Cohesion policy good and bad practices

Introduction Lithuania (along with the other Baltics) is the achiever story of EIJ structural fund preoccupancy. Bulgaria (along with Romania) is the worst performer. Lithuania has contracted projects for 87% (6_4 billion) of gettable funds as of November 2012 and paid out 54% (4 billion) to beneficiaries. Bulgaria preoccupied only 2 billion of an available 9. 5 billion mingled with 2007 and 2011. Key factors affecting absorption capacity of structural funds I _ Use of pre-accesslon funds 2 Political will 3. wealth/polltlcal legitimacy of regions . Human resources 5. Knowledge of available funds 6. corruption and transp arency 7. r Is It Just a question of TIME (and size)? Bulgaria Joined EU in 2007 having spent very little ot its pre-accession aid. Multiple corruption and transparency scandals tunds are withheld and projects are delayed. Change ot government in July 2009 with creation ot new administrative units to handle structural funds. The quality of human resources is low in regional/municipal administrations 4% speak English, the same people used for plan as for valuation, 201 1 sees improvements 27 municipal information centres set up, moment of prosecutions over misappropriation of funds increasing (but the absorption rate passably lower than 2010).Lithuania ELI member since May 2004. Population 3. 2 million compared to Bulgarias 7. 5 million. Flexible economy experienced rapid growth before the 2009 crisis (with tending of pre-accesslon fundsL and rebounded relatively quickly after huge contraction. In 2004-06 priority was accorded to disbursal EIJ money according to all rules and procedures. Start of 007-2013 programming period absorption rate was similar to EUIO average (approx. 45%)