19. 6. 2017 | Macedonia - Finance, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
Macedonia will receive support for the accession to the EU in the Chapter 24 in the framework of the programme of Slovenia’s Development Cooperation and the focus of this support will in next two years (2017-2018) be to build capacities in the area of financial investigations. From 26 to 29 June 2017 a workshop will take place in Macedonia involving those in Slovenian and Macedonia who direct the work of investigation and suppression of organised crime and corruption.
They will exchange experiences and recognise differences, which can significantly influence the success of identification and confiscation of proceeds of crime and property of unlawful origin. Since the main motive of perpetrators of organised crime as well as means for their functioning, is to gain proceeds, financial investigations and confiscation of proceeds of crime are important tool in fight against organised crime and corruption. The project, managed by the Centre for European Perspective, is conducted in the cooperation with the Ministry of Interior/Police, Ministry of Justice, Specialised State Prosecutor’s Office for Organised Crime and Corruption and Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia.
The project is part of the programme activities funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia with funds for international development cooperation.
Makedoniji pomoč Slovenije na področju finančnih preiskav
Makedonija bo v okviru programa mednarodnega razvojnega sodelovanja Slovenije prejela pomoč pri približevanju EU v poglavju 24, pomoč pa se bo v naslednjih dveh letih (2017-2018) osredotočala na krepitev zmogljivosti na področju finančnih preiskav. Od 26.-29.6.2017 bo v Makedoniji potekala delavnica, na kateri bodo izmenjali izkušnje tisti, ki so v Sloveniji in Makedoniji vključeni v usmerjane dela pri preiskovanju in pregonu organiziranega kriminala in korupcije, in ugotavljali razlike, ki lahko pomembno vplivajo na uspešnost ugotavljanja in odvzema protipravno pridobljene premoženjske koristi in premoženja nezakonitega izvora. Ker je glavni motiv in hkrati sredstvo za delovanje storilcev organiziranega kriminala pridobitev premoženjske koristi, so finančne preiskave in odvzem premoženja nezakonitega izvora pomembno orodje v boju proti organiziranemu kriminalu in korupciji. Projekt, ki ga vodi Center za evropsko prihodnost, se izvaja v sodelovanju z Ministrstvom za notranje zadeve/Policijo, Ministrstvom za pravosodje, Specializiranim državnim tožilstvom in Finančno upravo Republike Slovenije.
Projekt je del programskih aktivnosti, ki jih financira Ministrstvo za zunanje zadeve iz sredstev za mednarodno razvojno sodelovanje.
14. 6. 2017 | PR, Reflection Forum
Reflection Forum on the run-up to the Summit of Trieste on the Western Balkans will convene the community of European experts working on Western Balkans’ EU integration to reflect on the challenges bedevilling the EU’s enlargement policy, once deemed the EU’s most successful foreign policy, and the contribution research can make to address these. Taking place on 26 – 27 June 2017 in Trieste, Italy, reflection forum will provide a platform for exchange of perspectives between experts working in national and European administrations and institutions as well as researchers affiliated to European think-tanks and universities in the EU and the Western Balkans.
This second reflection forum, dedicated to regional cooperation, will reflect on the enlargement and the Western Balkans among the policy community, the media and the general public. Three areas of reflection have been delineated: the resurgence of bilateral and regional tensions, the gap between regional cooperation in enabling security matters and the pitfalls of gendered models of economic development.
Speakers at the forum will not deliver their presentations ex cathedra but participate interactively in debates moderated by experienced experts. The reflection forum and reflection conference will set the basis for the elaboration of reflection papers, disseminated across the policy community. They will be followed up by a new series of outreach events (panel discussions), to be organised throughout the Western Balkans as well as in the Berlin Process countries in autumn and spring 2017-2018.
Centre for European Perspective is co-hosting one dinner in Portorož, Slovenia with the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The welcoming address will be delivered by Peter Grk, National Coordinator for Western Balkans at Slovenian MFA and Darja Bavdaž Kuret, State Secretary of Slovenian MFA.
Background of the Reflection Forum initiative
In 2014, in the wake of the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, the Federal Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, initiated an intergovernmental process with the countries of the Western Balkans (the so-called Berlin Process). Its aim is to improve cooperation throughout the region, put “fundamentals first”, and thereby reinvigorate European integration. The first conference, organised in Berlin, was followed by a second one in Vienna in 2015 and a third one in Paris in 2016. A fourth conference will be convened by Italy in 2017, before the process expectedly ends one year later, in 2018, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI.
In order to encourage a European dialogue amongst think tanks and academic institutions on the Western Balkans and their European perspective, the CIFE, CFA, IAI and IFRI, together with other institutions, including CEP, launched in 2015 an initiative that culminated with the organisation of a “reflection forum” on the Western Balkans in May 2016 in Paris. The reflection forum took place in the run-up to the conference on the Western Balkans hosted by President François Hollande on 4 July 2016. It created an open platform of exchange for more than 80 key experts coming from all over Europe. This first reflection forum addressed some of the topical challenges the EU and Western Balkan countries face, from socio-economic convergence or migration security to democratisation or geopolitics. In the weeks following the event, an expert report was elaborated in cooperation with the EUISS and transmitted to French authorities before the Paris Conference of July 2016. In the following months, a series of outreach events (panel discussions) were organised throughout the Western Balkans in order to nourish the reflection initiated in Paris on the European politics and EU enlargement.
This process of reflection and think tank mobilisation will be continued throughout 2017. On 5th April, a high-level reflection conference, organised under the patronage of the Italian MFA, started the process leading to the second edition of the reflection forum, organised on 26-27th June 2017, in the run-up to the next intergovernmental conference on the Western Balkans hosted by Italy in July 2017.
Organizers and supporters
Reflection forum is organised and supported by Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Centre international de formation européenne (CIFE), Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe (CFA), French Institute for International Relations (Ifri), Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), Austrian Institute for International Politics (Oiip), European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory (BiEPAG), Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso (OBC), Central European Initiative (CEI), Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia, MIB Trieste School of Management, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, Federal Ministry for European, Integration and Foreign Affairs of Austria, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Friedrich-Ebert Foundation (FES), and Centre for European Perspective (CEP).
13. 6. 2017 | IECEU, PR
The analyses of the effectiveness of Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) – crisis management operations, implemented by the IECEU-project, also researched the current initiatives of pooling and sharing of capabilities (P&S) and how it is perceived at mission level. Firstly, an extensive desk research has been conducted, to uncover what initiatives are ongoing at EU-level and national level. It was followed by eight case studies in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia have been reviewed, covering 15 CSDP crisis management missions.
The results of this research are listed in the 6.1 Standardisation Review, that looked at training initiatives, common procurement initiatives as well as how P&S is perceived at mission/operation level. Three standardised questions were asked in all 15 researched CSDP crisis management operations (of which ten are civilian and five are military):
1. whether when establishing the mission pooling and sharing had been considered;
2. how did the pooling and sharing work in the field; was it considered, and;
3. were there existing practices of pooling and sharing (if any).
At statistical level, 8 out of 15 crisis management operations have recorded findings in terms of pooling and sharing. However, six of these operations reported there was no P&S activities, which means that there are only two positive findings for P&S at crisis management operations level. More specifically, the two recorded positive findings for practices of P&S are for the CSDP-missions EUFOR RCA and EULEX Kosovo.
In terms of what is pooled and shared, both crisis management operations display different results. EUFOR RCA pooled and shared airlift capacity, which makes sense as it is a scarce and expensive resource. The EULEX Kosovo mission shows more complex findings for pooling and sharing, as it mentioned different points, such as transfer of staff, mission support, standard operating procedures and sharing / joint use of resources. This could be partly explained by the length of the mission (9 years), giving more time to develop pooling and sharing initiatives.
These results have to be taken with caution, as factors such as timeframe (P&S was developed from 2010 onwards and thus does not fully apply to missions and operations that had been launched before that date) and links with the planning level (P&S at operations level depends on a large scale on previous planning and capability development. If there is already little pooling and sharing at those levels, it logically drops down to mission level).
The findings of P&S were discussed during an IECEU-policy dialogue held on 27 March 2017, in Brussels, with relevant stakeholders of EU institutions, member states, NGOs and academia. During the debate, the warning was expressed that pooling and sharing is not only about financial (saving) aspects, but also about what is available. Member states can only pool and share what they do have. Pooling and sharing is thus not replacing non-existing capabilities.
The discussion further on uncovered that much has been done in the military domain by projects led by European Defence Agency, however, it seems that the current trend is focusing on many small initiatives but lacking an overall approach. A broader understanding of the added value of joining forces and working stronger together among EU member states could be beneficial. To put it more strongly, there is a need for a continent of Pooling and Sharing and not many little islands of Pooling and Sharing in the European Union.
Interested? Contact us to know more.
Author: Mascia Toussaint
5. 6. 2017 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
Strateški forum Bled se je uveljavil kot eno najpomembnejših letnih srečanj politikov, gospodarstvenikov in akademikov v regiji ter širše in s tem postal viden tradicionalni dogodek s prepoznavno znamko in mednarodno veljavo. Iz regionalne platforme je prerasel v globalni forum in v zadnjih letih uspel pritegniti odločevalce iz več kot 50 držav sveta, ki sodelujejo na številnih panelih na temo mednarodnega gospodarstva in zunanje politike.
Letošnji, 12. Strateški forum Bled, ki ga organizirata Ministrstvo za zunanje zadeve in Center za evropsko prihodnost, bo potekal pod naslovom Nova realnost (New Reality) 4. in 5. septembra.
Tudi v letošnjem letu smo veseli, da lahko ponudimo priložnost mladim, ki bi želeli biti del priprav in izvedbe te uspešne zgodbe. Delo prostovoljcev je zelo raznoliko, sega od bolj vsebinskih, PR in protokolarnih nalog, do bolj tehničnih, sprejema udeležencev na letališču, dela na akreditacijah, usmerjanje udeležencev v dvorane, pomoči pri bilateralnih srečanjih, tehnične in logistične pomoči v dvoranah, sodelovanja s partnerskimi organizacijami itd. Vsekakor pa bo prostovoljcem omogočeno poslušanje katerega izmed panelov, delo pa je odlična iztočnica za spoznanje zanimivih ljudi iz različnih sektorjev in organizacij.
Za vse prostovoljce bosta organizirana prehrana in prevoz z Ministrstva za zunanje zadeve do lokacije konference na Bledu. Delo prostovoljcev bo večinoma potekalo 4. in 5. septembra, nekaj prostovoljcev bomo potrebovali že v času priprav na forum. Predpriprave bodo vključevale nekaj koordinacijskih sestankov ter izobraževanj.
V kolikor vas prostovoljno delo na Strateškem forumu Bled zanima, vas vabimo, da se prijavite preko obrazca.
Prijave pričakujemo najpozneje do 25. junija 2017.
Na tej povezavi najdete tudi koncept BSF 2017.
![Slovenia will shape Digital Single Market with the support of the EU Connecting Europe Facility E-Invoicing Programme]()
2. 6. 2017 | PR, ROSE
The European Commission took an Implementing Decision to support and co-finance Slovenia’s intention to further advance its E-Invoicing system and align it with the relevant EU legislation, contributing thus to the digital transformation of eProcurement. The action titled “Readiness Of Slovenian E-Invoicing” (ROSE) is prepared and implemented by the Public Payments Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, ZZI d.o.o., Mojdenar IT d.o.o. and Centre for European Perspective who coordinates the action.
The objective of this Action is to increase the uptake and use of e-invoicing of 90% of the Slovene contracting authorities and contracting entities, and to be compliant with newly adopted European standard (EN) on electronic invoicing by the end of May 2018. Implemented eDelivery DSI will establish conditions of interoperability on local and national level and in cross-border communications.
EU countries and the European Commission introduced a European Standard for e-Invoicing in response to the many e-invoice formats used across the EU. These varied formats cause unnecessary complexity and high costs for economic operators and public entities and prevent electronic invoices to flow seamlessly across the EU.
To achieve targeted uptake and use of e-invoicing and compliance with EN and document delivery for contracting authorities, the existing single entry and exit point at the Public Payment Administration will be upgraded accordingly. It also requires Slovenian e-Invoices standard eSLOG aligned with the newly adopted European standard. According to the European Directive on electronic invoicing in public procurement (2014/55/EU), the receipt of e-invoices send in the European standard is also required from public service providers other than budget users – in large number local utility and public services companies. The action will pay special attention to introduce and support the implementation of this novelty to them. Trainings of local contracting entities and solution providers as well as promotion and dissemination activities will build awareness and understanding of Slovenian local utility and other public service providers of EU standardisation of e-invoicing and their obligations of receiving it. Deliverables will be produced as reusable building blocks to support trans-European connectivity and will be available for wider deployment.
The action is launched on 1 June 2017 and it will be completed by 31 May 2018.
E-invoicing system in Slovenia
The e-invoicing in Slovenia is in a good shape. The electronic exchange of invoices supported with electronic delivery system has been present in Slovenia for several years, as the Slovenian economic space prepared a national standard of electronic invoice back in 2005.
Despite this possibility, the usage of the e-invoices did not reach the expected extent. In 2012, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia and the Public Payments Administration of the Republic of Slovenia established the National Forum for E-Invoice with intention to take active leadership and coordination role in the popularisation and introduction of benefits.
Cooperation of all stakeholders through the National Forum in the past few years and coordinated approach by regulators led to the first actual extended usage of e-invoices: from 1 January 2015, budget users, who represent major part of public sector can only receive e-invoices instead of paper invoices. Since the legislation in Slovenia permit PPA to exchange e-invoices only for budget users, it is necessary to establish the appropriate solutions to the remaining organizations, which are legal entities governed by public law but are not budget users.
About the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)
The action “Readiness Of Slovenian E-invoicing” is co-financed by the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). CEF in Telecom is a key EU instrument to facilitate cross-border interaction between public administrations, businesses and citizens, by deploying digital service infrastructures (DSIs) and broadband networks. Supported actions will contribute to the creation of a European ecosystem of interoperable and interconnected digital services that sustain the Digital Single Market.
E-invoicing represents a clear example of how digital innovation can provide efficiencies and cost-cutting measures of tangible benefit to public administrations, citizens and businesses throughout Europe. Digital technologies are transforming our world. It’s time to make the EU’s single market fit for the digital age.
Slovenija bo krepila enotni digitalni trg s podporo programa e-računi znotraj EU Connecting Europe Facility E-Invoicing
Evropska komisija je sprejela odločitev, da podpre in sofinancira namero Slovenije, da nadalje razvije sistem e-računov in ga uskladi z relevantno zakonodajo Evropske unije (EU), kar bo pripomoglo k digitalni transformaciji naročil. Projekt z naslovom “Readiness Of Slovenian E-Invoicing” (ROSE) so pripravili in implementirali Uprava Republike Slovenije za javna plačila, Gospodarska zbornica Slovenije, ZZI d.o.o., Mojdenar IT d.o.o. ter Center za evropsko prihodnost, ki projekt koordinira.
Cilj je, da bo ob zaključku projekta 90 % zavezancev za prejem računa v elektronski obliki v skladu z Direktivo 2014/55/EU vpisanih v Register prejemnikov eRačunov, ki ga bo vzpostavila Gospodarska zbornica Slovenije ter 90 % zavezancev sposobno prevzeti eRačun v skladu z novo sprejetim evropskim standardom (EN) o elektronskih računih do konca maja 2018. Implementirani eDelivery DSI bo zagotavljal pogoje za operativnost na lokalni in nacionalni ravni in čezmejno komunikacijo. .
Države EU in Evropska komisija so evropski standard za e-račune uvedle v odziv na raznolike formate e-računov, ki se uporabljajo v državah EU. Raznoliki formati so namreč privedli do nepotrebne zapletenosti in visokih stroškov za gospodarske subjekte in javne institucije in preprečevali, da bi elektronski računi tekoče krožili znotraj EU.
Da bi dosegli zadano uporabo in sprejemanje e-računov v skladu z EN in dostavo dokumentov za javne organe naročnike , bo nadgrajena obstoječa enotna vstopna in izstopna točka pri Upravi RS za javna plačila. To hkrati zahteva uskladitev slovenskega standarda e-računov eSLOG z na novo sprejetim evropskim standardom. V skladu z evropsko direktivo o izdajanju elektronskih računov pri javnem naročanju (2014/55/EU) je prejemanje elektronskih računov poslanih po evropskem standardu zahtevano tudi za izvajalce javnih storitev, ki niso proračunski porabniki. Predvsem gre za lokalna komunalna podjetja in ostale izvajalce javnih storitev. Projekt bo posebno pozornost podpori pri uvajanju novosti namenil prav tem subjektom. Treningi za lokalna komunalna podjetja in ostale izvajalce javnih storitev ter ponudnike elektronskih storitev in rešitev, promocija in aktivnosti razširjanja rezultatov bodo prispevali k ustvarjanju zavesti in razumevanja slovenskih lokalnih komunalnih podjetij ter ostalih izvajalcev javnih storitev glede standardizacije e-računov v EU ter njihovih obvez. Rezultati bodo predstavljeni v obliki gradnikov, ki jih je mogoče ponovno uporabiti za podporo vseevropske povezljivosti ter bodo na voljo za širšo uporabo.
Projekt se začenja 1. junija 2017 in se bo izvajal do 31. maja 2018.
Sistem e-računov v Sloveniji
Sistem e-računov v Sloveniji dobro deluje. Elektronska izmenjava računov, podprta z elektronskim sistemom dostave, je v Sloveniji uvedena že več let, saj je slovenski gospodarski prostor uvedel nacionalni standard elektronskih računov že leta 2005.
Kljub možnosti uporabe pa e-računi niso dosegli pričakovanega obsega. Leta 2012 sta Gospodarska zbornica Slovenije ter Uprava RS za javna plačila ustanovili Nacionalni forum za eRačun z namenom, da bi prevzeli aktivno vodstvo in koordinacijsko vlogo pri popularizaciji in uvajanju pozitivnih učinkov elektronskih računov.
Sodelovanje vseh deležnikov pri Nacionalnem forumu v preteklih letih in koordinirani pristop regulatorjev je privedel do prvega primera razširjene uporabe e-računov: od 1. januarja 2015 vsi proračunski uporabniki, ki predstavljajo večji del javnega sektorja, sprejemajo le e-račune. Uprava za javna plačila omogoča izmenjavo e-računov le za proračunske uporabnike, zato je nujno vzpostaviti primerne rešitve za ostale subjekte, ki zagotavljajo javne storitve, a niso proračunski uporabniki.
O Instrumentu za povezovanje Evrope
Projekt “Readiness Of Slovenian E-invoicing” je sofinanciran preko Instrumenta za povezovanje Evrope (CEF). CEF Telecom je ključni instrument EU za podporo čezmejnim stikom med javnimi upravami, podjetji in državljani, preko uporabe digitalne storitvene infrastrukture in širokopasovnih omrežij. Podprti projekt bo prispeval k ustvarjanju evropskega ekosistema medsebojno kompatibilnih in povezanih digitalnih storitev, ki odlikujejo enotni digitalni trg.
E-računi predstavljajo jasen primer, kako digitalne inovacije prinašajo merljive koristi pri učinkovitosti in varčnosti za javno upravo, državljane in podjetja širom Evrope. Digitalne tehnologije spreminjajo naš svet. Čas je, da enotni evropski trg prilagodimo digitalni dobi.
25. 5. 2017 | Albania - Local Governments, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
In the framework of the project ‘Assistance to Albanian municipalities in the preparation of the EU and other international projects’ between 23 and 26 May 2017 Centre for European Perspective (CEP) is conducting this year’s second workshop in Tirana. The workshop is a continuation of the first workshop that was held in April in Albanian Vlora. Same participants continue with the preparation of their project proposals.
Participants are representatives of local government (different municipalities and regional development agencies), various ministries, university and Donor Coordination Office of the Prime Minister. The workshop started with the presentations of logical frameworks that were prepared by all participants’ groups. Preparation of the log frames took place during the last four weeks since the first workshop has finished. The second workshop addresses the familiarization with the standard grant application pack, budget planning, risk assessment, horizontal principles, project partner search and project implementation (including reporting, evaluation and dissemination). The main objective of the second workshop is that each group of participants prepare an outline of the project proposal that could successfully compete in a concrete call.
The very successful project initially started in 2012 with a focus on strengthening the capacities of the Albanian Institutions for disbursement of funds from Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). Since then, CEP conducted 8 workshops on project preparation for civil servants. Last year’s follow up on training shows that 71 project applications were submitted with 27 projects awarded (these figures are from December 2016).
CEP is preparing a training in cooperation with the Balkan Center for Cooperation and Development (BCCD), the American development agency USAID and the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Tirana.
The project is part of the CEP program activities financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the scope of international development cooperation.
Photos: BCCD
Pripravimo uspešen projektni predlog – druga delavnica CEP v Tirani
Center za evropsko prihodnost (CEP) v okviru projekta ‘Pomoč albanskim občinam na področju priprave EU in drugih mednarodnih projektov’ med 23. in 26. majem 2017 v Tirani izvaja letošnjo drugo delavnico. Delavnica je nadaljevanje prve delavnice, ki je bila izvedena aprila. Ista skupina udeležencev nadaljuje s pripravami projektnih predlogov.
Udeleženci so predvsem predstavniki lokalnih oblasti (različnih občin in razvojnih agencij), med njimi pa so tudi predstavniki nekaterih ministrstev, univerze in urada predsednika vlade za koordinacijo donatorjev. Delavnica se je začela s predstavitvijo in pregledom logičnih okvirjev projektnih idej, ki so jih udeleženci, razdeljeni v skupine, pripravili v štirih tednih, kolikor je minilo od prve delavnice. V okviru druge delavnice bodo udeleženci med drugim podrobno spoznali standardno obliko projektnih razpisov, pripravo finančnega načrta projekta, oceno tveganja, upoštevanje horizontalnih načel, iskanje projektnih partnerjev in samo izvajanje pridobljenih projektov (vključno s poročanjem, evalvacijo ter diseminacijo). Cilj druge delavnice je, da ima vsaka skupina udeležencev ob koncu zasnovan okvirni projektni predlog, ki bi lahko uspešno konkuriral na konkretnem razpisu.
CEP podobna usposabljanja za albanske javne uslužbence uspešno izvaja že od leta 2012. Podatki iz decembra 2016 so zelo spodbudni in kažejo, da so občine in razvojne agencije, ki so sodelovale na usposabljanju minulo leto, prijavile 71 projektov, pri čemer so bila sredstva dodeljena 27 projektom v skupni vrednosti dobrih 3,7 milijona evrov.
CEP pripravlja usposabljanje v sodelovanju z Balkanskim centrom za sodelovanje in razvoj (BCCD), ameriško razvojno agencijo USAID in Veleposlaništvom RS v Tirani.
Projekt je del programskih aktivnosti CEP, ki jih financira Ministrstvo za zunanje zadeve iz sredstev za mednarodno razvojno sodelovanje.
Fotografije: BCCD
