managed to plan the expenditures of all funds available through projects and programs, without a single case of an improper use of funds.
During the financial period 2007-2013, the European Commission has granted Montenegro 245 million euros in non-refundable financial assistance, for all five IPA components, which is around 35 million per year.
The knowledge and experience gained through the implementation of projects is a valuable and a fundamental basis for the successful realization of future projects.

What is the general DIS (decentralised implementation system) structure at the national level, in terms of IPA? Who are the key participants?

  • The  Chief Accreditation Officer (CAO) - Minister of Finance;
  • National IPA Coordinator (NIPAC) - State Secretary for European Integration at the MFA;
  • National Authorising Officer (NAO) - Assistant Minister in the Treasury of the Ministry of Finance ;
  • Programme Authorising Officer (PAO) - Assistant Minister of Finance, Head of the CFCU - Central Finance and Contracting Unit which is the implementation body for the components I, II and IV, DPW is the implementation body for the component III and IPARD for component V;
  • Head of the Audit Authority;
  • HOS - Heads of the Operating Structures for components II, III and IV.

What is the role of the national IPA coordinator, NIPAC?

NIPAC is responsible for the overall coordination i.e. programming and monitoring of the EU pre-accession support for all IPA components.

Which bodies constitute the operating structure for the IPA component “Regional Development”?

  • Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism (MSDT) - responsible for the operational program and the priority / measure Environment;
  • Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs (MTMA) - Responsible for priority/measure Transport;
  • Directorate of Public Works (DPW) - Implementing body.

Which projects are being implemented through Operational Programme Regional Development 2012-2013?

The funds are allocated for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant and sewerage network in the municipality of Berane, rehabilitation of unsanitary landfill "Café" in Bar,  rehabilitation of unsanitary landfills Vrtijeljka in the municipality of Cetinje, construction of the new electrical traction in the substation Trebešica, as well as for the reconstruction works on the section Virpazar - Sutomore in tunnel Sozina.

Who can participate in the ipa tender procedures? Is enabled to participate in the tender procedure during the implementation of IPA?

Participation in the IPA tender procedures and award of service contracts and grants is open to all citizens and legal entities from EU member states, the  beneficiaries  countries, the member states of the European Economic Area, the beneficiary countries of the Instrument for the European neighbourhood and partnership instrument - ENPI (Commonwealth of independent states and countries of the Mediterranean region) and international organizations. In this case, the EU tender procedures,specifically prepared to support non-EU member states, are regulated by the special rules (Practical Guide to contract procedures financed from the General Budget of the European Communities and the context of external actions, so called. PRAG).

What is IPA III component about?

IPA Component III  refers to the  regional development and includes support in the field of environmental protection, sustainable development, development of transport , and small and medium enterprises and competitiveness. The right to use funds from the third component is entitled only to countries s with the EU membership candidate status followed by the adoption of appropriate strategic documents and the Decentralized Implementation System. By gaining the status of the  EU  candidate country in December 2010, Montenegro qualified for the use of the IPA III component. Unlike projects in the I component, which are prepared individually, the basis for the use of the III component is the Operational Programme, which is programmed  for a two-year period and comprehensively shows the purpose of consumption of IPA funds through priorities, measures and operations.