European Fund Management Experts
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Case Studies & Client Testimonials
Recent News Items
22 December 2011
EU Infopoint, Nicosia, Northern Cyprus
Since September 2011, ESEP Global has been providing expert staff with practical experience of EU funding and policies to work with WYG International to support the operation of the EU Infopoint in Nicosia, in the northern part of Cyprus. Can Kostepen is currently working as the Information and Events Officer for the project, and Muriel Mackenzie, ESEP's Research & Policy Officer, recently led a successful seminar on 'Gender Mainstreaming and EU Funding'.
The EU Infopoint was established in 2009 for the benefit of the Turkish Cypriot community. It aims at providing information to Turkish Cypriots on the EU's political and legal order, as well as its main policies and activities. In responding to requests from the general public, business, media and academia for information related to the EU, the project organises a range of seminars, conferences, workshops and visibility events. The EU Infopoint is financed by the EU Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community.
20 December 2011
Quality Assurance in Romania
ESEP Global's staff have recently completed providing quality assurance support and specialist advice to an international IT company to develop an integrated management information system for the Human Resources Development Sectoral Operational Programme (HRDSOP), Romania.
S.C. TeamNet International S.A., which operates as a member of the Asesoft Group, is a major provider of integrated software systems to the Romanian Government, including the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Protection in its capacity as the Managing Authority for the 2007 - 2013 HRDSOP.
In addition to conducting a gap analysis and quality assessment of the integrated management information systems currently in place to manage the European Social Fund Programme, the Global Team also provided support in relation to data capture and compliance issues; the tracking of N+2 targets; together with further information on preparing for the 2014 - 2020 Programming period and the requirement to demonstrate progression towards meeting Europe 2020 targets.
Over a period of 6 months, ESEP Global carried out a series of information exchange and expert missions to Bucharest, Romania, and produced validation reports.
11 April 2011
Croatian Ministries Study Visit
ESEP was delighted to assist in the organisation of a study visit to the UK for representatives of the Croatian Ministries of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship; Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management; Science, Education and Sport; and the Central Finance and Contracting Agency. The purpose of the visit was to offer the delegation a further insight into the role of information and publicity in the management of EU Structural Funds, as part of the technical assistance project ‘Support to the RCOP Operating Structure with OP Management’.
During their 3-day visit to Scotland, the delegates met with the Chief Executive of ESEP and the European Policy Manager, European Structural Funds Division, the Scottish Government, who provided them with an overview of the Lowlands and Uplands Scotland 2007-2013 Operational Programmes, and issues of communication and visibility at Programme level. In addition, site visits were arranged to projects in receipt of ERDF and ESF funding, including the Scottish Agricultural Centre’s GreenCow Research Facility; North Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership’s ‘North Lanarkshire’s Working’ initiative, and the Hydrogen Office, Fife.
28 March 2011
Crimea Rural Tourism
ESEP Global has recently been active in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (AR Crimea), working with UNDP and the UK Embassy to provide support and expertise to assist Crimea towards developing a sustainable rural tourism strategy.
Our project partner, Dr Colin Smith of the Glamis Consultancy, was hosted in Crimea by UNDP, who organised a series of meetings with key officials and local tourism businesses. Dr Smith was also invited to present a Scottish perspective on rural tourism to a meeting of the Black Sea Regional Economic Forum. Following this we were delighted to host a delegation of senior government representatives for a short study tour to Scotland. Mykola Marinov, Deputy to the Minister of Resorts and Tourism of the AR Crimea; Ihor Kobelya, Head of Department for Marketing and Finances of the Ministry of Resorts and Tourism of the AR Crimea; and Sergiy Glyebov, Director of the Crimean Resort Tourism Agency met senior officials from Scottish Government, VisitScotland and Scottish Enterprise as well as the Directors and Campus Manager, Arrochar and Tarbet Community Development Trust, and the Access Project Officer for Whitelee Windfarm.
09 November 2010
2010 Enlargement Package is Adopted
On 9 November 2010 the European Commission adopted its Enlargement Strategy and Progress Reports for 2010. The link to the package is;
http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/press_corner/key-documents/reports_nov_2010_en.htm
22 October 2010
Roma.Net Management Committee October 2010
ESEP Global was delighted to receive a direct request to contribute to the Roma.Net Management Committee in Krakow, Poland in October 2010. The Roma.Net project is focused on the integration of Roma populations, overcoming negative attitudes and how to improve consultation and engagement with the Roma community. Despite efforts at local, national and European levels, Roma populations continue to face high levels of social exclusion and poverty.
ESEP Global provided a presentation and case studies on how European Structural Funds can be used to successfully integrate excluded communities, with a particular focus on capacity building and continuous training and promoting integration as a key factor in a cohesive society as well as delivering the goals of the Europe 2020 Strategy.
22 September 2010
ESEP Global Meets Chinese Delegation
We were pleased to have the opportunity to make a presentation on ‘Monitoring of Structural Funds in Scotland’ to a visiting delegation from the Sino-German Economic and Structural Reform Programme, managed by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). The group was hosted in Glasgow by our colleagues from the European Policies Research Centre (EPRC), University of Strathclyde, as part of a study tour to the UK and Brazil to make a comparative examination of regional development monitoring, measuring and evaluation systems. The delegation was made up of high-ranking representatives from the State Information Centre, the Office of the Leading Group for Financial and Economic Affairs, the National Development Reform Commission and provincial Information Centres. This is the latest of a number of planned collaborations with EPRC and the University of Strathclyde.
21 June 2010
Welcome to Otilia Hritcu
We are delighted to welcome Otilia Hritcu to ESEP Global for a short internship. Otilia is a fast-track Romanian civil service trainee and is currently studying on the Masters Programme in Public Policy and Management at the University of Glasgow.
A recent major international evaluation of EU Cohesion Policy during the period 2000 - 2006 has raised a number of issues relating to the management and implementation of the Policy across Member States. During her placement with ESEP Global, Otilia will undertake a research assignment to examine some of these issues within a Romanian context.
07 January 2010
Extension to Romanian Environment Contract
We are delighted to announce that the “Technical Assistance for the Technical Assistance Unit of the Management Authority for the SOP Environment Programme” project in Romania has been extended until March 2010. The Romanian Environment OP is a key programme worth €5.6 billion.
ESEP Global has been providing expert staff with practical experience of managing Structural Funds programmes in Scotland, to assist the Technical Assistance Unit with tasks including training, preparation of procedures, strategy/action plans, risk analysis, guidelines, and evaluation techniques and methods which have all been well received by the Ministry of the Environment.
Following on from the success of the initial work carried out by ESEP Global staff more bespoke training in Structural Funds Management has been requested by the client. A further delegation from the Management Authority of the Romanian OP will visit Scotland in February 2010 for a week long study visit.
24 November 2009
Public Consultation on the Future EU 2020 Strategy
The European Commission has issued a public consultation document on the future EU 2020 strategy to make the EU a smarter, greener social market. The link to the document is;
ec.europa.eu/dgs/secretariat_general/eu2020/consultation_en.htm
19 November 2009
Knowledge Based Economy Project Study Visit
ESEP Global recently played host to a team of senior experts from the Knowledge Based Economy Project, Romania. The project has been initiated through the Ministry of Communications and Information Society with support from the World Bank with the aim of facilitating access within disadvantaged communities to on-line services and information and digital literacy training. The brief of the 3-day study visit programme was to provide the delegates with an introduction to Scottish examples of good practice in the fields of ICT and community development. In addition to meetings with representatives of Scottish Government, the Scotland National Rural Network and Glow Scotland, the delegation had the opportunity to visit projects including Fife Women’s Technology Centre, Adam Smith College and the Industry Alliance for Jobs. The delegation was led by Ms Diana Voicu, Director of the Knowledge Economy Project Management Unit, supported by staff of the major e-solutions company, SIVECO, Romania.
14 October 2009
2009 Progress Reports are Published
On 14 October 2009 the European Commission adopted its Enlargement Strategy and published 2009 Progress Reports of the candidate and potential candidate countries.The link to the reports is;
ec.europa.eu/enlargement/press_corner/key-documents/reports_oct_2009_en.htm
15 September 2009
Ukrainian Partnership and Cooperation Study Visit
ESEP Global was delighted to receive a direct request to contribute to a study tour for a group of senior ranking civil servants from the Ukraine. The high level delegation included the Counsellor of the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine and representatives from the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. In response to the visit objective of supporting the Ukraine in its implementation of the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement with the EU, presentations were provided on approaches to effective monitoring and evaluation at Programme and project level, including the identification of objectively verifiable indicators and associated capacity building issues.
21 August 2009
Environmental Study Tour
We were pleased to welcome a delegation from the Management Authority of the Romanian Environment OP to Scotland recently for a week-long study visit. Members of the delegation met counterparts from the Scottish Government, ESEP as the intermediate body for the Scottish LUPS Programmes, and experts from the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) to discuss the Scottish approach to programme management and environmental regulation.
Delegates visited a number of projects supported by the EU incorporating biodiversity and sustainable development aspects, including Glen Finglas, the new North Glasgow College, and The Falkirk Wheel. They also took the opportunity to explore the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, and taste some traditional Scottish produce!
14 July 2009
Romania
ESEP Global is working with WYG International to deliver the “Technical Assistance for the Technical Assistance Unit of the Management Authority for the SOP Environment Programme” project in Romania. The Romanian Environment OP is a key programme worth €5.6 billion. Priorities include;
- Extension and modernization of water and wastewater systems
- Development of integrated waste management systems and rehabilitation of historically contaminated sites
- Reduction of pollution and mitigation of climate change by restructuring and renovating urban heating systems towards energy efficiency targets in the identified local environmental hotspots
- Implementation of adequate management systems for nature protectionImplementation of adequate infrastructure of natural risk prevention in most vulnerable areas
- Technical Assistance
ESEP Global is providing expert staff with practical experience of managing Structural Funds programmes in Scotland, to assist the Technical Assistance Unit with tasks including training, preparation of procedures, strategy/action plans, risk analysis, guidelines, and evaluation techniques and methods. The project is expected to be completed in November 2009.
26 June 2009
New training course delivered
The first group of participants consisting of Scottish Government Structural Funds Division managers has completed the ‘Managing the Verification Process’ course. ESEP was responsible for the design and delivery of this brand new, externally- accredited programme which covers all aspects of the verifications required under the Structural Funds Regulations, with a particular emphasis on financial management. Developed as a series of modules and practical exercises, other topics include Verification Planning and Preparation; Eligibility and National Rules; Procurement and Compliance; Indicators and Targets; Monitoring the Horizontal Themes; Financial Engineering; and Project Management and Administration within Supported Projects.
The newly-trained staff will now begin to undertake an extensive programme of on-the-spot verification checks of approved ERDF and ESF projects.
28 May 2009
Technology transfer study visit
A Croatian delegation consisting of representatives from the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports, The Croatian Institute of Technology, Science and Technology Park and Universities of Zagreb, Osijek and Rijeka visited ESEP Global during their study visit to Scotland. A presentation on the implementation of Structural Funds in Scotland was given to the group, and a useful discussion ensued regarding common challenges faced in the delivery of IPA and Structural Funds programmes and projects. The study visit was organised under the PHARE 2006 “Capacity building in technology transfer institutions in order to enhance research commercialisation activities”.
The delegates, who enjoyed a full programme of project visits mixed with policy and operational input, were hosted by Scottish Development International. Feedback was extremely positive and we intend to develop and deepen the existing links between Croatian and Scotland.
19 May 2009
Romanian Competition Council visits Scotland
A high level delegation from the Romanian Competition Council visited ESEP Global as part of a twinning project with the UK Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. ESEP Global worked alongside the Scottish Government State Aid Unit and Scottish Enterprise to provide a cohesive picture of how State Aid is dealt with in the Structural Funds system in Scotland, and provide some case studies of projects where State Aid issues have been successfully addressed.
