Programme Management

The European Commission has suspended the cooperation with the Russian Federation within this Programme and participation of Russian representatives in work related to Programme implementation is suspended as well.

Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC)

The JMC is set up by the Governments of Latvia and Russia. It comprises 14 members (7 representatives from each country) representing national and regional authorities, appointed by both participating countries. The European Commission is involved in the work of JMC as observer. The JMC has a rotating chair on annual basis. The main responsibility of the JMC is to monitor the implementation of the Programme. The JMC follows the implementation of the Programme and progress towards its priorities using the objectively verifiable indicators and related target values defined in the Programme. Furthermore, it examines all issues affecting the performance of the Programme, and may issue recommendations to the Managing Authority regarding the implementation of the Programme and its evaluation.

National Authorities (NA)

Each participating country appoints a NA. NAs are responsible for the set up and effective functioning of management and control systems at national level and shall support the MA in ensuring that the management and control system for the Programme is set up and this system functions effectively. The NA for the Republic of Latvia is the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia (MEPRD) . The NA for the Russian Federation is the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.

Managing Authority (MA)

The MA is an executive body having overall responsibility for efficient management and implementation of the Programme. With assistance from the JTS, the MA prepares and launches the calls for proposals, manages project selection procedures and carries out the monitoring  of the projects and Programme activities. The MA also signs the grant contracts with the beneficiaries, submits the requests for payment to the European Commission and proceeds with payments to the beneficiaries, as well as ensures that the expenditure of each beneficiary has been verified by Control Contact Point for Latvian partners and by independent external auditor for Russian partners. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia performs functions of the MA of the Programme.

Joint Technical Secretariat (JTS)

The JTS is the main contact point for those interested in the Programme. The JTS is located in Riga and its functions are performs by the MEPRD. The JTS assists the MA and and the JMC in day-to-day management of the Programme (preparation of calls for proposals, selection and management of projects, financial management and control, communication, etc.). The JTS is in charge of providing technical assistance to project applicants in the preparation of project proposals and to beneficiaries in project implementation. Two branch offices of the JTS are set up in Pskov and Saint-Petersburg. Their role includes communication, information, support to the MA and JTS in the project evaluation and implementation follow-up, as well as support to project partners, NAs and JMC.

Audit Authority (AA)

The Audit Authority (AA) verifies the effective functioning of the management and control system of the Programme and ensures sample audits of projects. The AA is assisted by the Group of Auditors comprising representatives of the participating countries. The functions of the AA are carried out by the Audit Department of the MEPRD.

Control Contact Point (CCP)

The control tasks of CCP include examining, whether the costs declared by the beneficiary in support of a payment request and the revenue of the project are real, accurately recorded and eligible in accordance with the contract. In Latvia the CCP functions are vested to the public officers of Investments Supervision Department of the MEPRD. In Russia control tasks will be performed by audit companies. The Unit for coordination and legal support of regional and cross-border cooperation, Department for regional and cross-border cooperation development, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, acting as the CCP will mainly support the MA in verification and control tasks on the territory of Russia by providing information and clarifications on the national rules that have implications for conducting the audits or additional checks of projects, helping the MA to organize trainings for project auditors (upon need), and receive information about the quality of expenditure verifications from the MA.